Friday, June 8, 2018

2018 Eastern Mediterranean Trip - Pergamun Pictures

Congratulations.

If you have made it this far into the Eastern Med Trip Blog Posts, you have come to the FINAL POST OF GRECO/ROMAN RUIN visits! I'm sure you're pretty excited. I know I am. So let's get on with the show.

Pergamun reached great heights in the Hellenistic, late Roman Republic and Early Empire stages. It is of particular note because its last King as an independent entity, willed the city over to Rome as he had no heirs. For more history, go here.

We visited two major sites, the Acropolis and the Ascelpion
Overview of the Acropolis
 Again as you look at the ruins try to imagine them as full and completed buildings. You would not have nearly as much open space. Many of the structures we walk through would be covered and their would be tall walls around us


One of the major structures that still have significant columns remaining is the Trajan Temple
Restoration can take decades depending on the availability of funds
These are pieces that are laid out for future work
Many views of the temple





A water system existed that got water from 45 kilometers away all up this high hill

Way down here is a piece of the acqueduct

THANK THE GODS
A THEATER!


Other scenes in the Acropolis







As we drove to the Ascelpion, we got a picture of a Temple to the Egyptian Gods in what was the lower city
After lunch we stopped at an old square for coffee and tea
Old soul hotel owner with 500 year-old tree
Right across the street
An operating Hamman
Dating from the 16th century

The Ascelpion
Essentially this is a hospital
Galen, one of the famous names in medical history from the 2nd Century AD spent much of his career here. 
Things were not much different then
To get the best health care, you needed to pay for it.
 
Road leading into the facility


 They even had a theater here to entertain patients and workers
I challenged our guide Işik, who loves karaoke, to perform in the theater

Exploring the actual area of treatment rooms


Superior stone work
Cutting and shaping marble so it is curved and encircled a large area

And a final
SIGNS OF THE WORLD
Collaps
One of the many diseases recognized in Ancient times







2 comments:

Renee Michelle Goertzen said...

Developing Collaps is a real risk for people who have been walking around looking at ruins all day :)

alexis said...

Lol RM!