BIKE CLASSICAL: Faustinopolis (Part 1): Basmakci (aka Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum), Found City north of the Cilician Gates

Photos by Jack A. Waldron

Late to pick-up travel technology, my preferred form of navigation used to be a paper map with some highlighted destinations, as well as road signs along the way that pointed me toward something unexpected. The problem is, if you don't do enough research prior to your journey, you're going to face the near impossible task of locating ancient sites on the fly. Pictured above, I leaned my bike up against the mosque fence in Basmakci (37°39'28.6"N 34°43'19.6"E) believing I had just finished photographing the remains of ancient Faustinopolis, and while I did find some interesting antiquities, and did camp outside the house of a wonderful old women, who of course was a most gracious host, I did not actually find ancient Faustinopolis, but I wouldn't realize this fact for another few years.

In retrospect, I guess I was fortunate to explore a site that is not marked on any map, has seen few if any surveys, and with a location of only 5 kilometers east of ancient Faustinopolis, the mound or small mountain settlement (37°39'12.2"N 34°43'46.3"E) at Basmakci probably played an important role in securing, fostering, or feeding movement south through the Cilician Gates (37°17'07.0"N 34°47'10.0"E). The village of Toraman is the supposed site of Faustinopolis, and is tagged in red on the map below.

Basmakci, and the site of the mound/mountain settlement is in the upper right corner of the map below (marked with a red tag), while Faustinopolis can be seen in the middle left of the photo. In the bottom left corner of the photo is a green flag that marks the location of Loulon (37°34'56.5"N 34°41'56.0"E), which is the high mountain fortress the Romans retreated to in order to escape attack from the Arabs, and to try and continue their control of movement through the Cilician Gates.

Basmakci village has a very interesting name, and when broken up into syllables, it can have some meanings that may be applicable to its strategic location. 'Bas' in English means 'Head', and this site is located at the head of the entrance/exit to the Cilician Gates from the north. 'Bas Mak' means 'Head to Head'. And, 'Bas Mak Ci' means 'Head to Head Come Out', or, Head to Head Exit'. This appears to be a very fitting name for this ancient site. So, how about if I name this ancient site, 'Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum', or 'North Exit at the Head'?

In the close-up of the photo above, you will see square structures surrounded by a protection wall. The walls are low, and vegetation has grown over the buildings over time. There are two paths that lead up to the acropolis, one on the east slope, and one on the west slope, and there are slight hints of two gates at the points these paths reach the defensive wall. Within the defensive walls to the north is a large square structure, and my guess is that this is a Roman forum area, barracks, or stores.

The stone building pictured above is either a house or storage building dating from the early 20C CE, however, notice the large finished square blocks at its corners, which I suspect came from a much more ancient structure. This house sits just above and next to the very cold stream that separates it from the mound/mountain of my interest. Pictured below with the stone house in the distance, there are numerous cavities in the stone table that are near perfectly round, and I believe they were honed out to serve some industrial purpose.

In the photo below, the far high peak you see in the is looking east over the mound/mountain from Basmakci, and away from the quickly fading sunlight. So, I thought it best to go back to my new friend's house and set up camp. An elderly woman and her daughter invited me to set up camp in their yard, which I was pleased to do. Then, they allowed me a shower as they lay out a beautiful dinner, with me as their guest. I always explain to people that I am several years behind in blog posts, and that it will be quite awhile before they'll see the photos and writing. I've usually lost contact with them by then, and in this case I have, and that elderly woman has probably passed by now, as these photos were taken during my 2017 tour.

Even though there is a major highway that runs along the backside of slope that rises above Basmakci, you normally cannot hear it, as the speedy flow of the stream drowns out most of the noise at this end of the village. I slept very deeply to the hush of the water. The stream also has an interesting name. It's called in Turkish, the Kirkgecit Deresi, or the Forty Pass Stream, as it goes on to flow through numerous canyons and chasms on its way south towards the Cilician Gates, but not through them.

The next morning, I turned my attention to exploring the mound/mountain, but first a cup of Turkish coffee and some bread, butter, and honey to fuel my hike. I had no idea what I would find on the acropolis (left of photo above), but with the evidence of large stone blocks and signs of industrial activity, there was only one logical location that would have offered protection from attack, plenty of fresh water (and fish!), and close access to the ancient north route/road to and from the Cilician Gates. Making my way down to the stream, I followed it south into a beautiful green canyon until the edge of the water met the vertical cliff face of the mound/mountain, so then, I headed up the steep slope towards the acropolis.

