STRATONIKEIA – CITY OF GLADIATORS WHERE LOVE BECOMES IMMORTAL, Muğla/Turkey

HISTORY OF STRATONIKEIA Stratonikeia is located 7 km west of Yatağan district, Muğla province, within the borders of Eskihisar District. The ancient city of Yatagan-Milas is on the edge of the new highway. 3 BC. King Seleucus I, the founder of the city, which is said to have been born from a love legend in the first quarter of the century and is located on a major religious road Antiochos built this place first for his stepmother and then for his wife, Stratonike. Stratonikeia, named after his wife Stratonike and known as the city of gladiators with Immortal loves, had uninterrupted settlement from the late Bronze Age to the present day. According to the ancient geographer Strabo, Stratonikeia was equipped with very beautiful structures. It is understood that the Stratonikeia coins unearthed during the excavations began to be minted from 167 BC, when the city gained independence from Rhodes, and continued until the time of Gallienus (253-268).

Ancient Stratonikeia, which changed hands between Seleucus, Ptolemaios, Macedonians, Rhodes and Rome in the Hellenistic period, BC. In 130, it was completely connected to Rome. After the conquest of Anatolia, the city, which came under Turkish rule, also continued to be inhabited during the principalities, Ottoman and Republican periods. Eskihisar Village, which moved to a new settlement after the earthquake in 1957, still has several families living in historic village houses.

THE STORY OF STRATONIKEIA Stratonike, famous for her youth and beauty, is chosen as a wife by the king of time. The King's young and handsome son falls in love with his father's new wife. He falls into bed out of love. No doctor can find a cure. His father is very upset about his son's condition. At that time, the doctor Erasistratos from the island of Kos in the country is called to the palace, and he is asked to see the patient. The doctor tries for days, but he can't find a cure for the disease.

One day, Stratonike enters the patient's room, and at that moment the King's son's face turns red, his heart begins to beat faster. Of course, this situation does not escape the eyes of the doctor. As soon as the girl leaves the room, she pinches the teenager and learns of their love for each other. Now, when you're thinking about how to tell the king, you have an idea. He tells the king that his son fell in love with the doctor's wife, and fell into bed out of love. The king asks him to give up his wife for his son. The doctor asks how he would behave if he was in the same situation himself. The King says he will give up his wife without thinking. The doctor got the answer he wanted. He tells The King the truth... The King allows his son and Stratonike to marry, leaving the throne to his son. King, King of the Seleucids I Nikator, his son is Antiochus. Antiochos establishes Stratonikeia for Stratonike, who is first his stepmother and then his wife. Stephanos of Byzantium, who describes this event, says that the city was founded between 281-261 BC.

once. There was a Syrian King called Seleucus, owner of fertile plains, powerful armies. He had a son like a lion named Antiochos. Everything was good, nice, but Seleucus heard of the absence of a woman who would make him forget his wife, whom he lost many years ago, at least ease his sadness... until he met Stratonike... a glorious wedding was held without even waiting for Antiochus to return in distant states... but the bride saw that Seleucus ' joy was not much, but it lasted until he met the son and stepmother. It's inevitable that these two people will meet at first sight, but why now, why here ? Seleucus ' heart is burning, his mind is gnawing at these questions. Convinced that giving up neither his wife nor his son will bring no peace, the ordeal King thinks thinly, weeps often, finds the cure to drive Antiochos and Stratonike away from his land. He advises them to go far away and build their own city, commands them not to return, and gives them everything necessary, and the caravan sets out… Here is Stratonikeia, far away, in the southwest of Anatolia, the city that Antiochos founded on behalf of his old stepmother and his new wife Stratonike. It is said that Seleucus acted as a mature King, forgave Antiochos and Stratonike, gave them the power to build their own cities... but it is also said that he cursed them with anger that does not stop in them “let their cities fall on their heads eight times, let them not see peace…” I don't know how many times before, but the city of Stratonikeia, its name became Eskihisar, has been replaced 3 times.

