Alexander avoided the siege of Termessos

You have to see Termessos for yourself to fully assess the importance of its strategic location. Still, the place today is not easily accessible as it lies in the middle of the National Park of Güllük Dagi, which contributes widely to the sense of walking on trails of eons past.

When Alexander was about to wrap up his campaign in Pamphylia after a short while in Perge, he inquired about the best route towards Sagalassos in the north on his way to Gordion, where he was to meet up with Parmenion and the remaining part of the army.  Some uncooperative guides had advised Alexander to take the route through the narrows of Termessos, a nearly impregnable obstacle. Luckily the people of Selge were kind enough to draw Alexander's attention to another much easier road, meaning there was no need to besiege strongly defended Termessos. 

According to Strabo, the people of Termessos called themselves Slymi, a Pisidian population who took their name from Solymeus, an Anatolian deity. Before Alexander's arrival, very little was known about them, and after his death, the city was quite quickly ruled by the Ptolemys. By the second century BC, ties of friendship were established by Attalus II, King of Pergamon, and the two-story high Stoa was built in his honor. These ties probably led to Termessos choosing the side of Rome and consequently was declared an independent city in 71 BC – a long-lived freedom. Termessos was granted several privileges, contributing to its prosperity. The decline gradually came when it fell under the Byzantine Emperors. The city was finally destroyed by a severe earthquake, ending in its abandonment around the end of the fourth/beginning of the fifth century AD. 

Only little has been excavated in Termessos, which contributes to its charm, although that does not make the visit any easier; on the contrary, it is quite adventurous. The paths are not very obvious and not without danger, especially in rainy weather. My Sunflower Guide warns the intrepid visitor to move cautiously under such circumstances, so I didn't venture inside alone this time. I was lucky to have visited the site during my Alexander tour with Peter Sommer a few years ago, and that has left a deep impression.

It was very early spring when I followed my fellow travelers among the lush bushes and grasses on the narrow trail. I had no idea what to expect and found it quite exciting to discover remains of city walls and grey spots in the thick bright green undergrowth. I passed crumbling remains of the Roman Baths next to the Gymnasium and vaulted niches where once the shops lined up around the marketplace. The layout of the Temple of Zeus is hard to picture, but its two-storied walls are impressive enough. 

And then I reach the spot I have been waiting for, the gate through which Alexander was expected to enter Termessos. What a view! On a clear day, one can see as far as Antalya and the Mediterranean. It shows how strong the city's position must have been in this narrow, and they could clearly see their enemies approaching from afar. I can picture Alexander facing this siege; he certainly was not afraid. What a task that would have been! 

The following fascinating spot is, as always, the theater, originally a Greek construction that the Romans adapted to their standards. I marvel at its location, count the five gates on the stage, and chuckle at the sight of the windows in the back wall meant to let the wind through and alleviate the pressure on that wall – how ingenious! It is said that this theater can only be compared to that of Taormina in Sicily, although the Termessos theater is relatively small, seating only 4200 spectators. 

My scramble continues. At times, I have to climb on all fours over the huge building blocks, but it adds to the respect we owe to ancient architects and builders. Between the tree tops, I catch a glimpse of the Temple of Artemis (3rd century BC), walking past the back wall of the Bouleuterion, nearly ten meters high; a Heroon for an unknown hero; till I reach the comfortable Roman pavement leading to the central Agora, once the beating heart of the city where grain and fruit, as well as horses and cattle, were bought or exchanged. Another surprise awaits me here, for this is the first time I see huge 10-meter-deep water cisterns hidden underneath the pavement (it later appears to be a common practice to store water in mountainous areas). But this is quite an ingenious idea, solving the space problem in this terrain or during sieges. The Greeks who occupied Termessos before the Romans had their own cisterns in other locations, and I find one just alongside the trail I am following.

There are more remains of buildings to be found, like this one labeled as Corinthian Temple and Stoa of Attalus, two stories high, just like the Temple of Zeus I saw earlier. The Corinthian Temple takes its name from the Corinthian capitals on the outside columns. It measured some 10 x 10 meters with walls over a meter thick, making it the largest temple of Termessos. 

The site could be made more attractive to the tourist when so many of the walls are still standing, but then it would also lose part of its charm, which is to discover the buildings on your own as if you were the only one to have found them!

The very climax, however, is the Tomb of Alcetas. I was totally unprepared to see it and didn't even know who Alcetas was then. Meanwhile, I have updated my information.

Alcetas, the brother of Perdiccas, is first mentioned as one of Alexander's generals in his Indian campaign by Arrian. After Alexander's death and during the Wars of the Diadochi,  Alcetas was outlawed after murdering the Macedonian Meleandros, and he found refuge in Termessos. The city promised him protection against his Macedonian rival, Antigonus Monophthalmus. But then Antigonus showed up in front of the city with an army of 40,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry, and numerous elephants, demanding the surrender of Alcetas. The city elders wanted to accept the request, but the young men were ready to fight. To settle the internal conflict, the elders used a ruse (promising to continue the fight) and lured the youth out of the city, so Antigonus could walk in – something Alexander had not been able to achieve.

Realizing the betrayal, Alcetas committed suicide. Antigonus Monophthalmos, as a matter of course, refused to bury him. In the end, the young men, by now filled with remorse and shame, buried poor Alcetas with full honors. Over the centuries, the front of the tomb has vanished, but the back wall still survives to this day, and this is what I am confronted with, without any preparation about the history of the picture. Well, this is quite a shock, for it is like looking at Alexander in person! The mounted warrior is dressed in a complete Macedonian outfit holding his arm up with what may have been a sword or a spear. There is a striking resemblance between this armor and the one Alexander wore in the famous Pompeii mosaic. Unfortunately, the face has been disfigured, so no eyes are looking back at me. On the next wall, I can discern the body of an eagle with a snake in its beak, symbols of kingship. Some niches once held the burial gifts and remains of a carved-out jar for wine, grain, etc. The Macedonian shield, only recognizable around the edges, has been blasted away, but a grave stele still stands in relief against the side wall. Wow! This leaves me speechless …