Photos by Jack A. Waldron
After leaving Adrassus, I followed the mighty Goksu River (known as the Calycadnus in ancient times) through the mountains to ancient Seleucia ad Calycadnum (modern Silifke), which translates to, 'Seleucia on the Calycadnus River'. Along the way, you come to the site where Holy Roman Emperor Frederich Barbarossa lost his life (36°23'44.6"N 33°50'36.4"E). On 10 June 1190 CE, the Emperor decided to take a swim, probably because of the heat and the exhaustion of traversing the high mountains, after all, he was 67 years old. This was the Third Crusade, and Barbarossa's 15,000 strong army was on its way to the Holy Land to face Saladin, who was laying siege to the ancient city of Acre.
Either due to the current, or foul play, or perhaps some other circumstance, because there are various stories regarding the event, he drowned. Wishing to bury the emperor in the Holy Land, specifically Jerusalem, they tried to preserve his body in vinegar. However, this attempt failed, so, his flesh was buried at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Antioch (modern day Antakya, Hatay), his inner organs were buried at Saint Paul's Church in Tarsos (modern day Tarsus, derived from the Hittite name, Tarsa), and his bones were interred at the Cathedral in Tyre.
As you exit the mountains, the citadel fortress of Silifke comes into view (pictured above), and beyond the citadel there is a rich delta that reaches to the sea. Surprisingly, 20 million years ago this delta was home to the now extinct dugong, and it is believed that the Dugongidae (species) originated from this area of the Mediterranean during the mid-late Eocene period. Pictured below, a fossil of a dugong found in the area (Silifke Archeological Museum).
During ancient times, Seleucia could be accessed from the sea via the Calycadnus River (modern Goksu River), which is said to have been navigable. I was surprised to read this, because when I visited Silifke the rapids in the river were roaring.
After settling into a cheap hotel, my first stop was the Silifke Archeological Museum (36°22'24.6"N 33°56'32.8"E). The staff at the museum were very kind and were interested in my cycling journey, and my blog (pictured below).
Ancient Seleucia was founded by Seleucus, the former Hypaspistai commander of Alexander the Great, who later became known as Seleucus I Nicator, "Seleucus the Victorious'.
Pictured above, this vase found in Silifke originates from the Greek period (Silifke Archeological Museum). It's believed that the city was founded sometime between 296-280 BCE after Seleucus had seized control of Cilicia.
Pictured above and below, a sculpture of Nike, the goddess of victory. The Silifke Archeological Museum does not label their antiquities very well, but if I am not mistaken, I think this sculpture dates from the Roman period.
Pictured below, a sculptural depiction of Hephaestus/Hephaistos, the Greek god of fire, volcanos, and blacksmithing, and also the father of Zeus. It dates from the Roman period 130-140 CE (Silifke Archeological Museum).
Seleucus I Nicator (358-281 BCE), founded the Seleucid Empire after the assassination of Perdiccas, who Seleucus had supported and commanded an army for against Ptolemy of Egypt, another general of Alexander the Great.
Pictured above, a sculpture depicting Aphrodite, and I believe this was labeled as being from the Hellenistic period (Silifke Archeological Museum).
Pictured above, a coin minted in Seleucia ad Calycadnum between 150-50 BCE, which has a Helmeted Athena with a torch below her chin and a monogram behind her head, while on the reverse side is a Nike advancing left and holding a branch, and also there is a monogram circling her.
Pictured above and below, a sculpture of Asclepius, god of the healing arts, and son of Apollo (Silifke Archeological Museum).
Through the successors to Seleucus I Nicatorhe, the Seleucid Empire would continue on until the annexation of the territory by Rome in 64 BCE. The history of the Seleucid Dynasty and their Diodocha connections is very long, and interesting.
After the death of Seleucus I Nicator, his son and successor was Antiochus I Soter, who with his successors would expand the Seleucid Empire as far east as Bactria (Afghanistan), southeast to Persia and Babylonia, south to Syria, and west to Pamphyla, Lydia and Mysia. You can read about some sites connected to the Seleucid Empire here in my previous posts on Nemrut, the Belevi Mausoleum, and Laodikeia on the Lycus.
Pictured above, a coin minted in Seleucia ad Calycadnus between 253-268 CE, with Roman Emperor Gallienus on the obverse side featuring a radiate cuirass, while on the reverse side is Nike with a wreath and palm frond. Pictured below, a sculpture of a Roman Emperor, though it was not labeled from which period it originated (Silifke Archeological Museum).
