The Pinnacle of Prosperous and Pristine People

Where in the world is Luther? Now you see, Luther can’t see the sea. It’s built not on your Cale but Mycale. There’s always a critic. Fans of Alexander the Great and Mausolus live here.

(Luther wanted to see how big the gods Zeus, Demeter and Athenia  temples were. “What about their eyebrows and foreheads. If their temples are that big their head must be huge.”)

Priene of Ionia was founded in 350 BCE on the Aegean Sea cost built into the steps of a mountain, Mycale. (Luther pointed out that there are many steps to this mountain, whew. Couldn’t they have built the city closer to the valley?) It grew to only about 4,000-5,000 people, never becoming a politically powerful city. Yet its square (bouleuterion) for the city council of citizens, the executive office building (prytaneion), a theater (theater), and commercial shop area (agora) are easily found. Like most Greek and Roman cities there are many memorials from stone markers to elaborate fountains and of course, baths. (Luther asked if the Greeks and Romans were really dirty people. I told him the baths were meant for getting together to talk and cool off or warm up depending on the season. Luther wondered what they did during the pepper and salt season. I dropped him off at a tree.)

(Luther got into trouble and had to find me. Why did he get into trouble?)

 

The city required households to make daily visits to the various fountains. That visit became another task for the slaves. (Luther wondered if slaves were like being an animal in a zoo behind bars. I told him being a slave to a household meant you worked for your master and were paid room and board. Luther thought working for a room would be okay but he didn’t like the bored part.)

A recorded comment from a critic, Heraclitus, railed against its citizens for their decadence and luxurious living from sea trades. One third of the homes had indoor plumbing. (Luther liked Heraclitus and began to be like him by criticizing me. “You’re eating too much.” “Hurry up.” “You spend too much time watching rocks.”)  

Springs and an aqueduct kept the water flowing through the city. We traveled from city gate to city gate, following the ancient road through. This is where the stone foundations show where the wooden doors once hung and the chariot grooves cut into the marble.

By 100 BCE they lost their port to the open sea and by 2^nd century AD all port access were lost and with it their wealth. By 300 AD only Lake Bafa existed and the city was abandoned and the people moved to Miletus miles away because they still had a port. [Look in the background of the picture. That was once water, not land in 1000 BCE]

 

We enjoyed the theater as it was well preserved including chairs for the powerful and the altar for sacrifices before a performance. (Luther like the fact that the forest over took the ruins giving us plenty of shade. He asked what kind of animal was sacrificed at the theater. I told him only the critical furry ones that ask too many questions. He looked worried for a second.)

(Luther playing with Carson on the sacrificial altar.)