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Side,
ancient Pamphylia's largest port, is situated on a small peninsula extending
north-south into the sea.
Strabo and Arrianos both record that Side was settled from Kyme, city in
Aeolia, a region of western Anatolia. Most probably, this colonization
occurred in the seventh century B.C.. According to Arrianos, when settlers
from Kyme came to Side, they could not understand the dialect. After a short
while, the influence of this indigenous tongue was so great that the
newcomers forgot their native Greek and started using the language of Side.
Excavations have revealed several inscriptions written in this language. The
inscriptions, dating from the third and second centuries B.C., remain
undeciphered, but testify that the local language was still use several
centuries after colonization. Another object found in Side excavations, a
basalt column base from the seventh century B.C. and attributable to the Neo
Hittites, provides other evidence of the site's early history. The word
"side" is Anatolian in origin and means pomegranate.
Next to no information exists concerning Side under Lydian and Persian
sovereignty. Nevertheless, the fact that Side minted its own coins during the
fifth century B.C. while under Persian dominion, shows that it still
possessed a great measure of independence.
In 333 A.D., despite its strong land and sea walls, Side surrendered to
Alexander the Great without a fight. For a long period following the death of
Alexander, Side came under the dominion of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid
Empires, and in 190 B.C. witnessed a great naval battle. This encounter took
place between the fleet of Rhodes, acting with the support of Rome and
Pergamum, and the fleet of Antiochos III, the king of Syria, under the
command of the famous Carthaginian Hannibal. Side took the side of Hannibal,
but the Rhodian forces carried the day.
In the second century B.C. Side was able to stave off the forces of the
Attaleids of Pergamum and preserve its independence, becoming a wealthy
commercial, intellectual, and entertainment centre. Side's importance in the
Eastern Mediterranean as an educational and cultural centre can be gauged by
the fact that Antiochos VII, who ascended the throne of Syria in 138 B.C.,
was sent to Side in his youth to receive its education. In the first century
B.C. misfortune overtook Side in the form of Cilician pirates, who seized the
city and turned it into a naval base and slave market. The people of Side
seem to have tolerated the pirates because of the highly profitable nature of
this commerce, which, however, gave the city a bad name in the region.
Stratonicus, a man famous for his retorts and witticisms, answered the
question, "Who are the worst, most treacherous people?" saying,
"In Pamphylia the people of Phaselis, but in the whole world the people
of Side". The famous Roman general Pompey ended the reign of the pirates
in 67 B.C. and Side, by erecting monuments and statues in his honour, tried
to erase its bad name.
Under Roman rule, Side prospered during a second golden age, especially in
the second and third centuries when it became a metropolis ,seat of the
provincial governor and his administrative staff. Due to its large harbour.
Side in this era enjoyed commercial relations throughout the Mediterranean
particularly with Egypt. Imported goods left Side for central Anatolia by
road. Side's importance as a commercial centre can be ascertained by the
hundreds of shops occupying not only the main streets, but also the narrowest
of side streets and alleys. At the same time it continued as an important
slave trading centre. Documents from the Imperial Roman period found in Egypt
report that these slaves were sent to Side mainly from Africa. It is also
known that Side possessed a large commercial fleet which did not pass up
opportunities to commit piracy. Maritime commerce was the origin of the
wealth of many merchants. These wealthy men did not work solely to increase
their fortunes, but also provided for activities benefiting the people of the
city, donating large sums to organize competitions and games, as well as to
beautify the city and create social and religious organizations. One
inscription found above a late period gate reports that two people, whose
names cannot be made out, had a deipnisterion or soup kitchen erected for the
use of government employees and the council of elders. A woman named Modesta
organized gladiatorial events; Tuesianos, another inhabitant of Side,
organized a feast to celebrate the return of the seamen to Side; and a
husband and wife pair of philanthropists provided for the repairs of Side''
water system out of their own pockets. A great proportion of the buildings
and monuments still standing at Side date to this magnificent epoch.
Side's last years of plenty occurred in the fifth and sixth centuries A:D.
when it served as the seat of the Bishopric of Eastern Pamphylia. At this
time there was much construction, and the city expanded beyond the extant
city walls. Starting in the middle of the seventh century, destructive raids
by Arab fleets on the southern coast of Anatolia transformed it into a war
zone. Side was naturally, affected, and excavations have uncovered ashy burnt
layers showing that the city was entirely burnt by Arabs. According to the
twelfth century Arab geographer Idrisi, Side was at one time a large and
populous city, but after being sacked it was abandoned by its inhabitants,
who moved to Antalya, two days' journey away; as a result, according to
Idrisi, Side became known as Old Antalya.
