Side

The name Side originates from an old Roman word meaning pomegranate. This shows how old Side is. Side was first mentioned in history about 4000 years ago. The village was ruled by Persian, Macedonian, Bergamensian and Roman leaders, not to forget the pirates in between as well as the Arabs. About 500 AD, the town became well known again with the building of orthodox churches.On entering the town, you can immediately see the huge gate and the thick walls, up to 15 m high and 35 m wide with decoration in the form of shells between the Corinthian columns. Today the 250 m long road between the columns is covered with asphalt.

The agora in Side is about 92 metres square and is surrounded by lots of small shops. In the middle you will find the Temple of Fortune. To the south of this agora you can find the ancient public toilette for about 24 people which is completely covered in marble. There are 16.000 seats in the amphitheatre, which is about 120 metres in diameter and is situated on the narrow part of the peninsula of Side. There is still research going on at the theatre because a part of the stage construction has fallen down into the orchestra pit. On the higher parts you may find lots of symbols of Bacchus, the god of wine and amusement.

Another important ancient construction is the well-named Vespasian, which is about 15 m high and 7 m wide, again with 8 Corinthian columns. To the west of the theatre there is the 12 by 6 metre Temple of Bacchus. South-west of it you will find the harbour bath with four big rooms, three smaller ones and two halls for gymnastics. Both of the temples next to the bath have been built in the name of the moon god Men. The more easterly of them, built on the southern end of the peninsula, belongs to Apollo, the god of light, the arts and beauty. The western one is dedicated to the daughter of Zeus, Athena, the goddess of science, truth and virginity.

The temple of Apollo is 17 by 30 metres in size and is surrounded by 66 Corinthian columns, each 8.90 m high. Above the marble blocks there is a cornice of a lion?s claw to be seen.

The temple of Athena, 20 by 30 metres in size, is exactly the same height as the Apollo Temple and is also surrounded by columns. There is a story saying that this temple should protect the harbour and the ships of Side. In the Byzantine era a basilica was built high above Temenos. The ancient Roman bath today is used as the Museum of Side, where lots of sarcophagi, columns, cornices, symbols and insignias are to be seen.

The garden was more or less the fitness and gymnastics area of the bath. In the patio area, a series of cornices dedicated to the god of the sea, Poseidon, can be seen. Lots of statues of different gods, rulers, men, women and children as well as other busts and works of art can be seen in the Tepidarium. The most important statue is the one of the god Hermes, the patron saint of dealers and thieves. In the middle of this room there are three sarcophagi made from marble belonging to the later Roman period. In front of the bath tub are statues of Athena, Aphrodite and Hera, also made from marble. It almost looks like an ancient beauty contest!

The most important discovery was the design created by Arthemon, which was used in the alphabet of the Etruscan and Lucian periods.

When another area was excavated they found a huge building constructed by the Byzantines, named the Cosmas Hospital, which was used for the healing of plagues. The first excavation of the Side sites was started in 1947 by Prof. A. Müfit Mansel and continued later by Prof. Jale Inan. They are still working on the sites. UNESCO has decided that Side should be designated a protected site.

Whether you are interested in ancient history and buildings and whether you possess the historical background information or not, Side is still well worth a visit.