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Nemrut: Throne of the Gods
A magnificent historical site located on the eastern Taurus mountain range and the 8th Wonder of the World bearing the most valuable monuments of the Kingdom of Commagene. The Nemrut is a mountain of the Taurus Range, in Adiyaman. Mount Nemrut National Park is a mountain measuring 2150 meters in height and the surface area is 13.850 hectares. It is located near the Kahta village in the province of Adiyaman. From a height of 2150 metres it dominates the entire landscape. From whatever side you approach it, its distinctive peak can be seen. The mountain is only accessible during the summer months. The rest of the year it is covered by snow and ice.
Mount Nemrut (2552m) is located in southeastern Turkey, 87 km from Adıyaman, and is part of the Taurus Mountain range, above the Euphrates River valley. It is the site of extensive ruins of the tomb of Antiochos I (69-36 BC) of the Commagene Kingdom (163 BC – 72 AD).
It is believed that the Seleucid Empire (312 BC- 63 BC) gained control of Commagene during the reign of the late 3rd-early 2nd century BC Seleucid king, Antiochus III the Great. This control lasted until c. 163 BC, when the local satrap, Ptolemaeus of Commagene, established himself as independent ruler following the death of the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The Kingdom of Commagene maintained its independence until 17 AD, when it was made a Roman province by the Emperor Tiberius. Mithridates I. brought together Persians and Macedonians and other communities in the area to form the powerful state. After Mithridates I, Antiochos I (69-36 B.C.) became the king of Conmmagene and developed his kingdom as a strategic crossroad on the important trade routes between Syria, Mesopotamia and Rome. The kingdom was at the height of its splendor during his time.
NEMRUT
The colossal stone heads at the top of 2150 meters high Mount Nemrut National Park are one of Turkey’s most famous sites. The statues of Greek and Persian gods were thirty-three foot tall and formed part of the tomb and temple complex built by Antiochus I ( 69–34 B.C BC), who reigned over the Commagene kingdom. In addition, it is also the site of tumulus of Antioch, Eskikale (Arsameia), Yenikale (New Castle), Karakus Tepe (Peak), and Cendere Bridge.
The sanctuary at the top of Mount Nemrut was built by Antiochos I for himself as a funerary monument. It is a conical shaped tumulus with a height of 50m and 150m diameter and made up of 50,000 cubic meters of gravel. There were three terraces in the sanctuary on the East, North and West sides. The remains of the sculptures, which once decorated all three, give some idea of the size and grandeur of Antiochus’ magnificent structure. Colossal heads of Apollo, Zeus, Hercules, and Antiochos I and several Greek and Persian gods surround the structure. The complex also includes a cave cistern, some reliefs and ruins of columns. The Commagene have been described as a semi-Iranian people that practiced the Zoroastrian faith and worshiped gods with combined Eastern and Western names like Zeus-Orimasdes and Apollo-Mithras.
The site was rediscovered in 1881 by Karl Sester, a German Archaeologist. In 1883, the site was visited by Osman Hamdi Bey, who was the founder and director of Istanbul Archaeological Museum. In 1984, German archaeologists, under the direction of Friedrich Karl Dörner of the University of Münster, began to survey and restore the monuments. The burial chamber of Antiochus has not yet been found.
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