Piri Reis map of 1520: Antalya region
Bus rides never seem to get easy anymore. Even a beautiful highway straddling the mediterranean seems to be arduous: kids screaming, jerks talking loudly on their speaker phones and stopping for lunch just 20 minutes after starting out. I was dropped off on the highway, about 6 km from my destination and left to fend for myself. Luckily a kind soul gave me a lift into town and I found a place nearby the ruins to set up camp and began my exploration.
Side (See-day) is an Ancient town located in Pamphylia, some 65 km east of Antalya. It is situated on a peninsula that juts out into the sea for about 2 km.. It had played an important role in the region for well over 2000 years, stretching from the Phoenicians to the Ottomans. Its namesake means “pomegranate” in Greek, but there is some speculation that it may mean something else. Some say the enigmatic “sea peoples’ ‘ were their ancestors. The original inhabitants, the Sideteans, whom little is known, had their own language, coinage and art. However, after centuries of invasions, their culture has been left to the dustbin of time.
Alexander the Great took the city in 333 BC without a fight, consecrating Side’sHellenistic roots. After Alexander’s death, Side fell under control to one of his generals, Ptolemy Soter. . Subsequent struggles between the Selcuicid and Ptolemy Diodaches bounced the city back and forth when finally in 190BC, a coalition of Pergumum, Rhodes and Rome took the city from the Selucids. In the Roman-Selucuid war, one memorable sea battle took place in July 190, when Hannibal Barca led a force of some 40 ships against the Rhodians, who escaped intact but was unable to affect the outcome of a Roman coalition victory over the Seleucids.
The city was well known for its Cilician slave trade and piracy, growing rich off their profits. In fact Julius Caesar was taken hostage, ransomed, then returned to execute his Cilician captors. However for the most part, Rome turned a blind eye to the Cilician slavers’ exploits for many years. That was until the pirates started interfering with Rome’s trade and commerce, when Pompey the Great brought Side under its rule in 67 BC. The city prospered, growing to over 60,000 people, then declined in the 4th century with Isaurian raids from the Tarsus mountains, Arabs in the 6th century and a series of earthquakes and calamities that left the city empty by the 10th century. It did possess an extensive ecclastical presence during its life, maintaining a Bishopric from about the 3rd to the 10th century. This is evident by several ruined churches, chapels and Basilica.
The city was empty all weekend, owing to the quarantine curfew imposed on the locals. The weather was spotty, rain showers but periods of brilliant sunshine. Heading out of my pansiyon, I headed towards the coast and immediately became startled at the breadth and size of the ruins, something I didn’t anticipate. The first clump of ruins was the Nymphaeum, where the city drew its main source of water and an ancient gate, stretching some 2 kms, and was roughly 20 meters thick. From here the road forked, with both routes flanked by what were colonnaded streets, heading into the heart of the city, the Amphitheater perched prominently in the distance. There were some remains of mosaics which lined the floors of shops.
Being close to twilight, daylight was coming to an end. I took the left fork, heading south east and followed a cobble stoned route towards the Agora. Trees, bushes and rubble all occupied the slightly higher ground above the road, the sterling white granite blocks of stone acting as a beacon for my path. The sounds of the sea crashed in the not to far distance, an occasional dog bark and of course the Muslim call to prayer, added to the sublime red hue of the fading sun over the sea.
I sauntered over broken columns, haphazardly supported by Corinthian pedestals and lintels, all adding to the color of the fading day. Shattered clay pots, roof tiles and assorted debris was littered about. The two storied “hospital” sat silent near the path, its history and purpose virtually unknown (I think it was a slave holding pen), but was given this name because it resembled an ancient Selchuk building in Anatolia. Huge hewn stones were settled into the imperial pathway , irrigation canals lined their sides, otherwise Roman aggregate concrete was predominant in the construction of buildings and walls. .
The city defensive walls were impressive, some 30 meters in height and ran for a good distance. Near the south gate, sand dunes and crabgrass had clumped up and covered the outside portion of the portico. Roman arches still in place due to their “keystone”, held up vital building stones in position, providing resistance for over 1500 years. Nearby was a “Sarayi” an old monastery complex: its chiseled columns of flowers and fruits engraved in granite for centuries. A small chapel adorned the site, as well as chambers and quarters.
As I neared the end of the colonnaded route, the Amphitheater came into full view with the Agora directly next to it. The theater had seats for some 20,000 spectators, considered one of the largest in Turkey, played host to gladiatorial contests, games and plays. The Agora, sat fenced off, due to restoration work but a round fountain dedicated to the gods Fortuna and Tyche stood semi repaired at its center. From there, you enter the city proper passing near a monument dedicated to Vaspian.
As I ventured further into the old town, the city was quiet, the effects of the “lockdown” evident on people’s morale, attitude and pocket book. Many of my friends in the states have not missed a paycheck since the “crisis”, making it hard for some to demonstrate empathy with the world. A planet which faces frustration by having their livelihood diminished by fewer tourists, less working hours and freedoms plus stringent government regulations is not a happy one.
I shuffled past the darkened streets, closed restaurants and shops, towards the Temple of Apollo. Situated on the edge of the town, the Temple of Apollo sits juxtaposed with the sunset, sea and a corner of rebuilt corinthian columns. Nearby were the remains of the Basilica, and few more temples, Demeter and Dionysus. Intermittent rain, kept most in doors. The sunset was spectacular (insert “awesome” here for those who are vocabulary challenged) aided the spectacle.
Having enough rain and wind, I swung back towards the Limani, or harbor, I grinned at the boats being tossed like the SS Minnow from the stormy sea, and headed back to my humble tent, situated under orange and olive trees to await the inevitable thunderstorm.
Here is a link for further history and background:
Student of the world, having visited many foreign lands searching for individuals of intellect. 
Jensen Global Focus 