Tarsus, an ancient city with roots dating back to the Bronze Age, is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in history. Located on the western part of the Cilician plain along the Cydnus River, Tarsus boasts a rich cultural and historical tapestry renowned for its contributions to philosophy, education, and trade. During the Roman Empire, Tarsus was the capital of the province of Cilicia. It was the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra and the birthplace of Paul the Apostle.

Coordinates: 36°55’03.2″N 34°53’34.3″E

Tarsus carries a storied history that spans several millennia. Archaeological evidence suggests human habitation in the region dates back to the Neolithic period, in the 8th millennium BC. The city gained prominence during the Bronze Age and flourished under Hittite control. Tarsus became a significant player in the eastern Mediterranean trade network in antiquity, fostering connections with various civilizations, including the Assyrians and Persians. The Hittites called the region Kizzuwatna and made Tarsa their capital. The city’s strategic location contributed to its prosperity, as it served as a bridge between the Anatolian plateau and the coastal regions.

During the Hellenistic Period, Tarsus was known as Antiochia on the Cydnus and thrived as a centre for learning and philosophy. Tarsus also played a role in the military campaigns of Alexander the Great in 333 BC. As Alexander marched through Asia Minor, he reached Tarsus, which was then under Persian control. Whilst at Tarsus Alexander fell seriously ill after swimming in the Cydnus. The city was eventually taken by Alexander, marking a key victory in his conquest of the Persian Empire. Tarsus then became a base for his further expeditions into the Levant and beyond.

Pompey brought Tarsus under Roman rule in 67 BC after crushing the feared Cilician pirates. It became the capital of the Roman province of Cilicia. To flatter Julius Caesar, it was briefly named Juliopolis. In 41 BC, the city was the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Tarsus reached its zenith during this period, experiencing economic prosperity and cultural flourishing. Dio Chrysostom calls the city “the greatest of all towns in Cilicia and a metropolis from the start” (Oration 34.7).

Hadrian visited Tarsus in AD 117 at the beginning of his reign while travelling back to Rome from Antioch (read here). Following the Emperor’s visit, Tarsus took the name Hadriane, and the Hadrianeia Olympia games were established, linked with the city’s new status as neokoros (temple warden). Tarsus also minted coins with obverses of Antinous as hero wearing the hemhem crown, issued sometime after his death in Egypt in 130. At Tarsus, Antinous received the epithets and attributes of both Dionysos and Apollo and was probably also assimilated to the local river god Kydnos.

Cilicia’s first koinon temple was built at Tarsus, most probably for the cult of Hadrian, which made the city neokoros for the first time. Tarsos’ first known use of neokoros is on coins with
obverses of Antinous (RPC III, 3289), while the temple appears on reverses issued from the time of Hadrian to that of the young Commodus. Tarsus became twice neokoros under the reign of Commodus, whose city’s link with Heracles attracted his attention. The decastyle temple of Commodus at Tarsos may have been found at the site known as “Donuktaş”, where foundations of a massive temple podium (ca. 106,80 m long and 50,70 m wide) have been identified to the east of Tarsus. Tarsus’ third neokoria was granted by Valerian and Gallienus around AD 253-260.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Saul, the future Saint Paul, was born in Tarsus, a Roman citizen, although he was sent to study in Jerusalem and became a prominent member of the Jewish community there. Tarsus’ significance persisted into the Byzantine era, with the city remaining an important centre for trade and commerce. However, like many ancient cities, Tarsus faced challenges with invasions and changes in power dynamics. The Arab conquest in the 7th century AD and subsequent Seljuk Turkish rule marked transformative periods for Tarsus. The city eventually became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century.

Classical Tarsus lies deep beneath the modern city, and recent excavations have revealed its ancient urban plan. A paved collonaded street running east-west with shops and other buildings was unearthed in the heart of modern Tarsus in 1993. The road is about 6.5 m wide and paved with polygonal black basalt blocks, some 2 m wide. The street appears to have been built in the middle of the 2nd century BC during the Seleucid period, but the collonaded portico that flanked the street was built between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD.

A long stretch of the Via Tauri between Tarsus and the Cilician Gates (known locally as Roma Yolu) can still be seen today 12 miles north of the city near the village of Saglikli. The road was paved with polygonal limestone slabs and bordered with curbs. Caracalla repaired the Via Tauri in AD 217 by widening the tracks after the road collapsed. The repairs were done during Caracalla’s eastern expedition against the Parthians.

PORTFOLIO

Links:

• World History Encyclopedia
• The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites
• Wikipedia
• Livius