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Sailing To Cnidus The Star Of Dorian Hexapolis
f you are looking for a Hexapolis with the cities Cnidus
unique yachting holiday or (Datça), Halicarnassos (Bodrum),
vacation, you should try a Cos, Kamiros, Lindos and
sailing voyage to ancient city of Lalissos. The last three of the
Cnidus in Turkey. cities were in Rhodes. Cnidus was
established at the same time as
Cnidus is an ancient site in Halicarnassus (now Bodrum) around
Turkey that is being closely 800 BC.
studied by archaeologists and
historians. Ramazan Ozgan, the Later on, according to Herodotus,
archaeology professor of Konya a famous Greek historian, who
Selcuk University in Turkey, who lived around 447 BC,
has been presiding over the Halicarnas¬sus was excluded from
excavation studies in Cnidus for the union of Greek city-states.
16 years, is working with a group The Union was then called the
of 22 students; in addition, Dorian Pentapolis. Cnidus was the
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Ehrhart from centre of this City Union. It had
Freiburg University also is an effective political and
working to uncover the rich economic structure considering
heritage of Cnidus. the period and was an important
city with, colonies in Northern
Centuries ago Cnidus, originally Sicily, from the island of
a Phoenician settlement, was a Lipari, to as far as Naukrati in
major Dorian city, celebrated for Egypt.
its temples, theatres, statue of
Aphrodite, the world's first Apollon and Aphrodite were the
observatory, and medi¬cal school. symbols of the city. The
Around 1000 BC the Dorians engravings on the Cnidian coins
invaded the southern part of used to bear these symbols. But
Caria and established the Dorian the most striking symbol of the
city were the lions which stood for the people of Cnidus. The
on both sides of the harbour statue was so highly valued by
entrance. A colossal figure of a them that they refused to sell it
lion carved out of one block of to King Nicomedes, who was
mar¬ble, ten feet in length and willing in return to discharge
six in height, which is believed the whole debt of the city. And
to commemo¬rate the great naval there's Sostratus, architect of
victory, the Battle of Cnidus, the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
which ended the Spartan hegemony This great lighthouse was one of
in 394 BC! “the Seven Wonders of the ancient
world” .
Philosophers, architects and the
astronomers of the ancient world At one time in Cnidus, there was
were attracted to this a statue of a lion set on each
inspirational meeting point. The breakwater, commemorating the
statue of Aphrodite testifies to great naval victory won in 394
the cul¬tural refinement of the BC, but in 1857, an Englishman by
city. One of the greatest the name of C.Newton visited the
mathematicians of antiquity, city and carried off a statue of
Eudoxus was born in Cnidus. He Demeter and some other statues
discovered the formula to find including the lions, which are
the volumes of the solids and all now at the Museum except for
other mathematical one of the lions that got broken
demonstrations. He also devised a in transit.
geometrical expla¬nation of the
motions of the sun, moon and Can Yucel, a well-known master of
planets along the zodiac. Turkish poetry has described
Cnidus in two sentences:
There's also Praxiteles who
carved the statue of Aphrodite "Staring at it, looks greener
than the algea, around 1200 BC. As the seaborne
Yet more blue, swimming a trade developed, they stored
stroke." their products in Northern
Africa, in a city called
Aphrodite bathed in this water, Naucratis to sell olive and olive
according to the Greek mythology. oil to the whole world. And
Although Cnidus is one of the that's how Cnidus became among
best preserved areas, ignorance the most wealthy cities of the
has taken its toll on this world and became the richest in
precious cultural site. Some Anatolia."
valuable pieces have been dragged
out of the country due to greed Land of the taxfree
and vanity. But what remains
still provide a light on the Friends of Julius Ceasar lived in
richness of the ancient past. Cnidus, and being friends with
Prof. Dr. Ehrhart is working on him wasn't only critical in a
the city plan of the ancient political sense but was also very
site, which, not surprisingly, important as an economic
has never been searched advantage. This state of affairs
thoroughly before. gave Cnidus a privilege; Ceasar
anounced that this city would be
Cnidus was known worldwide in free of tax and this led to great
ancient times prosperity and the citizens built
fountains, schools and temples
"I don't know whether 16 years of which can be partly seen today.
study was suffering or pleasure" At least they were helping each
says Mr. Ozgan while adding that other! What have our rich people
he's fond of the excavations he done to help their cities? How
discovered with his students. and where do they spend their
"The Dorians founded these cities fortune? Cnidus was also a
leading clinical center of the The ideal way to live in the
world but again, this fact historical sites, is to join a
doesn't come into prominence. “Blue Voyage” with the
comfortable atmosphere afforded
Pieces are scattered all over the by a “Deluxe Gulet” or “Marmaris
world Yachts”. You can also have an
experienced guide in the gulet
The most glorious pieces of the (traditional Turkish sail boat),
British Museum have been taken whose knowledge of the area is
from here and damage was done to rich and whose personality is
the ancient sites. The artifacts warm and humorous. The “Blue
are easy to carry away via the Cruise” in the crystal clear
sea and rumors of smuggling have waters or “Turquoise Coast” could
continued right up to recent easily be the highlight of your
years. trip to Turkey.
Have you dreamed of an enjoyable
holiday amidst the quiet of ancient Greek libraries. align="center">
About the Author:
Gurhan Ebren is a retired naval officer and currently runs El Paso Travel, a Marmaris travel agency specializing in yacht and gulet charters and cruises in Turkey. You can learn more about the blue cruises which visit Cnidus and other sites at http://www.elpasotravel.net/itinaries.htm Published At: www.Isnare.com |
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