The Remnants in the Town

Temple of Trajan in Pergamum"Pergamon was a small settlement during the Archaic Period. Lysimachos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great and who had become the sovereign of Anatolia after 301 B.C, delivered the war expenditures, at the amount of 9000 talents (1 talent is believed to be US$ 7,500 approx.), to Philetarios who was the commander of Pergamon, and the kingdom founded by Philetarios by using this sum of money following Lysimachos's death, flourished and became the most eminent center of culture of the Hellenistic period for 150 years. Eumenes I, Attalos I and Eumenes II were enthroned successively after Philetarios. Eumenes II took acropolis of Athens as an example and had the acropolis of Pergamon adorned with works of art which reflected fine taste, and Pergamon became one of the most graceful cities of the world. Attalos III who succeeded Attalos II, handed over his land to the Romans when he died in 133 B.C.

In the Acropolis, the remains that you see on the left hand side while going in, are the monumental tombs or heroons built for the kings of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period. Shops are situated at their side. When you enter the Acropolis, the remains seen at your left side, are the foundations of Propylon (monumental gates) which were constructed by Eumenes II. When you pass to the square surrounded with three stoas of the Doric order you'll notice the ruins of the temple of Athena, built during the time of Eumenes II in the 3rd century B.C. It's just above the theater. The famous Library of Pergamon which contained 200,000 books, was situated north of the square. Antonius gave all the books of the library to Cleopatra as a wedding gift. The remains near the library, are some houses from the Hellenistic period. If you go up the stairs, you'll see the remains of the palaces of Eumenes II and Attalos II. Inside the Acropolis there are houses, military barracks and military warehouses called "Arsenals". The building that has been restored at present, is the Temple of Trajan. Trajan started it but after his death Emperor Hadrian (117-138) finished the temple in Corinthian order and it was placed upon a terrace with dimensions of 68 x 58 m. Attempts have been continuing by the German archaeologists since 1976 to erect this temple which has 6 x 9 columns and a peripteros plan (one row of columns around the temple). It is completely marble.

The Theater of Pergamon, one of the steepest theaters in the world, has a capacity of 10,000 people and was constructed in the 3rd century B.C. The theater underwent changes during the Roman period under the reign of Caracalla. There is a 246.5 m long and approximately 16 m wide stoa (portico) in front of the theater. The road in front of the theater leads to the Temple of Dionysos (known in Rome as Baccus, god of wine). The temple was constructed in the 2nd century B.C. and reconstructed in marble during Caracalla's period (211-217 A.D). Its dimensions are 11.80 x 20.22 m. The temple, which arouses interest because of the staircase in front with a height of 4.5 m and 25 steps, has an exquisite appearance.

The famous Altar of Zeus in Pergamon is on the south of the theater. Eumenes II (197-159 B.C) constructed it as a memorial of the victory against the Galatians. This Altar has the shape of a horseshoe and its dimensions are 36.44 x 34.20 m. It is composed of four parts and the high relieves on it describe the war between the giants and the gods. The Altar which was taken away from Pergamon in 1871 and carried to Germany by the German engineer Carl Humann, is exhibited at the Museum of Pergamum in Berlin, in a manner conforming to its original. Today Turkish government is trying to get it back from Germany bringing the issue to the international court. On the south of the Altar, the Agora (market place) belonging to the 2nd century B.C, is situated. In the middle of the Agora there is a small altar. Downwards in the Acropolis, the central city is placed. Inside Pergamon, there is the Temple of Serapis, built for the Egyptian Gods in the 2nd c. AD. and called as the Red Courtyard by the locals. This is a basilica shaped building constructed under the reign of Hadrian, then, in the 4th century, it was converted into a church dedicated to St. John and became one of the Seven Churches of Christianity.

The museum is in Bergama and Asklepion (the ancient medical complex, hospital) is out of the city. It is comprehended that Asklepion, built in the name of Aesculapius, the god of Health and Medicine, has existed since the 4th century B.C. It contains premises such as a small theater with a capacity of 3,500 people, rooms where the patients were cured by the sound of water and music, the temple of Asklepion and the library. Here, the dreams of the patients were analyzed by their doctors (priests) 2000 years before Sigmund Freud did. One of the important personalities of Asklepion was Galen (Galenus) from the 2nd c. AD.

Today the town of modern Bergama is also famous for its cotton, carpets, and gold production.