Pictured below, an illustration of the layout of Seleucia ad Calycadnum by Leon de Laborde, who visited the city in 1838. As we will see, many of the ancient structures that Leon de Laborde saw can still be viewed today, though in varying states of preservation.
There were inhabitants at the location of Seleucia ad Calycadnum prior to its foundation by Seleucus I Nicator, and the site is said to have been referred to as Hyria, or Olbia. There is also an ancient city about 20 kilometers into the mountains north-by-northwest of Selifke known as Olba, though I don't know if the name comes from the ancient people who once inhabited the Selifke site.
The site map and key featured above fall in line with the locations of antiquities we see on Leon de Labordes' illustration. The main difference between the two is, the modern city has grown up around the antiquities, making them very difficult to find. Pictured below, a standing sculpture of the club of Hercules, from the Roman period 1C-3C CE (Silifke Archeological Museum).
Pictured below, the castle sits high above the city, and was a major stronghold for the of the Knights Hospitaller, who were granted the fortress in 1210 CE by King Leo I of Armenian Cilicia, and who were charged with defending the western boarder from incursions by the Seljuks Turks.
The decorative shield or plate pictured above looks very much like a relief of cavalry soldier of the Knights Hospitaller (Silifke Archeological Museum). I did not visit Silifke Castle on this trip, but I will do so in the future. New excavations on the acropolis have revealed finds that date back at least three thousand years.
The castle was expanded upon greatly by the Knights Hospitaller, with the majority of construction materials unfortunately being quarried from ancient Byzantine, Roman, and Hellenistic structures. Pictured below, a sculpture of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, the god of thieves, merchants, and travelers, as well as the messenger of Zeus (Silifke Archeological Museum).
I thought it best for me to begin my investigation of antiquities by heading to the upper city, no, not Silifke Castle, but the area from where I took the photo below, an elevated area that rises above the lower city along the Goksu River. You can see the Roman bridge crossing the Goksu in center of the photo.
Evidence of ancient occupation can be found everywhere around the upper city 9pictured below), though you sometimes have to dig through the pine needles to find them.
Though there are remnants of numerous structures all around the upper city, most of the larger and finer ancient stone has been quarried to build newer structures, most notably, the castle that sits on the acropolis overlooking the upper and lower sections of the city.
The remains of ancient building foundations, walls and rock-cut terraces can be seen as a set of steps lead you up the slope to some more substantial fortifications that, most likely served as Byzantine defenses (pictured above and below).
Within these hobbled together defensive walls are the building blocks of temples, theaters, mausoleums, and many other ancient Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine buildings.
Pictured below, an ancient column that was probably left in situ when the much later wall was constructed, and now supports the rampart instead of the roof of a Roman villa, temple, fountain, or some other ancient structure. You can clearly see the large marble blocks under the stone wall, which may be the stylobate to a Hellenistic temple, or the podium to a Roman temple, or some other such structure, and further, the column in the wall was probably a member of this ancient building, as it sits in line with the stylobate/podium.
Referred to as 'Rough Cilicia', the greater areas of the territory were allowed independent rule by Roman proteges and client kings until the formation of the Roman province of Cilicia in 72 CE. Pictured below, a sculpture of the Roman Eagle, unfortunately the period of the piece was not given (Silifke Archeological Museum).
During the 4C CE, ancient Seleucia ad Calycadnum saw governance under Isaura, but over time the city lost its relevance and stature to cities along the coast, which could accommodate the arrival and departure of trade shipping.
The natural tableland above the lower city is home to the remnants of the Roman, Byzantine, and Armenian periods, however, the major stone blocks, columns and foundations originate from the Byzantines, Romans, and Hellens.
Pictured above, these large square stone blocks were most likely part of a defensive wall, but which may have also served the purpose of a terrace wall, as the upper city appears to be made up of a series of low wall terraces. Pictured below, a random column that appears to have escaped being repurposed into a later construction.
The large square stone slab pictured below may be the base of a Christian altar. The holes in its corners would have secured posts that would connect to and support an upper square slab of equal size and shape, all of which then was surrounded by decorative stone slabs that would form an altar. Then again, perhaps this was simply a building face block repurposed for some other function?
Most of the antiquities of the upper city are buried under heaps of pine needles, and are hard to find, if not impossible to uncover. Moving on, it was now time to search out the antiquities of the lower city, and where better to begin than the so-called 'Roman Bridge of Seleucia'?
