Perge, located 19 kilometers east of Antalya, was once one of the most important cities of ancient Pamphylia. Its most notable son was Apollonius, a mathematician and astronomer who named the ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola as we know them. In ancient times, Perge was also famous as a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Artemis whose temple was located on a hill outside of town. Unfortunately, despite a painstaking search, researchers have so far not found any trace of this once magnificent work.

Perge's mythical and prehistoric beginnings

According to Greek mythology, the mythical origins of Perge date back to the 13th century BC, when Greek immigrants crossed Asia Minor to Pampylia after the Trojan War. The leaders of this movement are said to be three famous seers - Mopsos, Calchas and Amphilochus. The first two of them were recognized as founders of Perge. The first settlement in the Perge area was built and developed on the acropolis hill, to the north of the best preserved ruins after this period lie the plains below.

The earliest archaeological finds from the ancient city of Perge are dated to the late fifth millennium BC. The oldest traces of continuous settlement date back to the third millennium BC and demonstrate that the city lasted until the Byzantine era. Based on a clay tablet found in the Hittite capital Hattusa, some scholars have linked Perge to the Hittite city of Parha. During the reign of the Hittite king Tudhaliya IV, i.e. at the end of the 13th century BC, a peace treaty was concluded with King Kurunta of Tarhuntassa, who waged war on the city of Parha on the Kashtraia River, in ancient Kaistros territory.

Hellenistic and Hellenistic Periods

In the 4th century BC, Perge reappeared in written sources, when its existence was reported by a writer with the pseudonym Scylax, the author of Periplus - a geographical document near like the science of clockwise circumnavigation of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Pseudo-Scylax describes the city on the river Kaistros (now Aksu), located 10 km from the coast, but profiting from maritime trade. The city's wealth was a result of the fact that the Kaistros River was navigable during this time. Perge was then connected to the coast by a road that led to the port of Magydus which is now a district of Antalya called Lara.

Until 334 BC, like all other cities of Pamphylia, Perge was within the Persian sphere of influence. When the Macedonian army, led by Alexander the Great, reached the area, Perge surrendered immediately and opened the door to the Macedonians. The inhabitants of Perge even offered to help Alexander the Great as a guide in Pamphylia. Around 300 BC, Perge acquired the status of a colony of Pergamon. Later, the settlement was expanded and acquired the appearance of a typical Greek city. In the second century BC, the city experienced its first period of prosperity and began minting its own coins with the image of Artemis.

The most famous person born in Perge was an outstanding mathematician and astronomer, Apollonius (circa 262 BC - circa 190 BC). He is considered one of the greatest Greek mathematicians, on a par with Archimedes. Apollonius belonged to the Alexandrian school of thought and his most important work, unfortunately preserved only in fragments, was Conics (Κωνικά), in which he came close to developing analytic geometry. He was awarded the title of great geometer by identifying and naming cones, which are the concepts of hyperbola, parabola, and ellipse. He also solved problems in the field of astronomy and created the hypothesis of eccentric orbits to explain the apparent motion of the planets and the rate of change of the Moon. Apollonius crater on the Moon was named in his honor.

Under the rule of the Roman and Byzantine Empire

In 188 BC, Perge came under Roman rule, and in 129 BC it was officially incorporated into the province of Asia. When the province of Galatia that included an area of central Anatolia was founded in 25 BC, the Romans decided to connect it with the Mediterranean coast. Soon after, a new road named Via Sebaste was built, connecting Pisidian Antioch in Galatia with Perge in Pamphilia.

Christianity came to Perge in the first century and was spread by the Apostle Paul to its inhabitants. He reached Perge by sea, on his first missionary journey (AD 45-48), with Barnabas and John Mark, but soon set off for Pisidian Antioch. On the way back to the coast, St. Paul stayed longer in Perge, preaching and teaching. Most likely that was when the first church in Perge was erected. The Apostle Paul's journey is now commemorated in the form of a walking trail that begins at Perge and leads all the way to Pisidian Antioch.

During the first and second centuries AD, Perge was one of the greatest cities in Asia Minor, rivaling Side for its role as the Pamphylian capital. Most of the best-preserved buildings in the city date from this period. The person responsible for Perge's development was Plancia Magna, wife and sister of Roman senators, born into the family of Cappadocia kings and a relative of Herod the Great. Her statue, found near the Greek Gate in Perge, is now in the Archaeological Museum in Antalya.

