Hierapolis - Ruins
Located in south-western Turkey, 19km north of Denizli, the ancient city of Hierapolis is situated 200 meters high on a beautiful white cliff made up of limestone deposits along with petrified waterfalls and terraced basins, all overlooking the town of Pamukkale (meaning Cotton Palace). Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Generally said to have been founded by Eumenes II, King of Pergamum, in the 2nd century BC, Hierapolis was likely established by the Seleucid kings closer to the 4th century BC.
Hierapolis, whose name means “sacred city”, because of the temples located at the site, was believed by ancients to be founded by the god Apollo. People in Hierapolis worshipped Apollo as their main God. Beside Apollo, Artemis-the goddess- had been very important too. Local people in Hierapolis had worshipped many other gods and goddesses such as Dionysus, Leto who was the mother of Apollo, Poseidon who was the reason of earthquakes, Pluto who was the god of underworld, Heracles etc. It is also thought the name ‘Hierapolis’ derives from the mythological figure Hiera, who was the wife of Telephus (son of Hercules and founder of Pergamum).
The Greek foundations of the Temple of Apollo still remain, although
the rest is Roman, dated to the 3rd century AD. Similar to Delphi, the
temple had an oracle tended by eunuch priests. It was believed in
ancient times that the gases emitted from an adjoining spring called
the Plutonium (dedicated to Pluto, the god of the underworld) were
lethal to all but the priests who had a direct line to Hades. To
demonstrate this point the priests would toss in birds and small
animals and watch them die. The Plutonium is sealed off today because
it continues to give off toxic vapours.
Recognizing the curative powers of the rich mineral waters of the
springs, the Romans built baths along with other monuments, and the
spa town continued to flourish under the Byzantines, when it gained a
large Jewish community and an early Christian congregation.
Paul mentioned Hierapolis in his Letter to Colossians, and it was reported in the book of Acts that Philip died in the city around 80 CE. This is usually taken to mean Phillip the Apostle, one of the original 12 disciples, who is said to have been martyred by upside-down crucifixion (Acts of Philip) or by being hung upside down by his ankles from a tree. But it could also be Philip the Evangelist, a later disciple who helped with administrative matters and had four virgin-prophetess daughters (Acts 6:1-7; 21:8-9).. Nonetheless, the remarkable octagonal Martyrium of St. Philip was erected in the 5th century CE, and at its centre was found a crypt believing to hold the remains of Philip.
One of the highlights at Hierapolis is a spectacular Roman theater, capable of seating over 12,000 people. The theater was erected in the third century CE, during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus, enveloping and canceling an earlier theater, perhaps of Flavian date. The theater was used late into Roman times. Restored by Italian stonecutters in the 1970s, the stage is well-preserved with decorated reliefs and the front row reserved seating for VIPs is still intact.
Other highlights at Hierapolis include: an extraordinary necropolis (cemetery) containing thousands of tombs, a 2nd century agora—one of the largest ever discovered, the arch of the Emperor Domitian, and the ruins of the Roman baths.
The centre of the city may have been the original Sacred Pool, which is now the Cleapatra's Pool in the courtyard of the Antique Pool spa. For a price, tourists can swim in the pool warmed by hot springs, floating above the ancient Roman marble columns from the courtyard toppled by an earthquake.
While the tectonic activity of this area gave rise to the hot springs, the periodic earthquakes frequently brought disaster. Hierapolis had many destructive strong earthquakes and as a result, each earthquake razed the city. (First destructive one in 17 AD, second one in 60 AD, third and last one in 1354). As a result the city fell in decline after the 6th century AD and following a major earthquake in the 14th century, the local community finally abandoned the city.
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