Pergamum / Izmir / Turkey | The settlement and ancient remains of Pergamum are situated upon a natural, rocky hill and in the valley, 8 m to the southeast of the Bay of Candýrlý, between Kaikos/Bakýr Creek, Cetius/Kestel Creek and Selinus/Pergamum Creek. According to the archeological finds revealed as a result of the excavations carried out on site, it is presumed that the area was established as "Pergauma" meaning "the high castle city of the great mother" by the Etruscans/Luwis. In ancient Lydia this name was subsequently changed into Pergamum. It became populous with the influx of the Mysians, of the Nordic tribes, and those returning from the Trojan War. Later on, Lydians, Persians and Macedonians took control over the city.  Following the Macedonian era Philetaiors established the Kingdom of Pergamum and extended it up to the shores of the Marmara Sea in the north and the Aegean coasts in the west. In 263 B.C. it suffered the invasion of Galatians, of the neighbouring tribes during the reign of Attala/Attalos I who ruled subsequently it became expanded as a result of the close ties and trading with Rome and was brought under the jurisdiction of Rome by way of inheritance in accordance with the Peace Treaty of Apemeia in 133 B.C. Temples were constructed and the theatre and stadion were enlarged in the city during the Roman era. During the Byzantine rule, on the other hand, one of the first 7 churches of Christianity was built in Pergamum which became the seat of bishopric. The area came under the Turkish rule with the Turkoman Karisiođullarý in 1306. The road coming down from the Bay of Çandarlý was called the "King\'s Way" in the antique era. The first antique work catching the eye on the Acropolis Hill is the "Herreons" built of andesite in front of the city walls. On top of these the remains of adjacent shops lined along are visible. When entering through the eastern acropolis walls one proceeds to the level area, the remains of palaces and houses become notable. The first one of them is the palaces of Eumenes II and Attalos II, built of peristyle plan. There were barracks and military magazines located behind them. There were barracks and military magazines located behind them. Built oppesite the magazines is the Temple of Trajan surrounded on thee sides by columns of white marble 18 m higt, with Corinthian capitals of 6x9, rising on a terraced floor measuring 60x70 m which was built in 117 A.D. To the south of the temple visible are the remains of the two-storeyed Pergamum Library known to have contained a library, reading halls and 200 thousand rolls of books of which the ground floor opens into Athena Temeno. These books were presented by Marcus Antonius to Cleopatra. Built to the south of the acropolis is the Temple of Athena with Doric columns of 6x10, measuring 13x22, msurrounded on three sides by two-storeyed on stoas in the Doric order. Located to the south of the temple with the statue of Athena on proplaeum is a two-winged stoa. Next to the Temple of Athena there was the famed Zeus Altar encircling, on theree sides, the reliefs depicting scenes of a battle measuring 2.5 m high and 1.020 m long, rising up on a pedestal of 5 steps, and of which only the basic traces of the podium are visible. The reliefs of the altar, the "U" plan stoa and the friezes which were smuggled to the Berlin Museum are today being exhibited in the Berlin Museum. In the south of the altar are the Agora Altar and Agora Remple surrounded by stoas of the Doric style all around. A little further down is a second Agora visble. There are the remains of three gymnasiums in the space between the two agoras, with a Heracles Temple of prostylos plan built in the Corinthian order located next to the gymnasium in the center. There are the remains of a fountain in the south of the temple. Adjacent to the third gymnasium stand the remains of a bathhouse and an auditorium with a seating capacity of one thousand where the special chamber meetings were held during the Roman era. Adjoining the bathhouse is the temple of Aesculapius of prostylos plan built of lonian order in the 2nd century B.C. in which there was a hall where meetings relating to Dionysus were held. To the west of the temple are an exedra and a small stoa.  Immediately adjacent are the remains of the Temple of Hera visible which was Doric order at the time of Attalos II. The remains to the west of the Temple of Hera are presumably of prytaneion. Situated at the northwest of this is the "temeno of demeter" of 10 steps, measuring 50x100 m, having two columns with palm capitals, accessed through a propylaeum. The temple of antis plan, ordered to be built by Apollonis, the wife of Attalos I, houses a fonutain, a water well and 4 altars inside and on its architraves there are bulls heads between garlands. the area with Temenos was subsequently expanded and with the addition of steps, the participation of 800 thousand seated peaple in the mass ensured. Built over the western slope where the temple is located there is the Theatre of Pergamum, which is the steepest theatre in the world, having the shape of an open fan and a special position with its commanding view. The theatre which was built in the 3rd century B.c. was restored during the Roman era with its polygonal technical and side supporting walls. The theatre consist of three sections with 80 caveas and a seating capacity of 10.000. Its stage building is made of wood. In the first cavea in frond of the orchestra is the Royal Boox. The tower situated at the place of the uppermost cavea was made for watch purposes and through a passgeway from here there is an exit into the Temple of Athena. Erected on the terrace where the stage building stands are stoas parallel to each other and the Temple of Dionysus, measuring 12x12 m, climbed through a staircase of 25 steps. A large part of the temple is in the Berlin Museum today. Down the acropolis, within the settlement, is the Temple of Seraphis, known as the red basilica, measuring 260x100 m which was turned into a church during the Byzantine era. Towards the direction of the city overlooking the sea are the Sacred Temple of Aesculapius and Asclepieum, where the physiotherapy and health sancuary as well as the structural complexes are located. Aesculapius is the mythological god of health. In his honour a treatment sanctuary was built during the antique era which was embellished with the statues of the various gods and emperors. In the sanctuary with meeting halls, lavatories, sacred courtyard and a theatre with a seating capacity of 3500 the augurs had the patients pass the first night in the sacred tunnel and started a treatment according to the dreams they had. Sick people were being treated and relieved through a pool where the Sacred Spring water was drung and mud baths were taken, the sleeping tunnels and the sound of the water running from the fountains. The works uncovered in the area are on exhibition in the Museum of Pergamon in the city centre.
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