Sanctuary of Athena at Assos

The Sanctuary of Athena at Assos
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Assos History

It is not known exactly who first settled in Assos. What is known is that the city was settled, and has been inhabited, since the Early Bronze Age.

Homer wrote that the people who lived on the southern shores of the Troad were Lelegians and that they made their living as seamen and pirates during the years of the Trojan wars. Strabo also confirms this information and points out that the Lelegians' homeland ranged from Lekton (Baba Burnu) to Mount Ida (Kaz Dagi) and that it included the neighboring territory of Assos. It also claimed that the oldest name of the city was Pedasos and the name Assos was derived from it.

It is written in the Iliad that Elastos, who was killed by Agamemnon, lived in steep Pedasos on the shore of the Satnioeis and that the Lelegian king Altes (his daughter Laothe, whom he gave to Priam with a large dowry, gave birth to Lykaon and Polydoros), who was the father in law of Priam, king of Troy, also dwelt high up in Pedasos. The geographical descriptions of Pedasos conforms to Assos but is the name Assos a later derivation of Pedasos? In Homer's epic although a lot of settlements in Troad are named, the name of Assos is not mentioned. This suggests that the city must have assumed the name Assos during a later century.

The southern Troad where the Mysians of Thrace settled, first became the settlement of the Aiolians, who came through Lesbos in the 7th century BCE. According to Strabo, who informs us after Mysilas and Hellanicos, the Methymnian immigrants from Lesbos, settled in Assos in the meantime. After this date Assos established a satellite community at Gargara, a place some 20 km to the east. But Strabo, referring to Demetrios of Skepsis, says that the people of Gargara were semi-barbarians and different from the people of Assos.

Assos was the most powerful and the most important city on the northern shores of the Gulf of Edremit when it was captured by the Lydians in ca. 560 BCE. It is said that the wealth of Gyges, Alyattes and Kroisos came partly from the rich mineral beds between Atarneos and Pergamon, which were within the sphere of influence of Assos. Strabo also mentions some excavated masses of land where these minerals beds were, a defunct mine and a deserted mining city.

During the Persian hegemony in Western Anatolia (after 546 BCE), the city remained within the borders of the Persian satrapy. Thus, the only power to which both the city of Assos and the Troad had been subject to, changed. The Aegean cities had to wait for Alexander, the king of Macedonia, to gain their full independence. Although they had become semiautonomous when the Persians withdrew from the Aegean as a results of their defeat on the naval battles at Salamis, Plataia and Mykale by the Hellenes.

The increasing power of Athens in both leadership and formation of the Delian confederacy in the 5th century BCE provided opportunities for the northwest city-states and especially the coastal cities to participate in the confederacy which was formed in 478 BCE. Assos, along with other cities such as Phokaea (Foça), Samos, Teos (Seferihisar), Pitane, Miletos and Lesbos in the Ionic-Aeolic region, participated in this confederacy as founding members. Its annual tax payment was one talent.

Assos City

The city was founded on the top of a conical hill and in the area skirting this precipitous, rocky peak.

Acropolis from South
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The hill, which is 236 meters above sea-level, is surrounded by the strong city walls, 3200m in length are vulnerable only in the south around the cliffs looking down into the sea. In the east, they stretch south to the cliffs and are separated by a valley. Along the city wall forming the northern border of the West Necropolis, the rows of walls, one within another, that were built with different techniques and have differing appearances, can be seen.

Acropolis from West
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The wall, built with multi-edged (polygonal) stones without using clamps and mortar is the oldest one and was built in the 6th century BCE. One can see pieces of this same polygonal wall in several other buildings.

The western wall of the city has six gates, one of which is the main gate. In fact, there were two main gates. One is in the west and the other is the East Gate which has double towers. In comparison with the West Gate, this one is in worse condition.

Assos map
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The ancient city developed on this rocky sub-structure which was surrounded by walls on the southern part of the hill looking down to the sea. This part of the hill was used as a quarry to obtain stone necessary for the buildings which were placed on this man-made terraces. After entering the city through the gate facing northwest, the road curves like a bow just as the inclination of the hill does and the buildings were originally situated on the terraces parallel to this road. For this reason, instead of a grid-plan, a plan in the shape of concentric bows, harmonious with the topography, is observed. The roads which runs like bows are connected from place to place with stairs which were built perpendicular to them.

Beginning from the West Gate, buildings such as the gymnasium, the bouleuterion (council house), the baths and the theater were erected and thus the city center was formed having gathered the buildings for social and public purposes with a multi-purposed structure like the agora. The area between the bow of the gymnasium, the agora, the bouleuterion and the acropolis was not used very often.