The city's third and final period of prosperity was in the 5th and 6th centuries AD, when the city had a bishopric. Unfortunately, the end of Perge was very near, as in the 8th century it was razed during Arab invasions of Asia Minor and has never been restored.

Archaeological Research in Perge

Karol Lanckoroński, a Polish researcher and explorer, arrived in Perge in the second half of the 19th century. He likens the landscape around this ancient city to Campania in Italy. Lancoroński prepared a detailed description of the ancient buildings visible in the city and was soon published, along with city plans and sketches made by George Niemann, in the first volume of the book. The cities of Pamphylia and Pisidia.

The first systematic archaeological excavations in Perge were conducted in 1946 and from 1953 to 1957 by professor Arif Müfid Mansel, who represented the Historical Society of Turkey. In 1967, work was continued within the framework of the research program of Istanbul University. After Professor Mansel's death in 1975, his role was taken over by Professor Jale İnan and excavations are continuing, currently, the project is led by Professor Haluk Abbasoğlu.

Main attractions:

The site of ancient Perge was vast and a visit should take at least three hours. The city's best-preserved buildings including the theater and the stadium are on the way into Perge and you can see them without buying a ticket.

Theater

The quaint theater is located on the road to Perge, on the west side of the city. This building combines Greek and Roman features and was probably built around 120 AD. The auditorium is located on the slope of a hill, and its shape exceeds the semicircle. The auditorium is made in the Romanesque style supported by a domed substructure. The colonnade gallery around the top of the auditorium and the stage building still stand at a considerable height, characteristic of Roman theatres. The Perge Theater has a capacity of about 15,000 spectators. Unfortunately, the theater was closed to the public for many years, because of ongoing repair work.

Stadium

Perge boasts the second best preserved ancient stadium in Turkey. Perge Stadium was built in the 2nd century AD and has a capacity of 12,000 spectators. It is 234 meters long and 34 meters wide, and these dimensions make it one of the largest of its kind.

The auditorium consists of 12 rows of seats, supported on a domed structure. There are 30 vaults at the back of the stadium and 9 at the north end of it. All third vaults are open, leading directly to the arena. Inscriptions discovered inside some of the vaults suggest they were once shops. On the north side of the stadium, an arena for gladiators was found. To protect viewers from the lowest row of seats, a low wall separates it from the audience.

Tomb of Plancia Magna

Just before you enter the city of Perge through its magnificent gates, gaze into the tomb of Plancia Magna, which stands in front of the city walls. Plancia Magna funded the construction of many buildings in the city, and her name appears on several inscriptions.

Roman Gate

The entrance to Perge is through the gates in the city ramparts. Today, tourists to Perge must pass through these enormous gates. First you need to enter two gates erected in Roman times. Between them is an inner courtyard built in the 4th century AD.

The outer gate was built during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus. The two sides of the gate are protected by tall towers. The inner gate, also dating from the time of Septimius Severus, led through the southern wall from the courtyard into the city itself. The front domes that adorn it date back to the reign of Emperor Hadrian. When a new rampart was built in the 4th century AD, the entire structure was incorporated into it. The central arch of the gate remains open to allow traffic into Perge.

Greek Gate and courtyard

The Greek Gate in the ramparts of Perge is perhaps the city's most iconic structure. It consists of two circular towers, built of hewn stone, standing on either side of the city gates, built in Hellenistic times, but later rebuilt. In 120-122 AD, Planica Magna funded the reconstruction of the horseshoe-shaped courtyard. The walls are covered with marble blocks and a two-story vertical column of the Corinthian order was added. The niches between the columns of the upper floor contain statues of the legendary founders of Perge, Mopsos, and Calchas. On the lower level, statues of Greek gods, including Hermes, Aphrodite and Pan are located there. On the north side of the courtyard, a two-story structure with three gates was built. It is a bit like the famous Hadrian's Gate in Antalya. The niches in the building are decorated with statues of Roman emperors, their spouses and civil servants, starting from the reigns of Nerva to Hadrian. Most of these monuments were found during the first round of archaeological works in Perge and now decorate the Archaeological Museum of Antalya.

