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.)

 

Higher in Hierapolis

Where is Luther? What has springs but doesn’t bounce? What leaves a ton of deposits in its banks? Why do many come to retire at this hot spot? Is it possible to have a graveyard for a graveyard? You can get your fill of Philip here too. If your guess is as high as this place, you’ll have it.

Pure white rock holds pools of bright blue water. The castle of white strikes the eye before finding the ruins of Hierapolis.

Carbon dioxide rich hot springs flow from the ground. As the water pours out it leaves white deposits that build up over time. Some of the ruins of the city are covered by the deposits as well as the face of a cliff. The reliable hot springs still runs, pouring into a rich tourist’s haven for swimming with crystal clear water over submerged columns. From that pool it is channeled to the white outcroppings for cost free swimming (except for the price of admission) and to keep the white stuff white. The rock hurts underfoot but the reddish places were smooth. That reddish algae with hundreds of feet trampling daily causes damage to the pristine color. Much is off limits.

The real beauty of this place (for me) lies in its history. When we got there we discussed a couple of options. We could swim in the cool water or we could walk for miles while beaten by the sun’s heat to look at rocks. (Luther muttered something about it’s not the size of the cranial cavity that counts but how one uses it. Whatever that meant, it persuaded most of our party to go with him.)

Security was nowhere to be found in the ruins and the heat. Since there was no one to tell me to stay out of the tombs, I explored. Imagine what it would be like to be a Greek or Roman citizen in these ancient times in an ancient graveyard. However, I found lying in a tomb as a Christian Roman corpse was no fun so I went through the main gates and traveled down the street that would be lined with shops, fountains and expensive memorials to patrons of the city. All of which are foundations and a few columns. In the surrounding hills would be (now silted over fields) filled with housing for hundreds of thousands citizens. Pipes, cannels run around like webs through the city.

We know the Jews were first sent by Antiochus the Great to Phrygia and Lydia who then took on more forced movement from Judea. Many also settled in nearby Hierapolis. By 62 BCE that Jewish population grew to 50,000. What’s important about having Jewish congregations outside of Jerusalem is that the Apostle Paul traveled to the major cities with synagogues to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Way of God as Jesus lived and taught influence many. Although Paul didn’t preach in Hierapolis his influence from Ephesus spread there. Perhaps he didn’t need to preach there as a disciple of Jesus, Philip, and Nathan (Bartholomew) already did. Philip was said to have traveled to Greece, Syria, and Phrygia. In Hierapolis legend has it that Philip converted the wife of a Proconsul. It so enraged the Proconsul that he had Philip and Nathan tortured and then crucified (possibly upside down around 80 AD). But Philip’s ability to preach persuaded the authorities to release Nathan. As Nathan was released, Philip was martyred (another legend said he was beheaded). Since then the site was used by pilgrims for centuries until the Turks controlled the area. The church once built on the spot lays in ruins. On July 27, 2011 the modern Turkish authorities said they found Philip’s tomb according to the writing on the wall. It will take a few years of cross checking and professor type critics before it will be confirmed. (I later told Luther I didn’t see, “Philip was here,” anywhere or even a, “Philip loves Nancy in a heart,” so I’m skeptical.)

(Luther said something about the library at Nag Hammadi where the gnostic “Gospel of Philip” was found. I told him I’d be suspicious of anyone named Hammadi who has to nag to get people to read that gospel. Luther pointed to his head, muttering, “What a waste of cranial space.”)

As most cities began there would be something about the site that made it special and sacred. Usually it would be a spring as in this case. (In this heat I’d learn to love a spring that throws up white stuff.) We know Pyrygians built a temple [in the 300-400 BCE range] that was frequented by the Laodean citizens. The springs were used as a spa since the 200s BCE. (The only spa there today is the swimming pools of water and a place that has an aquarium with some tiny fish that nibbled on the dead skin cells. Some in our group paid people for the chance to stick their feet in it! Luther’s fur prevented the fish from getting to his skin but he was lucky to get one stuck in his fur for a bite of his own when no one was looking.) The activity attracted commerce and a swelling population. The city grew into a major Greek city which was bequeathed to the Romans in 133 BCE. An earthquake in Tiberius’s reign in 17 AD destroyed the city. It was rebuilt by the Romans. (They love their baths as they built lots of those. I told Luther the Romans must have been part fish. Luther told me to scale back my thoughts as they’re sounding like a fish tale to him). The city became Byzantium, and in the 700s ruled by the sultans in the Turkish (Persian Empire) until the Crusade of 1190. The city was finished off by an earthquake in 1354 AD. Much of it was covered by a thick layer of white limestone deposits.