As for the habitation area of the city, it was on the southern and eastern slopes, and was developed in terraces. With this formation, the city gained an original appearance in terms of urban landscape. We can easily imagine Assos with its magnificent buildings placed on the terraces on the rocky slopes. This must have been impressive in Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Assos has two necropolis. The first and the main one, is the West Necropolis, on the terraces of the paved road which leads to the West Gate. The other one is the East Necropolis, in front of the East Gate. The West Necropolis was expanded on later times and extended towards the skirts of Ayazma hill on the west. On the other hand a part of the intramural area which did not face the sea, to the north of the acropolis, was rather used as a quarry to obtain construction material and not occupied perhaps until the last century.

Athena, daughter of mighty Zeus and Goddess of fine arts and war, was the protector of Assos. She was also worshipped all along the northern Aegean coast. Several Ionic and Aeolic cities built Temples dedicated to her. The most well known Temples of Athena were located in ancient Smyrna (Izmir), Phokaia (Foça) and Troy.

Along with Athena, Hermes was also worshipped as protector of the gymnasium, the God of travelers and thieves and the guide of the deceased to Hades. Tykhe, Telesphoros and Asklepios, the God of health were also worshipped in the Roman period. The attributes of Zeus, the thunderbolt and bull heads, were depicted on the coins of Assos.

Assos minted coins as an independent city-state. But, according to our present knowledge, the oldest coins of Assos do not go back earlier than the 6th century BCE. There are some coins, with Athena's helmeted head on one side and a griffin on the other. Sometimes an owl, one attribute of Athena, was also represented in her place. Motifs such as a bull head, the head of Medusa, a lion head, a bunch of grapes and a swan were also minted on the coins.

Athena of Assos
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The Sanctuary of Athena

In ancient times, travelers who approached Assos from Lecton and Polimedion to the west or from the direction of Gargara and Antandros to the east saw the silhouette of a building, raising towards the blue sky, on a rocky hill behind which there was the sea. At the same time, this building with its sharp-lined Doric columns was a symbol for sailors who knew it very well and who could perceive it from a long distance while they were approaching the city by sea. This was a Temple dedicated to the Goddess who protected the city.

Temple of Athena at Assos
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In the beginning the people of Assos gave priority to two points while they were developing the city in the 6th century BCE. At first, they built strong city walls and then erected a Temple for their Goddess, who looked down upon these walls taking the city under her protective aegis.

The ground of the acropolis was leveled to build the Temple with local stone from Assos and the building was oriented in the northwest-southeast axis. Its entry, in compliance with a tradition in Anatolia, faced east.

When the people of Assos built the Temple they were unaware they accomplished a very original deed even for later centuries. Their only wish was to please their Goddess with the aim of being under her protection. But the building is also significant to the history of architecture. First, it is the first and unique specimen of archaic doric architecture in Anatolia. Besides, it is the only example where the Doric architectural style was mixed with the Ionian architectural elements of the frieze relief and of some ornamentations. With these features the Temple has gained an original place in the history of architecture in Anatolia.

Entablature reconstruction
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The Temple consists of an inner room with a rectangular plan and a row of columns encircling it outside. An Altar in the east, which was a tradition in old Hellenic Temples, has not been found yet. In fact, there must have been one; because the Temple is the home of the Goddess according to the Hellenic religion. There had to be one object or a sculpture that represented the Goddess at this home. A sacred fire burning in a three-legged stand (tripod) was there. Gifts offered to the Goddess were kept there and with the exception of priests and priestesses, no one was allowed to enter the Temple. Worship was fulfilled outside, they poured a sacred drink to the Goddess (libation), offered a sacrifice, sang hymns. This Altar was perhaps destroyed in the Byzantine era.

Shrine plan
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The Temple rests on a two stepped foundation. This two stepped height takes the shape of a podium at the west end. The steps are 28cm height and a polygonal design in the from of a relief was elaborately made on the vertical parts of the steps.

The step where the columns of the building rested (stylobate) measures 30.31x14.3m. This inner structure consists of an ante-chamber (pronaos) and a sacred chamber (naos). The inner width of the ante-chamber is 6.65m. and its depth is 3.30m. There are two columns (in antis) between the walls (antee) at the entry. These columns are 91 cm in diameter and are Doric with 18 flutes. The entrance to the naos is through a door 1.65m. width. Perhaps this door had two folds. A mosaic decorated with zigzags and a meander motif made with black and white marble pieces was unearthed on the floor of the naos. The sacred chamber, where the cult statue of the Goddess stood on a base, was cleaned in 1881. The mosaic was made by placing stones into thin mortar. Unfortunately the mosaic is not in its original place today.