Roman House

Near the eastern part of the Perge walls, excavations have uncovered the remains of residential houses. These buildings consist of several rooms arranged around a skylight, and some of them have two floors. Each block has a cistern and a toilet, which means that the city already has a drainage system. The floors of some rooms are covered with mosaics. These cottages were occupied from the 3rd to 6th centuries AD.

Street

Perge is divided into four districts by two main, two-column roads that intersect in the city center. One of these streets leads from the city gate to the foothills of the ancient Greek city and is 300 meters long. There is still a nicely preserved colonnade running along this street and notably three columns decorated with reliefs. They depict Artemis of Perge, Tyche - the goddess of fortune and one of the mythical founders of the city - Calchas. Both sides of the road were once lined with shops and their remains can be seen walking into the city.

The second main street in Perge leads from east to west. At both ends of this street there are gates in the city walls. The canals that feed the fountains and baths run in the middle of both streets, and they are used to provide refreshment for the people strolling in Perge. Below there is a sewer system, out of sight. Today, there is no running water in the canals, so bring your own supplies for the visit.

At the intersection of the main streets, a triumphal arch was erected, known as the archway of Demetrius and Apollonius. It was built around 80 AD, but not much more now. On the basis of the discovered architectural elements, the researchers were able to reconstruct its original appearance and there are now plans to rebuild the structure.

Hadrian's Nymphaeum

At the north end of the colonnade street is a beautiful goddess, known as Hadrian's fountain, because of the date it was built. The name also helps to distinguish one fountain from another, located in the southern part of Perge. Hadrian's Nymphaeum is supported by the southern slope of the Acropolis and marks the beginning of a canal that distributes water to the various districts of the city.

Palaestra

If you turn right, instead of going straight from Hadrian's nymphaeum to the city gate, the colonnade runs along an east-west axis, which will bring you to the palace. The structure was dedicated to Emperor Claudius by Julius Cornutus, husband of Magna Plancia. This well-preserved building is constructed from travertine on a square plan, with sides measuring 76 meters. The Palaestra is a gymnasium and includes a large courtyard surrounded by changing rooms. Drinking water is provided by an aqueduct system.

North bathroom

Walking further east from the palace, you can reach the northern baths of Perge. To date no systematic excavation has been carried out here, but the travertine walls and some of its domes are clearly visible. The building was built in the 3rd century AD and is one of the finest examples of monumental baths in the Pamphylia region. The bathrooms have a typical Roman design, with five rooms and a courtyard.

Roman Baths

The second bath in Perge is located west of the Hellenistic gate. An imposing gate leads to this monumental building from Roman times that belongs to the best preserved Roman baths in Turkey. These bathrooms include a suite with windows that open to the south. You can visit cold water bath or cold water bath with swimming pool, aquarium - room with warm water - room with hot water. Fragments of the thin marble slab that once lined the brick walls were still in place. In two rooms you can see the heating system exposed - the floor is supported on brick columns and the heated air in the boiler room is circulating below.

Cathedral

There are several Christian temples in the Perge area. In the southern part of the city you can see the remains of the church from the 6th century AD, with a crest on its east side. In the center of Perge you can find the ruins of a three-chambered basilica, dating from the 5th or 6th century AD.

Agora

To the east of the ancient Greek gate stands the agora of Perge. This square area with each side 65 meters long was built in the 4th century AD. The agora area surrounded by colonnade is where the shops offer different products to the residents of the city. The circular structure in the center of the agora resembles a similar structure at the agora on the Side - it is a recently rebuilt temple to the goddess Tyche. However, it is believed that the Perge building acts as a fountain. Just above the agora, to the southeast, there are several traces of a public latrine, connected to the sewer system.

Acropolis

The acropolis hill predominates north of Perge. However, in this area, the oldest traces of human settlement have been discovered, most of the buildings excavated by archaeologists on the citadel date from the Byzantine period.

Necropolis

Perge's main cemetery is located just outside the city walls, on the west side of the city. The second, smaller cemetery is on the east side. In these cemeteries, various types of tombs and coffins have been identified and their finest specimens are now on display in the Archaeological Museum in Antalya.

Visitors can visit the Perge ruins daily, from 9am to 7pm during the summer months (April-October) and from 8:30am to 5:30pm in winter. Entrance tickets cost about 20 TL.

Many wonderful statues, coffins and other finds from Perge now reside in the Archaeological Museum in Antalya, so a visit to the site is a great addition to your travel to Antalya.

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