After most waded in the pools of water, the Roman Theater attracted a few visitors (It’s easy to identify and relatively close.) The museum (Authorities had to figure out where the blocks go and use a crane to replace them with mortar and modern supports.) was inside a rebuilt portion of a Roman bath building. It’s cooler inside. The rest of the place is a hike through grasses, a few trees and over lots of rocks. The couple of people who were out there used the old Roman roads. I took a shortcut and found myself in the middle of an active archeology site with picks, wheel barrels, and umbrellas for shade except no workers. It was roped off at the other ends. Oops. (In talking with Luther afterwards he said not even the archeologists would work in this heat. Shouldn’t that say something to you? Then he talked about taking an hour long cool limp chimp float. I said, “Whatever floats your boat.”)

Although I’m writing this in Athens, my head is still in Turkey. I’ve got three more places to write about before the Greek Island of Naxos and a ton of stuff in Athens and Corinth.

Some pics of Naxos, Greece

• As long as we stay in the shade we are cool. 

 At our rental in Naxos, Greece

 Rented ATV's to scoot around the island a bit.  Carson is trying to think of ways he can build or purchase an ATV when we get home.

 The pool outside our rental.

 

 

Storage area within the castle

 



A castle we visited that is enfolded in the center of Naxos City.  The walls of the castle and the streets of the inner village meld and fold into one another beautifully.  Each inch seems to be used for a walkway, patio or building.   Could send hours walking the streets, so charming, and filled with little shops.  Smart too the way the tall buildings shade the streets from the hot sun and encourage breezes through the alleyways. 

Luther struggles with honoring his mother and father. He lost his patience looking at the ruins of civilizations and went on his own. I wonder what will happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PjP9zH_STW0

Dinner video clip

Couldn't get the video of the cook explaining the meal to work (from June 13th) so have downloaded the waiter's explanation of the appetizers.

Also, our internet service is very spotty so unable to download and post as much as we would like!

He keeps saying, "For Princess" as we told him it was Megan's birthday.

What does sitting on your master’s seat mean in Ephesus? How many books will you find in the library? How many people fit in their stadium (theater)? This is Luther reporting from SWBC, Southwood’s broadcasting company of the traveling nine.

[Playing catch up with my daily blogs due to not having Wi-Fi in our rental and when we got to a café with Wi-Fi I end up spending my time eating and talking, imagine that.]

(Monkeys don’t wear shoes and the rocks are hot and slippery. That makes for one grumpy monkey on your back. Since Luther lost interest after ten steps I’ll report) Ephesus has a long history since the Stone Age. There’s evidence of people living in the area from about 6000 BCE onward. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world was the temple of Artimis (goddess of hunting and the moon) constructed in 550 BCE burned down in 356 and reconstructed larger. A famous library, huge mall area, public baths, memorials, fortifications, fountains, sewage and water pipes, harbor and all the amenities of city life once flourished.

 

(Luther asked, “What are those stone benches with holes in the middle?” “

Oh, Luther, those are the public restrooms for men. Important thoughts and discussions happened there.”

Luther wasn’t so sure, “Wait, they rested there but were actually talking about stuff?”

“Well, they did a little more than rest,” I explained.

Luther pointed to his nose, “I got it. That’s what came before John Crapper invented the flush toilet.”

Feeling a bit flushed from the heat I replied, “Yes, water constantly ran through them like a little stream. In fact if it was a cold day and you were a slave, the master of your house may require you go and sit to warm up a spot until he came.”

Luther didn’t skip a beat, “You mean the master relieved the slave from his duty?”