Inside the Temple from SE
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Today, a tracing of the naos wall, 66cm thick, drawn on the floor, can be seen. The wall stones were displaced and reused in other buildings at an unknown date.

Six columns on the short sides and 13 columns on the long sides surround the building externally forming a row. There are 34 columns in total. Today, 32 capitals have been found in good conditions. The others, brought back from the harbor and the village, from slopes and the walls of other buildings, have been collected in the Temple area. Most of the columns were broken and taken away. The ones that could be found in the vicinity have been used in the restoration of the Temple. The columns are 4.30m height without capitals, with capitals they reach 4.78m. The height of the columns is 1/3 of the width of the stylobate. The height of the drums, forming the shafts, varies between 60-140cm. The diameter of the bottom drum is 91cm and the one at the top, (i.e. under the capital) is 64cm. They have 16 flutes. The sharp edge between two flutes (arris) is perpendicular to the edge of the stylobate. Intercolumnar span, from one center to another is 2.61m on the narrow sides and 2.45m on the long sides. The space between the row of columns and the wall of the naos (pteroma) is quite wide (3.03m).

Although the cover moldings of the capitals (echinus) are all low and flat, dating from the 6th century BCE, each column has a different profile. This fact indicates that different hands were involved in the building phase of the Temple. As is seen in nearly all the Doric buildings, necking rings (annolets) under the capitals were probably painted. Traces of paint found support this idea.

An epistyle (architrave) exists as a toothing and supporting constructional element above the capitals. The architrave blocks, which vary between 2.40m and 2.60m, were then joined to one another by clamps at the central points of the capitals. The surfaces of the architrave, on the two narrow sides, are ornamented with relief sculptures. In the middle of both sides two sphinxes facing each other are in the center of the composition. After this central motif, in the left corner, Hercules shooting a Centaur with his arrows and the Centaur running away, were depicted. On the right side, horsemen and worshipping figures and in the corner, Hercules fighting with a triton are seen. On the other sides, lions attacking a deer and a banquet scene (symposion) were represented. Among the findings there are architrave blocks without any relief which indicates that the upper structure was completely encircled by a frieze.

Frieze with banquet
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Among the subjects depicted on the friezes, the most emphasized relates to the myth of the centaur. According to the myth, Hercules comes to a cave on Pholos Mountain while he is chasing the Erymanthian boar. The mountain takes its name from a centaur, Pholos, who lives in the cave. The centaurs, being half-man and half-horse, are quarrelsome creatures but Pholos approaches Hercules with sympathy and offers him some roast meat. A jar of wine had been sent to Pholos, son of Silenus, by Dionysos, the God of wine, with the warning not to open it until Hercules came. Pholos opens it in honor of his guest. Although the wine is good and has a fine aroma, when the smell spreads and the other centaurs are stimulated by it, they go mad. They attack Hercules with sticks and stones. Hercules, at first chasing them with burning wood, disperses them. He then shoot his arrows at them. Nephele, the mother of the centaurs (and the creator of clouds) causes a heavy rain to fall in which Hercules can no longer chase them or stand on his feet. Despite this, the most courageous of the centaurs dies and the others run away. This is the myth which has been symbolically depicted on the friezes.

Frieze with Hercules and the Centaurs
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Triglyphs are seen on the architrave as a typical element of the Doric order. One triglyph was placed above each column. Slabs (metopes) were placed between the triglyphs and both elements were united to each other. A boar, a centaur, two male figures facing each other, a sphinx, a horseman and competing athletes were depicted in the reliefs on the metopes. As Aeolic architectural elements, the crowns of the metopes were adorned with a motif in the form of a Lesbian leaf. There is neither a relief nor any other adornment on the triangular termination of the pitched roof (pediment) of the Temple. On the apex of the triangular pediment is an acroterium with spiral ornaments and on the lower angles are two acroters with the shape of sphinx or griffins.

Griffin reconstruction
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The roof was covered with dark brown painted tiles. Considering the sculptural work found, the building must have been completed around 525 BCE. Unfortunately, few sculptures have remained or survived. At first some of the reliefs were taken to the Louvre in 1838. Then an important part of the reliefs and the artifacts from minor excavations unearthed during the American operations in 1881, were transported to the Museum of Boston. The remains of the building are now undergoing restoration with pieces found in Turkish excavations, resumed in 1981.

Life-size model
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Clickable Plan
Clickable Plan of the Acropolis of Assos
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GALLERY

Assos map.

Clickable Plan of Athena Temple at Assos.
Assos Acropolis.


Assos Acropolis from South.
The Theater (bottom), the Agora (center) and the Acropolis (top) of Assos.