In order to protect itself from threats coming by land or sea, Side was
surrounded on all four sides by high walls. The sea walls have been much
altered over the centuries due to repair and rebuilding and have most much of
their original appearance; they have even collapsed in several places. By
contrast, the land walls and their towers are almost whole, due to their
having been carefully constructed of conglomerate stone. The city is entered
through two gates in the eastern fortification wall. The large main gate was
built during the Hellenistic period. It is flanked by two towers and gives
onto a horseshoe-shaped courtyard. After passing through the courtyard and a
square room, one enters the city. As is the case in Perge, the gate and
courtyard complex were ornamented with many storeys of columns in the second
century A.D. and transformed into a ceremonial place of honour. The second
largest city gate, also belonging to the Hellenisitic period, lies on the
north-east of the city; behind its square towers lies a courtyard that is
also square in form.
The main street starts from this north-eastern gate and stretches all the way
to the peninsula's western tip in an almost completely straight line. Along
this street lay the city's principal official buildings and its squares.
Excavations have revealed a perfectly planned sewer system. This system,
covered with vaults, lay under the main street as well as the smaller
streets. Outside the city wall and opposite the main gate lies the nymphaeum,
a monumental fountain consisting of a richly ornamented facade with three
niches and with a fountain in front. Piped-in water used to flow from spouts
in the middle of these niches.
The agora, the city's centre of commercial and cultural activity, lay along
an arcaded street. It can be entered today from immediately opposite the
museum. This square space was surrounded on all four sides by porticoes. Rows
of stores can still be observed running behind the north-east and north-west
porticoes. An interesting vaulted building lies in the agora's south-west
corner adjacent to the theatre, this served as the city's latrium or public
toilets and is the most highly ornamented and best preserved example in Anatolia.
Sewers carried away the waste from this establishment, which had a 24-toilet
capacity, while in front of the building ran a channel carrying only purified
water.
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In the middle of the agora lay a circular temple dedicated to
Tyche (Fortune). All that is left today is the podium of this structure, but
originally twelve columns ran around its exterior and the temple was topped
by a pyramidal roof. This agora was linked to a second, state agora by a
street running along its southern edge. This agora, too, was square in plan
and was enclosed by porticoes of lonic columns. It is believed that the high
platform in the middle of the agora was used for the display and sale of
slaves. Behind the eastern portico lay a large ornamented three-chambered building
which, due to its architectural peculiarities, is thought to have been either
an imperial palace or a library. From extant remains it can be ascertained
that the building was originally two storeys and richly adorned with statues.
Aside from a statue of Nemesis, which has been left in place to recall the
original decorative style, all the statues found during excavation have been
removed to the Side Museum.
The agora bathhouse, today used as the museum, is a five-room Byzantine
structure dating to the fifth century A.D. It is entered through two arched
doorways. The first room, possessing a small cold water pool, was the
frigidarium. From here one passes to a stone-domed sweating room or
lokonicum. The third and largest of the structure's rooms is the hot room or
caldarium. The bath's heating system ran beneath the marble flooring. From
the caldarium one can enter the two-room tepidarium or washing area through a
narrow door. In front of the bath was a palaestra with a porticoed courtyard
where men could excercise before bathing.
Next to the triumphal arch, which at a late date was used a city gate, lies a
beautiful monument, partially restored in recent years. This monument
consists of a niche between two aedicules and, according to an inscription
found in the architrave, was built in 74 A.D. in memory of the Emperor
Vespasion and his son Titus. During the construction of the late period city
wall in the fourth century A.D., this monument was brought here from
elsewhere in the city and turned into a fountain.