Knowing there are lots of puns there I moved on, “Um, yes, you got it.”)

Alexander the Great liberated Ephesus from the Persian Empire in 334 BCE. During the Classical Greek period from 100 BCE-to 0 [Jesus was born probably around 4 BCE]. The city became a part of the Roman Empire in 88 BCE. At that time the population of Ephesus was about Lincoln’s size, 250,000. The apostle Paul should have been amazed. He founded a church there somewhere around 40 AD. (Speaking of Paul, Luther asked, “Is all this history stuff casting a pall on the readers? I said, “Funny one.”) Ephesus grew to about 400,000-500,000. [Omaha size by about 200 AD.] The Galls destroyed it in 263 AD. (Of course Luther said, “The gall of those Gauls.”) Emperor Constantine rebuilt the city. It survived to 614 AD when an Earthquake devastated the area. (Luther said, “God knows how to shake things up.”) As the harbor became a marsh, Malaria became an issue. (Luther didn’t think his aunt Marla was that bad. I explained it was a disease that killed people. Luther was relieved it wasn’t his aunt Marla.) The city moved many times in its history to get closer to the river and sea. The classical Greek and Roman area fell into ruin. When the Turks took it in 1090 it was a small village. (Luther thought the Turks gobbled up a lot of cities.)

Ephesus used aqueducts, rock channels, thousands of fired clay pipes to move their water to fountains, public baths, public bathrooms and drinking fountains for people to gather their water for their homes. (Luther asked, “Why did they fire the clay when they needed them to work? I explained, “It was fired as in baked until the clay turned hard so the water could run through them. It’s like pottery only not pots but pipes.” Luther didn’t care. He was bored, “Wasn’t Harry a potter too?” I ignored him.) Sewage system and rain water run off typically followed under the stone and marble streets. For construction rough cut stone formed the strength of the walls while smooth marble attached to it for splendor. Pictures may look impressive but only 15% of the city has been excavated. A museum that covers excavated homes reveals colorful frescos adorning the walls with mosaic floors. Courtyards with water pools are common in the richer homes.

Couldn’t find the site where a synagogue was built, the place Paul would have first told of the Good News. But the church of Mary built further away from the city central waited for exploration. Did Mary spend her last days here as Epiphanius of Salamis mentioned in his writings from the 3^rd century? Or did she die in Jerusalem as John states? We have two competing written legends. The apostle John is said to have traveled in Asia Minor spreading the Good News and if Jesus told him to take care of Mary from the cross, then it could have happened. Anyway, there’s a chapel with a spring where it’s said Mary once lived and died. The church about 5 miles away was built in her honor. Since Ephesus was the largest city and half way between Rome (Italy) and Alexander (Egypt) it was the place to meet for Christian Bishops. In 431 a conference of 250 bishops met to discuss dogma. (Luther wondered if there were any monkeyma. I told him enough people have been dogged by dogma. It’s better to try to monkey around with thoughts than to condemn them.) These conferences typically lasted about 3 months plus travel time. They didn’t happen too often as a bishop could be gone for six months or so. At this council Nostorus of Constantinople (Istanbul) was condemned for teaching heresy. (Luther was a little afraid of heresy as he has lots of hair you see. I assured him that if he got into trouble I’d shave him. He wanted to go home.) Nostorus thought Jesus had two essences in a human body. The divinity (God-ness) of Jesus was separated from Jesus’ humanity-ness. These two natures can’t co-exist due to human sin so they must have been separate in one human body. (Luther asked, “What do you mean? Jesus was two persons in one? What a hair brained idea!” I said, “I don’t know. It sounds like they were splitting hairs to me.”)

A person can see where metal hinges were attached for the wooden doors for the gates and some houses. Much of the marble streets are worn down and the top layers stripped for later buildings. The Theater could seat about 25,000 and the city square held hundreds of shops. The harbor was bustling with trade. (Luther thought the ancient bustling trade has come back as hustling trade in the souvenir shops. I may have been swindled but the coins are still cool. However, Luther lost his cool in the heat and isn’t too happy about a sabbatical for looking at rocks.) Tune in next time when we go higher with Hierapolis.