Alexandria's founded by Alexander

Alexandria's founded by Alexander the Great (by year BC): 334 Alexandria in Troia (Turkey) - 333 Alexandria at Issus/Alexandrette (Iskenderun, Turkey) - 332 Alexandria of Caria/by the Latmos (Alinda, Turkey) - 331 Alexandria Mygdoniae - 331 Alexandria (Egypt) - 330 Alexandria Ariana (Herat, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria of the Prophthasia/in Dragiana/Phrada (Farah, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria of the Paropanisades (Ghazni, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria Eschate or Ultima (Khodjend, Tajikistan) - 329 Alexandria on the Oxus (Termez, Afghanistan) - 328 Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan) - 326 Alexandria Nicaea (on the Hydaspes, India) - 326 Alexandria Bucephala (on the Hydaspes, India) - 325 Alexandria Sogdia - 325 Alexandria Oreitide - 325 Alexandria in Opiene / Alexandria on the Indus (confluence of Indus & Acesines, India) - 325 Alexandria Rambacia (Bela, Pakistan) - 325 Alexandria Xylinepolis (Patala, India) - 325 Alexandria in Carminia (Gulashkird, Iran) - 324 Alexandria-on-the-Tigris/Antiochia-in-Susiana/Charax (Spasinou Charax on the Tigris, Iraq) - ?Alexandria of Carmahle? (Kahnu)

Friday, January 28, 2011

News from Didyma, Turkey

Sometimes illegal digs reveal unexpected new prospects, like last summer (2010) in Didyma on Turkey’s west coast.



Didyma, the site of an ancient oracle, literally means “twins”. The Temple of Apollo is well-known meanwhile and a true Mecca for the tourists in the area. You may remember that the god Apollo had a twin sister, the goddess Artemis. So it is not impossible to suppose there could be a nearby temple dedicated to her also.

Illegal digs have recently uncovered remains of a wall, suggesting by its size and location that it might well pertain to another temple. Because of the city’s name Didyma, the dedication to Artemis is rather obvious but so far this is only speculation and we’ll have wait for the outcome of further excavations of the site.

Meanwhile more excavation works are being undertaken on the ancient Sacred Road that once connected Miletus to Didyma, more specifically on the portion between the Apollo Temple and Panormos Harbor.


I’m curious to hear what other surprises this site will reveal!

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