The day was filled with good and bad. The good was that we got to see a ton of ancient sites filled with great history and architecture. The bad was that my battery charger blew and did not work, so I had no batteries until we got to our last sight, where I bought 2 batteries for 10 lira (~$7) from a tourist trap area. We went there again after the Asklepion, and I also bought a beautiful purple scarf, my second purchase of the trip. My first purchase was at the site where a couple was selling flower (�i�ek) raw honey and pine (�am) honey. The honey reminded me of a friend back in the States who raises honey bees, and this honey tasted different from what I have tasted before. There are a lot of these little tourist traps all throughout Turkey, so we try to avoid them and shop in towns with markets, but the prices here were good according to Nazim. The little markets were a lot like farmer’s markets back where I live in PA, and it felt a lot like home.

The ancient city of Pergamum is situated on a hill now near a dam and the town of Bergamon. The Caycos River is now damned up for water control, and while it did not prove to be an eyesore, the gondola up did. I would not have minded climbing the sacred path all the way up to it, and while the ride was relaxing and a great overhead view of the site, it does not go with it.

The Romans gained control in 133 BCE when Eminos II gave it to them, so it was able to do whatever they wished to with the backing of Rome. It is the site of 1 of the 7 churches of Revelations and it has 1 Roman building, the Temple to Trajan and Hadrian.

The Temple to Dionysus was built near the theatre, and the skene (stage )of the theatre was removable so that it would not block pilgrims going to there.

Above it was the Temple to Athena and the Library dedicated to her, the 2^nd largest in the ancient world after Alexandria. The 3 archways that hold up the theatre were used for storage by the Romans.

The Altar of Zeus is in Berlin but has a tree planted in its place to commemorate it. This was probably the saddest part of the visit just because there was nothing left of such a grand victory temple.

The Red Basilica is a secular building that went from being a temple to Isis and then to Athena in the 5^th Century BCE, to 1 of the 7 churches of Revelation in the 1^st Century AD, to a mosque in the 12 Century CE. . Despite St. Paul’s preaching, the Roman Cult was strong here and did not completely die out even after 300 AD. The marble bases are from Athena’s temple. The baptismal pool pointed to the east, suggesting pagan origins. While there we heard the call to prayer, which is done 5 times a day in Islam and 30 minutes before the actual prayer is to be done.

Cyndi then presented to us the Asklepion Healing Center founded by Archeus in the 4^th Century BC for all semi-ill people except for the dying and pregnant. We saw the monument with the 2 intertwined snakes, now the symbol for the medical profession. There was hydrohealing, psychological healing, and musical healing done at the site depending on the illness, though most were more mental than physical, and if any surgery was performed it was for the removal of foreign objects.  Terracota body part offerings were left in thanks. It could 250 people but the stadium held 3,500 in order get donations. This was another gorgeous site, especially the tunnels where water could be heard falling.

Location: Bergamon, Turkey