URBAN STRUCTURE OF STRATONIKEIA The city is surrounded by walls, and today only insignificant extensions of the city walls are visible. In the northeast corner of the residential area are the ruins of a strong castle, built of lime mortar with large cut stones. It can be seen from the inscribed stones and column bodies taken from other structures where the structure, built of large cut stones and calcareous mortar, has been repaired. The main entrance gate on the northern edge of the city consists of large blocks with wide and thin stone masonry. There is a nymphaion between the two door entrances of the structure with two arched entrances. After the door, you can see the presence of a colonnaded area and a road. The Acropolis of the city is located at the top of the mountain in the South, while in the north, on a terrace on the slope, in an inscription just below the current highway, the remains of a small temple built for the emperor stand out. Stratonikeia, archaic, classical, Hellenistic, Roman Empire, Byzantine, principalities, Ottoman and Turkish Republic periods belonging to the structure and urban fabric can be seen together in rare places. Stratonikeia, one of the largest cities built of marble in the world with an area of 7 km covered, was organized in a Hippodamic plan consisting of streets that intersect in a grid system parallel to each other in the Hellenistic period. In the middle of the city, the most prominent structure of the city is the bouleuterion, where the city council meets. Bouleuterion, a small theater-like structure, stands alone just to the west of this structure, the entrance door to this area. On the north-facing outer wall of the bouleuterion is the price list of Diocletian and the Latin inscriptions on the introduction of it. The lower seating rows of this structure are preserved. In the west of the city, in Ancient Greece and Rome, there is a structure called the gymnasium, where young people were trained mentally and physically, studied, and participated in sports events. On the side of the Holy Road in front of the entrance gate to the city are chamber tombs. Starting from the entrance gate, the sacred road passes through the necropolis and reaches the Hecate sanctuary in Lagina. The necropolis site in question is now under the colliery Basin and has disappeared. He also has Mysia Stratonikeia The ancient city of Stratonikeia in the archaic and classical periods from a length of 3.600 m, two different walls from the Hellenistic period in Anatolia and gymnasio largest theatre, dating to the Roman imperial period, the Capitol building (bouleuterion), bath complexes, an agora, temples, city gates, colonnaded streets, fountains and water structure contains structures such as grave monuments. Apart from the calendar inscription of Menippos in Greek on the walls of the bouleuterion (Parliament House), the Latin Roman period (MS. 301) includes the names and prices of all goods and services sold in the city. Churches from the Byzantine period (Churches of Erikli, Jesus and Michael) and houses can be seen. Apart from these, the principalities period Bath in the village square (Selcuk bath-MS. 14-15. Century), Ottoman era mosque (Shaban Agha Mosque-1876) and Ottoman Fountain (19th century) in the city. century), Agha houses (18-19. yy), streetside shops (1912), Adnan Menderes Era Square Fountain (05.04.1954) and houses are located.

ANCIENT CITY OF STRATONIKEIA TODAY Due to the fact that the lignite deposits used by the Yatağan Thermal Power Plant are located on the Eskihisar District, which has been emptied today. It is one of the rare living ancient cities today, and as a result of an assessment by the UNESCO World Heritage Center in 2015, the ancient city of Stratonikeia was deemed appropriate to be registered in the UNESCO World Heritage provisional list.

Excavations At The Ancient City Of Stratonikeia Stratonikeia for the first time a.Laumonier introduced it in his book “Notes sur un voyage un Caria”, published in 1933. Prof. Dr.Yusuf Boysal started excavations here in 1967 and this work is still ongoing. From the inscriptions unearthed during these excavations, the entire history of the city was revealed. He also revealed many structures belonging to the Roman period.

At the end of the excavations, it was revealed that the famous temple of the city that laumonier mentioned was under the terrace where the theater was located. But it is not clear by whom this temple was built and for which God to be respected. George E.This temple, which Bean called the Temple of Serapis, was named by Haufmann and Prof. Ekrem Akurgal claimed to be Bouleterion. But research has also suggested that this structure was built in the late Hellenistic or early Roman period, but this has not been clarified.

The seating levels inside the structure are reached by stairs to the south and North. Its fairly high walls were made with extremely fine stonework. The entire outer face of the north wall and some parts of the inner face are covered with Greek and Latin inscriptions. These inscriptions mention the offerings offered to Helios, Zeus and Serapis to prevent war and to forgive the distant seas.

At the end of the excavations, it was revealed that the famous temple of the city that laumonier mentioned was under the terrace where the theater was located. But it is not clear by whom this temple was built and for which God to be respected. George E.This temple, which Bean called the Temple of Serapis, was named by Haufmann and Prof. Ekrem Akurgal claimed to be Bouleterion. But research has also suggested that this structure was built in the late Hellenistic or early Roman period, but this has not been clarified.