Turkey Holiday:
Anemurium Roman City
28 March 2006
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-113038_small.jpg)
On Tuesday, we took a drive east along the coastal road
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-125550_small.jpg)
The Roman city of Anemurium, established by the 4th century BC was abandonned in
about 650 AD following Arabian invasions and the occupation of Cyprus by Arabs.
Here we look up the hill through the Necropolis: about 350 of these tombs line
the hillsides
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-125556_small.jpg)
More tombs. Visible upper-middle is the city wall.
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-130103_small.jpg)
The site has many mosaics, many "protected" from casual visitors and vandals by
shingle, but one must wonder how much damage the constant covering and
uncovering of the mosaics is doing.
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-130108_small.jpg)
One of the three bath-houses in Anemurium
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-130334_small.jpg)
More mosaics in the bath-house
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-130506.jpg)
A large mosaic, almost completely intact
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-130930.jpg)
A fresco in an alcove in the chapel of one of the tombs
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-131156_small.jpg)
Mosaic of Medusa on the ceiling of one of the tombs
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-131703_small.jpg)
More mosaics hidden under shingle
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-131732_small.jpg)
A dolphin
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-132031_small.jpg)
The Odeon - a theatre seating 900, used for musical performances. The larger
amphitheatre is in much poorer condition.
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-132644_small.jpg)
View of the odeon from another of the bath-houses
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-132756_small.jpg)
The upper aqueduct carried water to the city
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-133949_small.jpg)
It is hard to capture the scale of the city, but this photo gives some idea of
just how extensive and complete the remains are
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-134456.jpg)
Lucy with another uncovered mosaic
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-134508_small.jpg)
![](../../images/2006/2006-03/2006-03-28-134721_small.jpg)
And the innocent piles of shingle which hide them from view
More from Turkey with the total eclipse
of the sun...
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