View source for Assos

{{short description|Town in Turkey}}
{{for|the village on the Ionian island Cephalonia|Asos}}
{{Infobox ancient site
  |name = Assos
  |native_name = Ἄσσος<br/>Behramkale
  |alternate_name = 
  |image = Assos-Tempel.jpg
  |alt = 
  |caption = Ruins of the Temple of [[Athena]] in Assos
  |map_type = Turkey Marmara#Turkey
  |map_alt = 
  |map_size = 285
  |coordinates = {{coord|39|29|16|N|26|20|13|E|display=inline,title}}
  |location = [[Ayvacık, Çanakkale|Ayvacık]], [[Çanakkale Province]], [[Turkey]]
  |region = [[Troad]]
  |type = Settlement
  |part_of = 
  |length = 
  |width = 
  |area = 
  |height = 
  |builder = Colonists from [[Mithymna]]
  |material = 
  |built = 10th century BC
  |abandoned = 
  |epochs = <!-- actually displays as "Periods" -->
  |cultures = 
  |dependency_of = 
  |occupants = [[Aristotle]]
  |event = 
  |excavations = 
  |archaeologists = 
  |condition = 
  |ownership = 
  |management = 
  |public_access = 
  |website = [http://www.muze.gov.tr/assos-en Assos Archaeological Site]
  |notes = 
}}
{{commons category}}
[[File:RE map Assos1.png|thumb|Map of Assos]]

'''Assos''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|s|ɒ|s}}; {{langx|grc|Ἄσσος}}, {{langx|la|Assus}}) was an [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] city near today's '''Behramkale'''  ({{IPA|tr|behˈɾamkale|pron}}) or '''Behram''' for short, which most people still call by its ancient name of Assos. It is located on the [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] coast in the [[Ayvacık, Çanakkale|Ayvacık]] district of [[Çanakkale Province|Çanakkale province]], [[Turkey]]. It is on the southern side of [[Troad|Biga Peninsula]] (better known by its ancient name of the [[Troad]]). Assos sits on the coast of the Adramyttian Gulf (Turkish: [[Edremit (District), Balıkesir|Edremit]] Körfezi<ref name="EB790">[https://books.google.com/books?id=vPktAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA790&dq=assus&ei=7spJR_H_Ep_a7ALb09T1Bg Eleventh edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica], p. 790.</ref>) and used to offer the only good harbour along the {{convert|80|km|mi}} of coast which made it very important for shipping in the Troad.<ref name="EB790" />

During [[Pliny the Elder]]'s lifetime (1st century AD), the city was also known as '''Apollonia''' (Ἀπολλωνία).<ref>{{Cite Pliny|5.32}}</ref>

Assos' most famous resident was the Greek philosopher [[Aristotle]]. Assos is also the birthplace of [[Cleanthes]], who later was to succeed [[Zeno of Citium]] as head of the [[Stoicism|Stoic]] school of philosophy. The [[Acts of the Apostles]]<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts|20:13-14|KJV}}</ref> also refers to visits to the city by [[Luke the Evangelist]] and [[Paul the Apostle]].<ref>[http://www.stpaulsroutes.com/2010/05/from-troas-to-assos.html St. Paul's Routes: From Troas to Assos] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324141329/http://www.stpaulsroutes.com/2010/05/from-troas-to-assos.html |date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref>

Today, Assos is a holiday retreat amid ancient ruins. In 2017 it was inscribed on the [[UNESCO]] [[List of World Heritage Sites in Turkey (Tentative list)|Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Archaeological Site of Assos |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6242/ |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=UNESCO |access-date=4 June 2018}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Assos Tuerkei Mrz2005.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Temple of [[Athena]] in Assos, overlooking the Aegean]]
[[File:Theatre@Assos(Turkey), April '09.JPG|thumb|300px|Ancient theatre of Assos overlooking the Aegean, with the island of [[Lesbos]] on the horizon to the right]]
[[File:Assos2.jpg|thumb|City walls]]