The limestone bridge was built under the order of Emperor Vespasian and then his sons Titus and Domitianus, who succeeded their father as Emperors. Between 77-78 CE, construction of the bridge was overseen by L. Octavius Memor, who was the Roman governor of Cilicia.
Of the bridges' seven arches, only three are from the original Roman build, as the bridge had either collapsed, or was nearly impassable during the 19C. So, in 1870 the bridge was restored under the direction the Ottoman governor of Selifke, named Mehmet Ali Pasha. A further restoration of the bridge took place in 1972.
The flow under the bridge can turn into a treacherous torrent, which is a testament to its engineering, but also to its eventual damage. The width of the bridge is five and a half meters (though it was widened during the 20th century), and it spans the river with a length of 120 meters.
There are two columns positioned at either end of the bridge, much like the dedicatory columns at the Roman built Lucius Septimius Severus Bridge (aka the Cendere Bridge), however, these columns were most likely erected and dedicated to those who did the 18th and 19th century restorations.
You can see the more modern dedications at the top of the column, four written in Arabic script, and one written in Roman script. The pedestal supporting the column does have a tabula ansata, though I could see any visible inscription.
If the square marble pedestal beneath the column did once have an inscription, and it pertained to the construction of the bridge, it most certainly would have been dedicated to Titus, Domitianus, their father Vespasian, and perhaps there would have been mention of the governor, L. Octavius Memor.
The column at the southern end of the bridge sits on top of an overturned Corinthian column west of the bridge along the riverwalk (pictured above). Tts most visible epithet is a blue spray painted symbol advertising the National Movement Party of Turkey, which I tried to avoid getting into the photo. There may have been a more ancient inscription, which appears to have been scratched out.
After exploring the bridge, I moved east along the river towards the ancient stadium (36°22'40.8"N 33°56'43.4"E). The location where the stadium was located is now baron and open with no visible signs of the massive building that once stood there. I couldn't find anything in the area to photograph, and I didn't even take a picture of the area. I then moved on to the Temple of Jupiter (36°22'33.0"N 33°55'48.9"E), which is located just south of the bend in the river. In the photo below, you can see the lone standing column of the temple rising above the houses.
I was very happy to find the Temple of Jupiter in a fairly good state of condition, and, that the whole area had been fenced off. Pictured below, the cornice of an elaborately decorated building, probably from the Late-Roman period (Silifke Archeological Museum). Could it have come from the Temple of Jupiter?
Most of ancient Seleucia sits underneath the modern city. Due to centuries of the area being flooded by the ancient Calycadus River, many layers of silt have been distributed over the antiquities of the ancient city. However, the Temple of Jupiter was semi-protected by its two meters high podium.
Most of the building members you see in the 1838 sketch of the temple by Leon de Laborde (pictured below) still remain, though I am sure there has been some quarrying over the past 175 plus years, since the drawing was made.
The peripteros style Roman temple was built during the 2C CE in the Corinthian order, and consisted of eight columns at both its front and back, and fourteen columns on both its sides.
The story behind the construction of Temple of Jupiter at Seleucia ad Calycadnum is told by the sometimes distrusted historian, Zosimus (490s-510s CE), who says that due to the ongoing threat of infestation of fields by grasshoppers, the citizens asked Apollo to protect their crops. After some time, a flock of birds descended on the fields and ate all the grasshoppers. To show their thanks, the people built a temple in honor of the god, but which one? This is confusing right away, because the Roman god Jupiter is connected with the Greek god Zeus, not Apollo. Is it possible the Temple of Jupiter was built over a previous temple honoring Apollo? If so, what happened to Zeus?
The Roman pantheon of gods included the Greek god Apollo, mostly due to their appreciation of his attributes, such as healing. With regard to the Temple of Jupiter at Seleucia ad Calycadnum, Jupiter was in control of the weather, and he was the god of law and order, so perhaps the infestation required the services of both gods?
The Temple of Jupiter at Seleucia ad Calycadnum was converted into a church some time during the first half of the 5C CE, which was recorded to have been under the direction of a Bishop named Dexianos.
The cella of the temple was at some point dismantled, and its stone blocks were incorporated into the walls between the columns, which you can see in these photos. Pictured below, a wall bust of a young man, Early-Byzantine period, I think (Silifke Archeological Museum).
This incorporation of the cella blocks into the outer walls most likely took place when the Temple of Jupiter was repurposed into a Byzantine church. In these photos, you can see some of the surviving construction from this transformation of using cella blocks to close the spaces between the columns.
