Sagalassos @ Travel Turkey

The urban site was laid out on various terraces at an altitude between 1400 and 1600 m. After having suffered from a major earthquake in the early sixth century CE, the town still managed to recover, but a cocktail of epidemics, water shortages, a general lack of security and stability, a failing economy and finally another devastating earthquake around the middle of the seventh century forced the inhabitants to abandon their town and resettle in the valley.

Large-scale excavations started in 1990 under the direction of Marc Waelkens of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. A large number of buildings, monuments and other archaeological remains have been exposed, documenting the monumental aspect of the Hellenistic, Roman and early Byzantine history of this town.

Human settlement in the area goes back to 8000 BCE, before the actual site was occupied. Hittite documents refer to a mountain site of Salawassa in the fourteenth century BCE and the town spread during the Phrygian and Lydian cultures. Sagalassos was part of the region of Pisidia in the western part of the Taurus Mountains. During the Persian period, Pisidia became known for its warlike factions.

Sagalassos was one of the wealthiest cities in Pisidia when Alexander the Great conquered it in 333 BCE on his way to Persia. It had a population of a few thousand. After Alexander died, the region became part of territories of Antigonus Monophthalmus, possibly Lysimachus of Thrace, the Seleucids of Syria and the Attalids of Pergamon. Archeological record indicates that locals rapidly adopted Hellenic culture.

The Roman Empire absorbed Pisidia after the Attalids and it became part of province of Asia. Under the Roman Empire, Sagalassos became the important urban center of Pisidia, particularly favoured by the Emperor Hadrian, who named it the "first city" of the province and the center of the imperial cult. Contemporary buildings have a fully Roman character.

Around 400 CE Sagalassos was fortified for defence. An earthquake devastated it in 518 and a plague circa 541-543 halved the local population. Arab raids threatened the town around 640 and after another earthquake destroyed the town in the middle of the seventh century, the site was abandoned. The populace probably resettled in the valley. Excavations have found only signs of a fortified monastery -- possibly a religious community, which was destroyed in the twelfth century. Sagalassos disappeared from the records.

In the following centuries, erosion covered the ruins of Sagalassos. It was not looted in significant extent, possibly because of its location.

Explorer Paul Lucas, who was traveling in Turkey on a mission for the court of Louis XIV of France, visited the ruins in 1706. After 1824, when Francis Vyvyan Jago Arundell (1780 - 1846), the British chaplain at Izmir and an antiquary, visited the site and deciphered its name in inscriptions, Western travelers begun to visit the ruins. Austrian count K. Lanckoronski produced the first map of Sagalassos. However, the city did not attract much archaeological attention until 1985, when a British-Belgian team led by Stephen Mitchell begun a major survey of the site.

A huge, exquisitely carved marble statue of the Roman emperor Hadrian is the latest finding in Sagalassos. The figure is estimated to be originally between 13 and 16 feet in height (four to five meters). Waelkens says it is one of the most beautiful portraits of Hadrian ever found.

The first fragments of an over life-sized statue, a foot and part of a leg, were unearthed. The foot is 31.5 inches (0.80 meters) long, the leg from above the knee to the ankle is nearly five feet (1.5 meters). The almost intact head of the statue was discovered, revealing that the statue belonged to Hadrian. The head measures more than 27 inches (0.70 meters).

How to get Sagalassos

Antalya is the largest nearby city. Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, Atlas Jet and Pegasus operate frequent daily flights from İstanbul. There are also plentiful connections from Ankara. SunExpress connects Antalya directly to İzmir.

There are plenty of rental car outlets in Antalya at the airport or, for a cheaper price, from Fevzi Çakmak Caddesi or Kaleiçi, both in the city center. Allow a couple of hours for the drive, heading north towards İsparta and taking the signed (Burdur, Ağlasun and Sagalassos) left, 15 kilometers south of Isparta, for the village of Ağlasun, seven kilometers below the site.

Alternatively, minibuses run to Ağlasun from Isparta's dolmuş garage, but you'll have to take a taxi from there to reach the site

Where to stay

Isparta: Hotel Bolat, Suleyman Demirel Bulvarı 67; Tel: 0 246 223-9001

Antalya: Expensive - the Hillside Su, Konyalti 07050; www.hillside.com.tr; Tel: 0 242 249-0700, Moderate - Atelya Pansiyon, Civelek Sok., 21; www.atelyahotel.com; Tel: 0 242 241-6416

Site opening hours and admission

The site is gated and has a guard. Open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer. Admission fee: YTL 5.

What to bring

Summer -- a sunhat and sunglasses, plenty of water, stout shoes; spring -- a warmer, shower-proof jacket especially for early morning / early evening visits; winter -- warm clothes including hat and gloves and stout shoes. For all seasons -- a picnic lunch.

Sagalassos Article on Wikipedia
Ancient city hidden from focus, Turkish Daily News

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