Termessos

Once upon a time in a land 23 kilometers Northwest of Antalya there was a great and beautiful city called Termessos. The people in this city were very careful about protecting themselves so they built Termessos high up in the mountains. While Termessos was filled with beautiful buildings and was surrounded by beautiful scenery, to go anywhere from Termessos required a day’s walk down steep and treacherous roads. Carrying food and supplies up a mountain got tiring for some people and some citizens moved to the comfortable beaches and rivers of Perge and Sagalassos. Soon the people of Termessos became the laughing stock of the country needlessly cowering in the mountain whilst others enjoyed the pleasures of the low-lands. One day in 313 BC a Macedonian named Alexander came to Anatolia with an unstoppable army. Perge fell quickly to Alexander’s forces. But, even sparsely defended, Alexander the Great could not even scratch the defenses of Termessos. Discouraged, Alexander unleashed his frustration upon Sagalassos and raised it to the ground. Termossos was never conquered.

Today, Termessos is protected by a different kind of army: the army that arrives by tour bus and destroys with tourist shops and litter. Although a one lane road has been carved into the mountain to the foot of the city, the skinny half mile trail uphill to the ruins is enough to scare away most casual tourists. The Krauses are not casual tourists. In addition to the five Krause boys, we acquired two more boys from Reynolds family for the trip bringing us to a grand total of seven energetic adolescent males. We spent a solid 30 minutes in the parking lot making sure every child had enough water, sunscreen, food, and bathroom time to last the journey. JP also managed to lock himself in the toilet stall which added to the delay.

Once everything was taken care of we proceeded to get ourselves lost in a Roman cemetery next to the parking lot. According to Roman tradition, one cannot be buried inside the city limits, so the roads leading up to the city gate of Termessos is lined with massive stone sarcophagi and cave tombs carved into the mountainside. After locating the correct trail we promptly hiked up the mountain. Most Roman ruins in Turkey have had some restoration work done to them. Perge’s Arcade, fountain and Agora have been partially restored. The theater at Aspendos is as close as possible to its original form thanks to significant repairs. There has been no excavation of Termessos. The Turkish Tourism Authority has bushwhacked a few paths through the place and thrown some flimsy gates over the gaping holes in city cisterns which descend some 25 feet down. Entire quarters of the central city lie under brush and rocks. The theater is one of the most interesting of the ruins. Not only would ancient spectators be treated to a show, but also to stunning views of mountains, valleys and even the sea in the distance.

When I see a ruined arch, building, or wall, my first instinct is to climb it. Were these ruins to exist in the States, most areas would be roped off and climbing banned due to liability issues. In Turkey, such laws either do not exist or are scantly enforced; therefore I spent most of my time scaling ancient temples like the rock walls at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Once I had climbed to the top of a ruined theater or meeting hall, I would look down to see seven overly ambitious boys struggling to follow and one justifiably concerned mother looking on apprehensively. On more than one occasion at Termessos, I decided to forgo climbing as far as I desired because I did not think Julie Krause would enjoy being helicoptered out with one of her kids on a stretcher with multiple contusions to the head and fractured ribs.

As we struggled down the mountain past ornate mountain carvings and tombs, Laura asked me if I was starting to get tired of all the ruins I have been touring. The truth is I am not. I am consistently amazed by what I encounter at these historical sites and Termessos is no exception. I think I have toured eight ruined cities since my arrival here in Turkey and each one has been an unforgettable experience.