This type of wall construction and transformation from temple to church can be seen at many ancient sites around the Mediterranean, however, one of the best examples can be seen at ancient Syracuse, where the Temple of Athena and her Doric columns still stand as part of the active Cathedral of Syracuse.
With only one of its columns still standing, which reaches a height of ten meters, and most of the cella blocks quarried, the temple is a mere shell of its once grande presence. In the background of the photo below, a collection of capitals sit in the courtyard of the Silifke Archeological Museum, and in the foreground, a large stone block with an inscription, Late-Roman to Early Byzantine.
There are however, a surprisingly large number of building members scattered around the site, though certainly, a number of those members were produced for the later church construction.
As you can see in the photos above, the column bases of the ancient temple remain in situ along the west and south sides of the temple, as well as the two you see in the foreground of the photo above. This was a very large temple, measuring forty meters in length, and twenty-one meters in width.
It has been suggested that the frieze block pictured above comes from the Temple of Jupiter (Silifke Archeological Museum). The relief is of a drooping wreath that is held up on the right side by Nike, and with a flower positioned above the center of the wreath.
There are interesting building members all over the site of this temple/church. I think it would be interesting to see a partial reconstruction of both buildings into one, the Temple of Jupiter and the Byzantine Church coming together in a physical display of the transformation from Pagan to Christian.
The temple site sits along Inonu Boulevard, which is a very busy thoroughfare in and out of the city center. Further, the greater area south and west of the temple site is littered with antiquities, most notably the site of the ancient agora, which we will look at further down.
My hope is that these areas to the south and west will eventually be acquired by the city, and turned into an archeological park, which would span from the Roman period to the Late-Ottoman/Early-Republic periods, as many of the dwellings of the later mentioned are still standing, but in dire need of restoration. The park would be greatly enhanced by moving the Silifke Archeological Museum into a large modern facility on the edge or part of the site.
Currently, the Silifke Archeological Museum is located 1 kilometer to the east of the Temple of Jupiter, and is housed in a small outdated building. There is so much potential for the area around the Temple of Jupiter, and I do think the investment would pay off.
Pictured in the two photos above, a member of the temple cornice sits upside down behind a member of the temple architrave. Pictured below, one of the Corinthian capitals of the temple sits next to a column base. Perhaps they were once members of the same column.
Pictured below, another of the Corinthian capitals sits upright at the edge of the brush, its bottom browned by recently cleared overgrowth.
Leaving the Temple of Jupiter, I happened across what believe was the site of the main ancient Agora. The Agora is located about 100-150 meters west of the Temple of Jupiter, and about 300 meters east of the Roman Theater.
The building pictured above and below is located in the vicinity of the temple site, and it sparked my interest due to the antiquities adorning its garden and patio. Notice the Corinthian capital in the photo above, which could be from the Temple of Jupiter.
Another Corinthian capital sits behind the chair in the photo above. I called out for the patron of the building, but there was nobody around, so I went in and took some photos. Notice the antiquity built into the inner stone wall. If I had to guess, I would say that this looks like a fragment from a sarcophagus.
I tried very hard to relocated this building on Google Maps, but I just couldn't find the exact location. It's important because, the open space behind this building is where I believe the ancient Agora is located. Someday an AI map application will be able to locate this in an instant!
Look under the trees at the bottom center in the photo above, here you can see a Corinthian capital sitting next to a dedicatory base.
The sketch made by Leon de Laborde in 1838 does not show the location of the Agora, but it does have 'Ruine' written in the area where I took these photos.
This type of dedicatory pedestal is very typical of antiquities found in and around the edges of ancient agoras and stoas. You can see the inscription written in Latin on the pedestal.
Pictured below, a few more Corinthian capitals, and the base of a column, very similar to the bases of the Temple of Jupiter, I might add. I will try to specifically locate this space in the future, but I know it is within a stones throw of the temple site.
I am quite convinced that this is the location of the main ancient Agora and Stoa of the city. If you happen to locate the exact GPS coordinates of the site, please add it to the comments section at the bottom of this post.
The area south and west of the Temple of Jupiter and the Agora/Stoa sites is the location of the old Ottoman neighborhood, and here is where there are some magnificent houses waiting to be restored. Notice the odd square stone blocks pieced together to form windows, door, and arches for the house pictured below, and which ancient buildings do you think they were quarried from?
