DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0337
319
CHAP. XXIV.
KNIGHTS OF THE PAST AND HEROES OF THE PRESENT.
TIE had written by the steamer of the previous fort-
7 X night to engage horses to be ready for us on land-
ing at Mersina, and the English Consul obligingly sent a
boat and kawass to bring us on shore early in the morn-
ing, as we were anxious to occupy the time of the
steamer's stay at Mersina in visiting the fine ruins of
Pompeiopolis or Soli — now called Mezetlu ; it is about
five miles from the town, the ride passing near the sea-
shore, along a plain densely covered with thickets of
myrtle, and a few oleanders : two streams are crossed,
both pleasantly shaded by trees.
Soli was peopled by a colony from Ehodes, and is
mentioned by Strabo as a city of renown: it was de-
stroyed by Tigranes, king of Armenia, and re-built by
Pompey, who gave it his own name. The port was
enclosed by two fine jetties with circular ends, con-
structed of large stones, secured by iron clamps, and
filled in with rubble—much of these still remain,
but at the time of our visit a Turksh boat was loading
with the stones at the end of each jetty, to use in some
other building ■— and perhaps by this time both have
disappeared. Opposite the harbour, at a short distance
from the shore, there once stood a noble portico, at the
commencement of an avenue of 200 columns which
led up to a temple further inland: forty of these
CHAP. XXIV.
KNIGHTS OF THE PAST AND HEROES OF THE PRESENT.
TIE had written by the steamer of the previous fort-
7 X night to engage horses to be ready for us on land-
ing at Mersina, and the English Consul obligingly sent a
boat and kawass to bring us on shore early in the morn-
ing, as we were anxious to occupy the time of the
steamer's stay at Mersina in visiting the fine ruins of
Pompeiopolis or Soli — now called Mezetlu ; it is about
five miles from the town, the ride passing near the sea-
shore, along a plain densely covered with thickets of
myrtle, and a few oleanders : two streams are crossed,
both pleasantly shaded by trees.
Soli was peopled by a colony from Ehodes, and is
mentioned by Strabo as a city of renown: it was de-
stroyed by Tigranes, king of Armenia, and re-built by
Pompey, who gave it his own name. The port was
enclosed by two fine jetties with circular ends, con-
structed of large stones, secured by iron clamps, and
filled in with rubble—much of these still remain,
but at the time of our visit a Turksh boat was loading
with the stones at the end of each jetty, to use in some
other building ■— and perhaps by this time both have
disappeared. Opposite the harbour, at a short distance
from the shore, there once stood a noble portico, at the
commencement of an avenue of 200 columns which
led up to a temple further inland: forty of these