This stream runs right out of the upper reaches of the Taurus Mountains, and I must say, it runs rapid and cold. This stream through Basmakci is the north branch of the ancient Caenat Stream (modern Catkit Suyu), though at Basmakci, its modern name is different, Kirkgecit. The Caenat Stream hugs the ancient route north from ancient Podandos (modern Pozantli), which is located about 40 kilometers south of Basmkci (aka Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum), and about 15 kilometers north of the Cilician Gates. The west branch of the ancient Caenat Stream meets the north branch approximately 20 kilometers south of Basmakci, and it is here that the ancient road out of the Cilician Gates splits between north and west, with the north road passing Basmakci, and the west road going on to ancient Cybistra Herecleia (modern Eregli).

After the north and south tributaries of the ancient Caenat River meet, they form the main branch, which then (as I stated prior), passes ancient Podandos (modern Pozantli), but then just south of ancient Podandos, the Caenat River turns east toward ancient Adanos (modern Adana), eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea. At the same point the Caenat River turns east, the ancient road stops following the river, and veirs southwest towards ancient Tarsus/Tarsos.

In the photo above, you can see where the water meets the cliff. Beyond this point, the water spreads out into a large wetland that is impassable without high water boots. It was at this point that I started climbing up the slope. I wouldn't find the ancient path up the western slope until my descent. Once I reached the top, I surveyed the area for pottery shards and building fragments, some which I was able to find.

In the photos above and below, I am facing east looking across the flat table-like acropolis. Though there were only slight remnants of antiquities on the overgrown surface, I could make out the square shapes of un-excavated walls, as well as some exposed low walls.

As I walked around the site searching for antiquities, my eyes were constantly focused on the near ground under my feet, and suddenly I nearly stepped on a meter and half long thick bodied green snake! That's about 5 feet in length! I think the snake was as shocked as I was, as my reflexes kicked in, I immediately jumped back away from it, but as I flew back the snake lunged off the ground about waist high right at me. My reflexes continued to respond well, and I pulled open the tip on my bicycle water bottle and shot a stream of water at it. I found myself standing about a meter away from its hole as it quickly slithered down. I really couldn't believe how fast its movement was. I was quite shaken for the rest of my trek, and extremely wary of where I stepped! Also, till this day, I remember the exact location, and can still watch that encounter in motion.

That was my third meeting with a huge snake at an ancient site. Another occurred at ancient Cremona in Antalya, and the snake was a bout the same size, only black, and it slithered away from me at such a speed, that I was very happy that one didn't come towards me. These snakes were two different varieties of Whipsnakes, non-venomous, but very big and fast, with a strong bite. I did have one other encounter with a snake in Izmir, Turkey, while I was exploring ancient Neon Teikhos, near the village Yanikkoy. That was a Nose-Horned Viper, which are not so long, only about 13-15cm (a foot+), but they do have a high toxicity in their venom. I took pictures of that one, which I will show when I finish my post on Neon Teikhos.

Eventually, I found more major evidence of ancient occupation on the acropolis of Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum (aka Basmakci, Turkey). In these photos are some smaller square structures or cells, that share a wall with a larger square building. I really think the view from above the site shows the best outlines of the structures that once stood here.

I think this mound/mountain was probably first occupied during the Neolithic period, or perhaps earlier. The site during ancient times would have first served as a prime living location with everything a community could ask for, plenty of clean fresh water, expansive flatlands for hunting, planting, irrigation, and a fairly high citadel for lookout and protection, as well as a steady train of trade goods arriving from both north and south. Second, it most likely also served as a guard station along the north/south road through the Cilician Gates, and I imagine most major empires during ancient times considered Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum a strategic location.

The Hittites were certainly aware of this site, and they did once control, guard, and protect passage through the Cilician Gates, as they were well established at ancient Podandos, which the Hittites called Paduwandas (37°25'32.9"N 34°53'28.2"E). Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum may even contain the stone bases for Hittite period defensive towers and walls that once circled the entire citadel. There are obvious large multi-room square structures under the surface at the southern end of the citadel wall (in the picture above, at the bottom of the photo), on both the western and eastern walls (also in the photo), and at the northern end of the citadel (see photo at the top of this post).

In the photo above, you can see Basmakci in the valley below the slope that protects it from the noise of the major highway. Actually, if you begin with the photo above, and place it to the left of the photos below in sequential order moving right, you can piece together a panoramic view of the village and the whole valley to the north of ancient Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum.

A villager told me that there was an ancient bath hidden within the thick forest you see at the bottom of the slope in the photo below. So, I searched, hiked, climbed, got wound around and practically got lost looking for any evidence, but I found nothing.

I really do think this site deserves an extensive survey, and some excavation work. This may or may not turn out to be a major ancient site, but I think the photographic evidence proves the mound/mountain at Basmakci (aka Exitus Septentrionalis ad Caputum) is worthy of further exploration.

Pictured below, one last look up at the northern slope of the mound/mountain site, with the acropolis comfortably hidden beyond the natural rock wall. It was during my decent in the middle of this slope where I met my aggressive green friend. I intend to investigate both Toramon (site of ancient Faustinopolis), and Loulon (the Roman Fortress), near Gedelli village, in the future.