The History of the Town

The Kingdom of Pergamum, situated in modern-day Turkey approximately 85 kilometers north of Izmir and 25 kilometers east of the Aegean Sea, played a significant role in the Ancient Mediterranean stage. In 281 B.C. when Lysimachus, who had appropriated Western Asia Minor as a successor of Alexander the Great, was defeated by Seleucus of Syria, Philataerus whom he had appointed to direct his fortress perched on the rocky terrain over the Caicus Valley seized his chance to secure the fortress for himself.

Philataerus was succeeded by his nephew Eumenes who secured the fortress by driving back the Galatians, European Celts settled in north-central Anatolia by the Ionians. He then declared independence for the Kingdom of Pergamum.

The Attalids of Pergamum built an impressive metropolis boasting beautiful temples, roads, a library rivaling that of Alexander's in Egypt, and even a school of medicine founded in the fourth century BC, the Asclepeion, which survived over the centuries and continued as a spa into the second century after Christ, attracting all sorts of travelers and patients from the known world.

Aside from their own city, the Attalids ruled over a vast portion of Western Asia Minor, modeling its governing on that of their city. Attalus I allied his kingdom to both Rome and Rhodes and was duly rewarded for this astute maneuver with more land.

The Pergamenes were active in trade and commerce as well. They prospered in agriculture and mined silver. Their textile industry flourished, and they invented parchment, charta Pergamena, to compete with Egyptian papyrus. They reaped the benefits of their success and built their reputation by contributing to the Hellenic cause, dedicating various temples in Athens.

In the second century BC events led to the bequest of the Kingdom to the Roman Republic. Eumenes II and his brothers were faithful in their support of Rome in the third Macedonian War as they joined forces with Thrace to attack Macedonia from the east. Rome abused of Pergamum's loyalty, and even insulted Eumenes several times, jelous and fearful of Pergamum's growing influence and power in Asia Minor.

Eumenes returned to Pergamum, but his brother Attalus remained to prove himself an indispensable help to the Romans in their naval defeat of Perseus. Both Polybius and Livy encouraged speculation and hinted at shady dealings between Perseus and Eumenes, accusations which proved unsubstantiated.

The dealings between Pergamum and the Roman Republic remained shaky, even under the supervision of the very diplomatic Attalus II, Eumenes' brother. By the time Attalus III succeeded his father, Rome continued to acquire power and land throughout the known world and became increasingly hostile to the Pergamene threat in Asia Minor.

Upon his death in 133 BC, Attalus III willed his kingdom to the Roman Empire. The Romans were slow to incorporate and order the governing of this vast bequest, even though Tiberius Gracchus was quick to parcel the money from these holdings for his agrarian reforms.

A threat to the Roman appropriation had to be quelled when Aristonicus, claiming Eumenes II as his father, lead an uprising of the poor of the city after being rejected by the Greek allies to wrest control from Rome. Aristonicus fought a valiant cause, his rebel army proved strong and enjoyed several victories before he was captured and his army later disbanded.

Pergamum was granted its freedom of sorts by the governor of Asia, Publius Servilius Isauricus, who had taken steps in the senate to protect the provinces from excessive advantage by Roman capitalists. Servilius was a distinguished politician who had served in conjunction with Ceasar as consul in 48 BC, and he received many honors when he declared Pergamum a democracy.

Although Pergamum was free to govern itself, it became dependent on Rome to protect its city as well as keep its distance. Pergamenes were aware Rome could strip them of their independence whenever so inclined.

Pergamum seemed to have more influence on Rome than vice versa. Pergamum was completely Hellenistic in culture upon its appropriation, a culture which Rome prized and imitated, and Pergamum became the capital of the East for the Imperial Cult. Under Attalid rule, Zeus and Asclepius were worshipped, and in 29 BC Augustus allowed the Pergamenes to build a temple in his honor which became the center for his worship in Asia Minor.

Both Trajan and Hadrian contributed to Pergamum, renovating temples in their honor, and Pergamum remained a mecca of culture and beauty for the surrounding areas of Asia Minor, especially for those interested in medicine who could visit the Asclepeion and other spas. Two ancient sources who wrote of the Asclepeion, Aelius Aristides and Galen of the second century after Christ, laud its virtues and restorative powers.

Pergamum passed from a kingdom to the Roman province of Mysia then to the province of Asia before it was deemed a democracy under the hegemony of the Roman Empire, but its culture never failed to thrive, surviving every upheaval.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29