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Assos 52 pictures Assos is situated 100 km south of Canakkale, in the vicinity of Behram village. In the year of 1000 B.C. it was colonized by Aioloi, who had come from Lesbos. During its long existence it never played an important political role in history. Between 560-547 B.C. it was under the domination of Lydians, between 547-479 B.C. of Persians. After regaining its freedom, it joined to the Attica Sea League. Aristoteles came to Assos and stayed there in 348-345 B.C. and there he established his first philosophical school. In 334 B.C Alexander the Great delivered the city. It was annexed to the Roman Empire in 241 B.C. With the order of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius, the city was abandoned. City Gate City Walls The walls and the towers on the acropolis were built in the Hellenistic age, and were repaired later in the Byzantine and Turkish periods. The wall construction material of the Hellenistic age was the rustica - the stones were finely cut with a round surface, using no mortar in between the stones. Temple of Athena At the peak of the acropolis (289 meters high) facing the deep blue sea, a temple of Doric order was built in 530 B.C. which was dedicated to Athena, the goddess of the Fortress. The Doric columns are resting on the stylobate without column bases and one of these columns is still carrying its capital . Above the capitals there used to be an architrave with a frieze. This type of architrave with a frieze is seen only in Assos. View from the Acropolis Theater The theater is below the agora and facing the sea, it was built in the 3^rd century B.C. and altered in Roman times. The orchestra is horseshoe-shaped, as was customary in theaters of the Greek period. The theater is very similar to those in Ephesus, Miletos, and Teos. The theaters of the ancient times were built in a " leading to the hill, looking to the plain" style, and usually built on the slopes of a hill. This is a result of a culture which is mingled with nature. Back to Turkey Index