The theatre is the only extant example of its plan and construction type to
be fount in Anatolia. It was erected in the second century A.D. on
Hellenistic foundations. Because Side is virtually flat, the theatre's upper
banks had to be built into the only natural rise available, which is not very
steep, while the lower banks of seats overlay an arched substructure. Twenty
nine seating levels can be counted below the 3.30 metre-wide diazoma, which
divides the cavea in two. In the upper section only twenty two of the
original twenty nine rows survive. Thus, this was Pamphylia's largest theatre
and had a seating capacity of 16-17.000 people. In the outside gallery of the
lower section, staircases rose to the diazoma. From interior galleries,
staircases ascended to the theatre's upper section. The galleries' two ends
probably contained paradoses, enabling them to be used as entrances for
theatre staff and actors.
The orchestra was slightly larger than a semicircle, and at a late date it
was surrounded by a nigh thick wall that rendered inoperative the lowest
banks of seats. This wall was covered with waterproof pink plaster which
allowed the orchestra to be filled from time to time with water for
reenactments of naval battles and other sports; it no doubt also served as a
pit for displays of wild animal combat. These displays usually pitted
predatory animals against one another or against gladiators. Sometimes even
unarmed people-criminals, slaves, and prisoners-were set against wild
animals, and their helpless struggle was followed with rude glee.
A stage building rose off a wide podium behind the orchestra. It consisted of
a two-storey facade 63 metres in length. On the podium, five narrow doors
linked the orchestra ornamented with coloumns, niches and statues, and its
lower storey contained five alrge openings allowing for the actors, and its
entrance. Between these openings, just as in the theatre at Perge, were
marble friezes illustrating Dionysiac themes. The stage building's reliefs
have been transported to the agora for the duration of the restoration work
which has newly begun is this area.
During the troubles of the fourth century A.D., a new fortification wall was
built, and this wall took advantage of the high back wall of the stage
building. During the fifth and sixth centuries A.D., the theatre was used as
an open-air church, and the parados sections were decorated with floor
mosaics and transformed into small chapels. The most varied and beautiful
temples in all of Pamphylia are to be found in Side. Two stupendous temples
rose on the peninsula's southern point, right next to each other, the sea and
the harbour. These temples were built in the second half of the second
century A.D.. Consisting entirely of marble, they are of the peripteros type
and employ the Corinthian order. The short sides have six columns each, the
long sides eleven. In the fifth century A.D. a large basilica was built in
front of these temples, incorporating them into its atrium. Despite being
heavily damaged, the temples' ancient configuration can be determined.
Because Side's patron goddess was Athena, it is highly probable that one of
the temples was dedicated to Athena, who in consequence, would have been
featured extremely prominently as a protectress of the harbour and of
sailors. As for the other temple, it must have been dedicated to Apollo.
Restoration of the Temple of Apollo is ongoing.
Further on, to the east of the last big square off the arcaded street, lies a
semicircular temple dedicated to the god Men. The cella of this temple was
entered from the west by a staircase up the high podium. At the top of the
stairs are four Corinthian columns. This temple dates to the end of the
second century A.D. Between the arcaded street and the theatre lie the
remains of an early Roman temple. Of this temple, which is of the
pseudo-peripteral type, only the podium remains. The podium remains is
ascended from the north by seven steps. In front of the cella rise four
granite Corinthian columns. Because of its proximity to the theatre, it is
thought that this temple belonged to Dionysos.
Dating to the third century A.D., the biggest of Side's three public baths
lies on the arcaded street. Its dimensions are 40x50 metres and it is a
beautiful building in a fine state preservation. Its various rooms are
vaulted. The broad courtyard in front of this building was most likely used
as a palaestra. In order to satisfy their for a plentiful water supply, the
people of Side went to almost superhuman lengths. Water from the head of the
Melas river (today's Manavgat Çayi) reached Side after an adventuresome 30
kilometre journey on two-storeyed arched aqueducts, passing through channels
carved out of cliffs, and vaulted tunnels and across valleys before it was
collected in city cisterns, from which it was distributed in clay pipes.
Large cemeteries lie outside the city walls. In these cemeteries one can
still see many types of graves, be they simple square holes, plain or carved
sarcophagi, or magnificent memorials in the form of temples. These areas were
called necropoli, cities of the dead. The most beautiful of these can be
found in the western cemetery near the sea. On a podium reached by stairs
rises a building shaped like a temple with four columns. Inside this building
marble sarcophagi are situated in arched niches. This building dates to the
second century A.D., and together with its ornamented courtyard must have
served as the tomb of a wealthy family. Side has been excavated by Turkish
archaeologists since 1947, and excavations continue intermiltently.
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