The city was founded from 1000 to 900&nbsp;BC by [[Aeolians|Aeolian]] colonists from [[Lesbos]], who are said to have come from [[Methymna]].{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} The settlers built a Doric Temple to [[Athena]] on top of the dominant crag in 530&nbsp;BC.<ref name=points>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070505173837/http://www.pointsfromturkey.com/assos.html Points from Turkey]}}</ref> From this temple [[Hermias of Atarneus]], a student of [[Plato]], ruled Assos, the [[Troad]] and Lesbos during the town's greatest period of prosperity. (Strangely, Hermias was actually the slave of the ruler of Atarneus.<ref name="EB790-Quote">[https://books.google.com/books?id=vPktAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA790&dq=assus&ei=7spJR_H_Ep_a7ALb09T1Bg Eleventh editition of the Encyclopædia Britannica] p790</ref>) Hermias encouraged philosophers to move to the city and one of those who answered the call was Aristotle, who came here in 348&nbsp;BC and married Hermeias's niece, Pythia. Aristotle founded an Academy in Assos where he became chief amongst a group of philosophers, and together with them, made innovative observations on [[zoology]] and [[biology]].<ref name="AncientGreece">[http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/People/Aristotle/ Ancient Greece: Aristotle]</ref> Assos' 'golden period' ended several years later when the [[Persian Empire|Persians]] arrived and tortured Hermias to death. Aristotle then fled to [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedonia]], which was ruled by his friend King [[Philip II of Macedon]]<ref name="AncientGreece" />  and where he became tutor to Philip's son, [[Alexander the Great]].<ref name="AncientGreece" />  A modern statue of Aristotle greets visitors at the entrance to Assos.<ref name="Tucker 2012 17–18">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Jack |title=Innocents Return Abroad: Exploring Ancient Sites in Western Turkey |year=2012 |isbn=9781478343585 |pages=17–18|publisher=Jack Tucker }}</ref>

The Persians were driven out by [[Alexander the Great]] in 334&nbsp;BC. Not long afterwards Assos became the birthplace of [[Cleanthes]], who later succeeded [[Zeno of Citium]] as head of the [[Stoicism|Stoic]] school of philosophy in [[Athens]]. Between 241 and 133&nbsp;BC, the city was ruled by the Kings of [[Pergamon]]. However, in 133&nbsp;BC, the Pergamons lost control of the city and it was absorbed into the Roman empire.<ref name="EB790"/>

According to Christian tradition, [[Paul the Apostle|St. Paul]] visited the city during his third missionary journey (53-57&nbsp;AD) through Asia Minor on his way to [[Mytilene]] on the island of [[Lesbos]]. [[Acts 20]] records that Luke the Evangelist and his companions ('we') "went ahead to the ship and sailed [from [[Alexandria Troas|Troas]]] to Assos, there intending to take Paul on board ... and when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene".<ref>{{bibleverse||Acts|20:13-14|NKJV}}</ref>

From this period onwards, Assos shrunk to the small village it has remained ever since. From the Middle Ages the only relics are the '''Hüdavendigar Mosque and Bridge''' dating back to the second half of the 14th century.<ref name="ASSOS BEHRAMKALE">{{Cite web |title=ASSOS (BEHRAMKALE) |url=http://www.turkeyfromtheinside.com/places-to-go/a/109-assos.html |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=www.turkeyfromtheinside.com}}</ref> The mosque is on the hilltop near the ruined temple while the bridge is off the road to [[Ayvacık, Çanakkale|Ayvacık]].

=== Modern archaeological discoveries ===

The ruins of ancient Assos continue to be excavated.<ref name="points" /> In 2018, archaeologists discovered an undamaged [[Hellinistic|Hellenistic]] family grave with the name "Aristios" written on its cover. The grave contained the remains of a family of twenty-one. One of the family members was buried, while the remaining twenty were cremated and their ashes placed inside [[urn]]-like vases. The lids had been sealed with cement to prevent any foreign substance getting inside the urns.<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/photo-family-grave-of-2-000-years-discovered-in-turkeys-northwest-137658 Family grave of 2,000 years discovered in Turkey's northwest]</ref> In 2018, archaeologists also discovered many [[strigils]], some of them iron, but most of them bronze.<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/photo-2-000-year-old-athletes-tools-unearthed-in-turkeys-assos-138414#photo-5 2,000-year-old athletes' tools unearthed in Turkey's Assos]</ref>