The Acropolis of Assos from West.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Reconstruction from North.

  • This is the rear side of the Temple. The door is on the other side.

Temple of Athena at Assos from North.

Temple of Athena at Assos from North.

Temple of Athena at Assos from North.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northwest.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northwest.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northwest.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northwest.

Temple of Athena at Assos from West.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Southwest.

Temple of Athena at Assos from South.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from South.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Reconstruction from Southeast.

  • This is the front side of the Temple.
  • The door can be seen between the columns.
  • Notice the frieze on top of the columns (Ionic order).
  • The metopes and the triglyphs (blue) are on top of the frieze (Doric order).
  • This Temple was the first ever where the two orders were used at the same time.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Reconstruction from Southeast.

  • This is the front side of the Temple.
  • The door can be seen between the columns.
  • Between the exterior colonnade and the door is the peristasis (peristyle) and the pronaos (antechamber).
  • Twin columns 'in antis' (rear left), between the extended side walls (rear center), support the porch creating the pronaos (antechamber).

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Reconstruction from Southeast.

  • Pediment with gargoyle (head of lion) and akroterion in the shape of a griffin.

Facade of Temple of Athena at Assos.
Left side of model.

  • Life-size reconstruction with found remains 'in situ'.
  • Notice the frieze and the metopes.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

Facade of Temple of Athena at Assos.
Central section of model.

  • Life-size reconstruction with found remains 'in situ'.
  • Notice the frieze and the metopes.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

Facade of Temple of Athena at Assos.
Right side of model.

  • Life-size reconstruction with found remains 'in situ'.
  • Notice the frieze and the metopes.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey .

Facade of Temple of Athena at Assos.
Model sign.

  • Location of found remains (rose) in the model.
  • Notice the frieze and the metopes.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Southeast.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from Southeast.
The cult statue of Athena was just here.


Temple of Athena at Assos from East.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from East.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from East.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.
Lesbos island to the far left.


Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.
Lesbos island at far center.


Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.

Inside the Temple of Athena at Assos from Northeast.
Lesbos island to the far left.


Temple of Athena at Assos.
Reconstruction of the entablature.

  • The frieze is on top of the columns (Ionic order).
  • The metopes and the triglyphs (blue) are on top of the frieze (Doric order).
  • This Temple was the first ever where the two orders were used at the same time.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Frieze with banquet, probably in honor of Hercules.

  • Part of the marble frieze brought to the Louvre in 1838 by Raoul Rochette.
  • Height: 82cm, Width: 2.9m.
  • Paris, Musée du Louvre, Ma 2829.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Frieze with Hercules and the Centaurs.

  • Part of the marble frieze where Hercules is shooting a Centaur with his arrows and the Centaurs are running away.
  • Photo date unknown: original Bryn Mawr College number: Cl 3075; new number: 876.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Metope with Europe on the bull.

  • Metope still on Assos area.
  • Photo by the Dutch school.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

Temple of Athena at Assos.
Metope with two runners to the right.

  • Metope still on Assos area.
  • Photo by the Dutch school.
  • Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Turkey.

Athena of Assos.
Helmeted head of Athena turned to the right. On the other side, griffin reclining left with wings spread.

  • Probably a reproduction of the head of the cult statue of Athena at Assos.
  • Bronze coin, Assos, Troas.

View from the Acropolis of Assos to the Southwest.
Lesbos island to the far left.


View from the Acropolis of Assos to the South.
The theater, facing the sea and the island of Lesbos was built into a natural rock cavity to the south of the city center.

  • According to the construction technique and the planning specifications, it is a late Hellenistic theater.
  • It is most probable that it was built in place of an older one.

View from the Acropolis of Assos to the Southeast.
Lesbos island to the far right.


View from the Acropolis of Assos to the Southeast.
Lesbos island to the far right.


Temple of Athena at Assos.
Sunset.


Tourist Information

Assos (Behramkale) is a less visited village for travelers to Turkey. The obvious reason is that the village is 2 hours off the regular tour paths passing through Pergamon and Troy. For this reason only those who are on private tours or traveling with a rental car can get to see this tiny place.

Taking the two hour road that winds around small hills on Edremit bay leads to Assos. Along the road you will see many cheap and beautiful camping places right by the sea, especially around Ayvacik (not Ayvalik, a more popular destination). There are also many hotels and motels in the area, usually serving weekend travelers from Istanbul and Bursa.

Assos has only just a few hotels and guesthouses since there is really no room for expansion as the steep rocky coastline will not allow it. The Temple on top of the hill is one of those places sunset is spectacular to watch over the Eagean sea.

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