Amos, an addition to the Loryma Peninsula

It is not really surprising to hear that no previous excavations were ever carried out at Amos – after all, there are so many antique sites on the west and southwest coastline of Turkey. But having stopped at Loryma a few years ago (see: Loryma, a Rhodian fortress, a source of inspiration), Amos pops out as a new city to be added to the list of territories ruled by Rhodes on the mainland, although the inhabitants never became Rhodian citizens. In any case, at the end of the 2^nd century BC the Romans gave all of Lycia and Caria to the Rhodians whose control lasted until the 2^nd century AD – making up the so-called Rhodian Peraea. The rocky and steep Loryma Peninsula lies at its very heart and this is where we find Amos, near the modern town of Turunç.

[Picture from the Hurriyet Daily News]

Excavations are planned to start in autumn 2016 and are estimated to be spread over three years.

Amos, meaning “the goddess temple” was known as Samnaios in Hellenistic times, and its history dates back to at least the 2^nd century BC based on a rental agreement unearthed by nobody less than George Bean (see: Turkey Beyond the Maeander) in 1948. The text is very detailed as it contains precise instructions regarding the payment of the rent, the provision made by the guarantors, as well as the rules regarding the development of the property. It further specifies among others that the tenant must plant a minimum of vines and fig trees, and dig a drainage canal. In case of non-compliance penalties will apply, but fines are also claimed for cutting wood on the property, burying a corpse or encroaching on the public road.

Yet this will be the first time that serious archaeological digs will be carried out and they sound quite promising. Today we can see the half buried remains of a theatre and a good stretch of the ancient city walls that are 1.8 meter thick and stand 3.5 meter tall built in a style that is characteristic for the early Hellenistic period. The ramparts are punctuated with fortified towers and a gate on the northern side. There is also an acropolis where remains of a small temple have been located.

Phoenix, wild and grand – also on the Loryma Peninsula - Caria 6

On the same Loryma Peninsula we anchor in one of the many picture-perfect coves and set out to discover the remains of Phoenix, a city of which I find no information whatsoever. As so often the case in Turkey, places have names and are put on a map but nothing or close to nothing is done to disclose the history and background of the place. Phoenix is no exception and I have the feeling to be the very first one to lay eyes on the stones, the walls, the ruined houses used over and over during the eons past. You can let your imagination run freely among these wild and crumbled hills.

“A river runs through it” would be another name for this remote town, although all that is left is the rocky riverbed that may or may not be filled with water after some heavy rain-showers. I truly takes plenty of imagination to bring this place to life for all I see is evidence of ordinary daily life with bits and pieces of tiles, amphora’s and other ceramics. The vague remains of cisterns and wells catch the eye beside stone slabs with half-worn Greek inscriptions that have been reused in the walls of more recent constructions. The careful observer will discern the city walls, partially swallowed up by the landscape and the high grasses, buildings leaning against the rocky background or nestled in between big outcrops that cannot be moved but have been integrated in the walls of some building.

If not for the scanty remains, the climb is definitely worth the view from atop this hill!

Click on the Label Caria 2012 to read the full story
[Click here to see all the pictures of Phoenix]

Loryma, a Rhodian fortress, a source of inspiration - Caria 5

I must admit that fortresses are not my forte, but they are always helpful to picture the kind of strongholds Alexander the Great had to take, even if that didn’t happen exactly right here.

Approaching the fortress of Loryma from the sea is a most impressive experience and you don’t have to be a general to realize its strategic location, due north of Rhodes. I definitely need some historical background here for I admit that I’m not at all familiar with what happened on and around the Island of Rhodes.

Homer tells us that the Dorians migrated to Asia, settling mainly on the Island of Rhodes where they created the cities of Lindus, Ialysus, and Camirus which were part of the Dorian hexapolis. These cities remained independent until 408 BC when some sort of Rhodian state emerged and the city of Rhodes was founded. From the very beginning, the individual cities possessed territory on the mainland, and obviously, the Loryma peninsula was close by. Although the people on the mainland were governed by Rhodes, they never became Rhodian citizens. About the end of the 2nd century BC, the Romans gave all of Lycia and Caria to the Rhodians whose control lasted until the 2nd century AD – making up the so-called Rhodian Peraea. The rocky and steep Loryma Peninsula lies at its very heart.

The well-preserved fortress that comes into view is crowning the southern end of the narrow headland, sheltering the deep bay behind it. George Bean in his precious book “Turkey beyond the Maeander” describes the fort as an elongated enclosure of approximately 320 meters long and 27 meters wide, with a wall that was about 2.5 meters wide counting nine square towers at regular intervals and a round tower at each end. The climb up to today’s ruins is not a difficult one and I’m truly impressed by the sheer width of the walls still standing up to one meter and the size of the construction blocks that reach lengths of more than five meters in some places. Five small gates gave access to the interior and halfway is a water outlet. Since no remains of housing have been found, it is generally agreed that the structure was purely military. There is, however, a partly rock-cut cistern close to each round tower, an indispensable asset for any fortification. Some speculate that the fragmentary ruins on the north hill may have been the residential quarters of Loryma.

From atop the peninsula, it is absolutely clear that the harbor of Loryma was well protected under all weather conditions. As far as we know, it was used by the Athenians during the Peloponnesian War in 395 BC, and again in 305 BC by Demetrios-Poliorcetes, son of Antigonus Monophthalmus (one of Alexander’s generals), when he set out on his unsuccessful conquest of Rhodes. Exciting to be in a place where so much history has been written!

Click on the Label Caria 2012 to read the full story
[Click here to see all the pictures of Loryma]