Archaeologists also uncovered a 2,200-year-old [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic]] lion sculpture and a 1,500-year-old stone oven dating to the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine period]]. The sculpture was unearthed from a structure used as an inn at that time, and one of the Byzantine period findings contained a cooking stove with three pots.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lion statue of Hellenistic period found |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/lion-statue-of-hellenistic-period-found-146742 |access-date=2019-10-30 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |date=20 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lion statue of Hellenistic period unveiled in Turkeys Çanakkale - Sayfa 8 - Galeri - Life - 30 Ekim 2019 Çarşamba |url=http://www.anews.com.tr/gallery/life/lion-statue-of-hellenistic-period-unveiled-in-turkeys-canakkale |access-date=2019-10-30 |website=www.anews.com.tr |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Val |first1=Daniel |last2=Archaeology |first2=ovski · in |date=2019-09-20 |title=2nd Century BC Lion Statue from Hellenistic Era, Byzantine Oven Found in Ancient Assos in Turkey |url=http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2019/09/20/2nd-century-bc-lion-statue-from-hellenistic-era-byzantine-oven-found-in-ancient-assos-in-turkey/ |access-date=2019-10-30 |website=Archaeology in Bulgaria |language=en}}</ref>

The pillars from the ancient port lay in the harbour for over a millennia. Eventually they were probably sold.

== Attractions ==

On the [[acropolis]] 238&nbsp;m above sea level stand the remains of the only [[Doric order]] temple in Asia Minor, which was dedicated to Athena and dates to 530&nbsp;BC. Six of the original 38 [[column]]s remain. In the early 1900s sculptures of the Temple of Athena were moved to museums including the [[Louvre]].<ref name="EB790" />

The view from the temple extends to nearby [[Lesbos]] in the south, to [[Pergamum]] in the southeast and to [[Mount Ida (Turkey)|Mount Ida]] in the east. To the northwest, two massive Hellenic columns still mark the entrance to the city.<ref name="EB790" />

West of the acropolis stands the well preserved 4th century BC [[city wall]] and main gate with {{convert|14|m|ft|adj=mid|-high|sp=us}} towers. An ancient paved road leads northeast through the gate to the ruins of a large 2nd-century BC [[gymnasium (ancient Greece)|gymnasium]], a 2nd-century BC [[agora]] and a [[bouleuterion]]. Further south toward the seashore is a 3rd-century BC [[list of ancient Greek theatres|theatre]] built for 5,000 spectators.<ref name="Tucker 2012 17–18" /> Also on the hillside are the remains of a cemetery full of broken sarcophagi which were "able to eat flesh", according to Pliny, hence their name.<ref name="ASSOS BEHRAMKALE"/>

Lower Assos has a small pebbly beach. Although the narrow road to İskele, the ex-fishing harbour, is steep and with sheer drops, a constant stream of cars and minibuses passes up and down it from dawn to dusk.

[[File:Banquet Assos Louvre Ma2829.jpg|thumb|800px|center|{{center|Architrave from the Temple of Athena; banquet scene showing Herakles ([[Musée du Louvre|Louvre Museum]])}}]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*Nurettin Arslan - Beate Böhlendorf-Arslan, Living in the Rocks Assos an Archaeological Guide, Istanbul 2010. {{ISBN|978-9944-483-30-8}}.
*Haiko Türk: ''Die Mauer als Spiegel der Stadt''. Neue Forschungen zu den Befestigungsanlagen in Assos, in: A. Kuhrmann - L. Schmidt (Ed.), Forschen, Bauen & Erhalten. Jahrbuch 2009/2010 (Berlin/Bonn 2009) p.&nbsp;30-41, {{ISBN|978-3-939721-17-8}}.
*{{cite journal |last1=Stupperich |first1=Reinhard |title=Beobachtungen zu Gräbern und Grabsitten in der Nekropole von Assos |journal=Laverna |date=1994 |volume=5 |pages=56–86}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Assos}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131020160951/http://www.muze.gov.tr/assos-en Official website]

{{Third Journey of Paul of Tarsus}}
{{Former settlements in Turkey}}
{{Tentative list of World Heritage Sites in Turkey}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Aeolian colonies]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Turkey]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Çanakkale Province]]
[[Category:History of Çanakkale Province]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Çanakkale Province]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Turkey]]
[[Category:Fishing communities in Turkey]]
[[Category:Geography of Çanakkale Province]]
[[Category:Greek city-states]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Mysia]]
[[Category:Populated places in ancient Troad]]
[[Category:New Testament places]]
[[Category:World Heritage Tentative List for Turkey]]