The Paper's reporter Wang Yu reported comprehensively
Recently, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey announced that the authorities will begin to excavate the ancient port of Mersin in southern Turkey, Soli Pompeiopolis.
It is reported that Soli Pompepolis has a history of 1800 years, dating back to the second century AD, it is also one of the most important and largest ports in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The ancient port of Soli Pompepolis has a history of 1800 years. Wikipedia Figures
The excavation of the ancient port of Soli-Pompepolis was initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey and will be carried out under the guidance of Professor Remzi Yağcı, Head of the Department of Museums of the Faculty of Literature of the University of Dokuz Eylül University. The excavations are expected to last about two months. The first phase of excavations targets the breakwaters of the port, and the final phase of the project is expected to reveal the port's connection to Colonnade Street.
"It was once a large city, founded by the great Pompeii, and the port is an indicator of important economic activity. Although much of the area is still buried, it was one of the most active ports of the Roman Empire. The site has long been in our plans and now work has begun. Professor Remzi Yağcı said in an interview.
The excavation team is currently working on the western breakwater and can see an area with a length of 160 meters, the total visible length of the port is 320 meters, and the distance between the two breakwaters is 180 meters. Professor Remzi Yağcı stated that a survey of all Roman ports showed that the port of Soli-Pompepolis and the port of Italy were similar in proportion, and that the port of Soli-Pompepolis was characterized by a solid two-storey structure, and the statue at the entrance showed that it was indeed a magnificent port.
"The port was fully operational about two thousand years ago, and importantly, the port is connected to Colonnade Street. Since the area is filled with sand, almost three-quarters of the ports are now covered in sand. In this case, we want to first unveil the breakwater and show it to the public." Professor Remzi Yağcı said.
Archaeological excavations are still ongoing
According to historical records, Solly was a port city founded by the Hittites. Like other Anatolian cities, Saury was later ruled by the Persians, although at the time it was a relatively independent city with the right to issue its own currency. When Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 333 BC, the area was Hellenized. After Alexander's death, under the rule of his commander Seleucus, the city reached its peak. As the Greeks weakened, the city was attacked by pirates. In 67 BC, the Roman general Gnaeus Pompeii defeated the pirates and helped restore the city. From this moment on, the city was also known as Pompepolis in honor of this great leader.
However, nothing is eternal—in 525 AD, Pompepolis was completely destroyed by a powerful earthquake and never regained its former prosperity. Later, the region was conquered by multiple regimes and eventually ruled by the Ottoman Empire. In modern times, in 1968 the settlement was granted city rights and incorporated with the development of Mersin, and the ancient area of Soli-Pompepolis is now known as Viranşehir – literally "the city of ruins".
There are also exquisite reliefs and statues on the remaining stone pillars.
Although the once glorious harbor city no longer exists, fortunately, 41 stone pillars have remained on the main road to the port, standing for thousands of years. Of these, 33 have retained the top decoration, while the columns on the south side retain a pedestal on which statues of Roman emperors and dignitaries once stood. In July 2013, authorities had planned to build an archaeological park there to show visitors the city's past from the Neolithic to the Roman era.
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