Also, as you walk around the area you will see antiquities gathered round many of the local buildings, such as the Corinthian capital and column base in the photo below.
Also, as you walk around the area you will see antiquities all round the local buildings, such as the Corinthian capital and column base in the photo below. It was now time to find the ancient Roman Theater. In the photo below, you are looking at the ancient Theater of Seleucia ad Calycadnum (36°22'29.3"N 33°55'26.3"E).
Overgrown, neglected, built upon, quarried for its stone, and its orchestra turned into a depot for local buses, this is the sad state of numerous antiquities that sit in the middle of cities throughout Turkey. This specific situation brings to mind the Stadium of ancient Apameia (modern Dinar), which has become home to a Total gas station and numerous other businesses, but you can still see some of the seating in situ (38°04'02.2"N 30°10'08.7"E)(I will be writing about ancient Apameia in the near future).
In order to reach the ancient Theater, you must hike a fair distance along the main streets around the buildings of the area to a small road that takes you up to the back of the Theater. The mound you see in the photo below harbors the last remnants of the ancient Roman Theater, as it covers one of the vomitoria (entrance).
As you climb the road encircling the mound, you come to the last arched entrance that once led citizens to the diazoma (middle walkway between the upper and lower cavea). Pictured below, this is the side of the vomitoria that would have brought the people into the cavea.
Its impossible to tell if there is more of the cavea (seating) under the road or hillside that sits above the bus depot, but I would think a city would take more pride in its history than I see here. That said, I am from Detroit, where the grandest of grand theaters was turned into parking structure, namely, the Michigan Theater. So sad.
All I could do was take photos of the vomitoria, because there is nothing else to see of the Theater, so I went inside the stench filled tunnel through to the other side.
I took a photo of where I entered (pictured above and below), and thought about the garbage that filled this ancient treasure.
Exiting the Theater, like those who would have done the same eighteen to seventeen hundred years ago, the only description of the Roman Theater of Seleucis ad Calycadnum states that it was built during the Late-Roman period.
The bright sun somehow brought the shining face of this antiquity to light, and I had an epiphany: that this Grand structure would live once more, and that the city would see the value of restoring this treasure for its citizens to use and enjoy once more.
Leaving my epiphany with little hope, I bid my audience farewell, and went on my way up the slope towards the Acropolis to investigate the Byzantine era Cistern.
The massive Early-Byzantine era Cistern (36°22'32.5"N 33°55'16.7"E) can hold 12,000 tons of water, and I say can, because if needed this cistern could still be utilized today. The Cistern is in exceptional condition, probably because it remained in use well into more modern eras.
In Turkish, the Cistern is known as 'Tekir Abari', which in English translates into the 'Lords House', which humans have understood for hundreds of thousands if not millions of years, water gives life, no need to make it a metaphysical issue.
With the north and south side walls measuring 46 meters, and the east and west side walls measuring 23 meters, plus having a depth of 14 meters, this Cistern fed water under pressure to the lower city in great abundance.
As you can see in the photo above, the acropolis and castle rise high above the Cistern and city. I am guessing that the Cistern was supplied with water via an aqueduct from the higher reaches of the Goksu River (known as the Calycadus River in ancient times), but I couldn't see any evidence of channels or aqueduct, which have probably been dismantled and quarried, or buried.
There are five arched niches on the east and west side walls, and eight arched niches on the north and south side walls, all built with finely crafted facing stone. Pictured above, the south side wall is in the left of the photo, and the west side wall is at the top right.
The inner walls behind the arched niches of the north, south and east side walls are either partially or mainly natural stone carved out of the hill, while the west side wall is mainly constructed of stone blocks. The east side wall with its spiral staircase chamber that takes you to the bottom of the cistern is also constructed of square stone blocks.
Pictured above and below, this spiral staircase gives access to the bottom of the cistern, and I must say, it is quite impressive to look up as you descend, only to see the underside of the steps that you just came down.
For some artisan perspective on the engineering of this wondrous staircase, my father was a carpenter, either by position, or at his insistance no matter the title given him by his employer. He often repeated these words, that "you can tell the skill and mastery of a carpenter by their ability to build a set of stairs".
I just couldn't get enough of this masterful staircase! It should intrigue anyone with any interest in the building of things. Built out of heavy stone blocks of countless shapes and sizes, where does one start? How does one prepare for such an engineering marvel?
I can say this, you would not want to be wondering drunk through the dark past this Cistern. Just standing at the edge above the precipice looking down at the sheer drop sent shivers through my body.
The highly worn stairs are evidence of the multitude of feet that have descended into the abyss to collect the nectar of life, if only to refresh from the beating sun of this climate, and then giving thanks to a municipality that thought of its citizens' well being.
Pictured below, you see the underside of the stairs from which you had just descended. Each stone block shaped perfectly, and then fitted into the center column and the outer wall without flaw, absolutely amazing.
When you come to the bottom of the staircase, there is a steep drop to the bottom floor of the cistern. Keep in mind, that this was probably a level seldom seen during ancient times, as the water would have partially risen up through the staircase, thus covering the bottom levels.
Pictured below, another look back up at the underside of the spiral staircase while still standing on an elevated portion of the stairs, which brought me closer to the high arch supporting the exit from the chamber into the body of the Cistern.
Pictured below, now I am standing at the bottom of the staircase looking up, and you can see that the arched exit is very tall, probably built high with the intent of allowing some sunlight to reach into the chamber for those gathering water.
Looking out into the jungle that covers the bottom of the Cistern, it was a bit intimidating, and there was a steep climb down as well, but I knew there were more antiquities to be photographed inside.
Once inside, the view of the high arched entrance that nearly reached the ground level was fascinating, while at the same time, dealing with the jungle and my fear of snakes was somewhat less so.
Seeing the high arched niches from the inside gave me some ideas of how the space was used, or what constructions could have once been installed as additions to the stone work. For one, the stone support blocks protruding from the column faces suggest that some aspects of a roof once hung over at a portion of the Cistern (pictured below).
That said, as you can see in the photo below, not all of the column faces have roof support bocks protruding from them. Also, the curious square stone blocks that uniformly protrude from the sides of all of the columns suggests to me that some sort of wooden platform/s could have been fixed into these slots, thus allowing people to stand on them.
Perhaps the stone slots were used to suspend wooden staircases that gave access to the water at various levels, meaning, the stair cases could be adjusted to the changing levels of the water. I wonder whose job it would have been to ensure that these tasks were carried out, and perhaps its here we get our first water department worker who insists he's not a 'water worker' by title, but instead insists he is a 'carpenter' by title.
I found a few antiquities lingering within the jungle, pictured below is a column and a very worn Corinthian capital.
Well, I had had enough of climbing through the jungle, but I am very happy I made the journey. It's always disappointing to me if I don't spend the extra energy to find out what lays beyond, and out of view.
In the photo above, one last look at the high arched exit of the spiral staircase. Pictured below, one last look up from the exit, with the higher niche and the top of the Cistern in view.
I found the large stone block pictured below very interesting, because it has lead anchor points like you would find on a statue base, but the center has been hollowed out, as if it were turned into a wash basin.
There is a small park that surrounds the Cistern, though I wouldn't recommend it for small children. Pictured below, a column stands next to what may have been an exedra, of half circle of seating, sometimes dedicated to families who paid to have them build. This may have had a more elaborate construction in antiquity, as the pieces might have been removed and repurposed over time.
Seleucia ad Calycadnum was a center of Christian authority for the greater area, and hosted the Council of Seleucia for early Christian Bishops in 325, 359, and 410 CE. Pictured below, just another Corinthian capital laying amongst a bunch of stone blocks. Everywhere you look there are antiquities strewn about.
I suppose the section of fence you see in the photo below was put there for a reason. I hope nobody was seriously hurt. The ancient city was home to the tomb of Saint Thecla of Iconium (modern Konya), who was considered a virgin saint after having been converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. I will be writing about the Basilica of Saint Thecla in my next post.
There, under the bush, another antiquity to be discovered. This one in particular looks Byzantine to me. 'Comes Isauriae' is the title that was given to the imperial governor of Seleucia during the 5C CE. Rome allowed this local governance for reasons I am not sure of, other than knowing that the Isaurians had a close and responsible relationship with Rome, and that numerous Isaurians held positions within the governmental structure of Rome. Rome thus put two legions under the control of the Isaurian governor, and they were the Legio II Isaura, and the Legion III Isaura.
If you are interested in reading more about the history of Isaura, please have a look at my post on ancient Astra Isaura, Adrassus, and my future posts on Isaura Palaea, and Isaura Nea. In the photo below, and I know it's not a good photo, but I was trying to catch an ongoing excavation of what I think was the Roman Bath complex. I couldn't enter the site, and shot this photo through the fence. Notice the columns supporting the arched windows of the mosque.
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