DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4679#0187
1. THE COUNTRY. 161
The latter attained importance through the trade between Phrygia
and the Greeks of Miletos, and was nourishing at the middle of the
sixth century, when the bad Greek of the Phrygian traders furnished
a jest to Hipponax1. The road from Colossai to Sardis became still
more important when the Mermnad kings extended their power over
Phrygia: at that time it must have been one of the greatest routes
in Asia Minor. Boundaries and probably distances were marked by
inscribed stones on it (Herod. VII 31). The road from Colossai to
the coast forked from the great road at a point between Colossai and
the Maeander, somewhere in the territory of Hierapolis-Kydrara2, and
thereafter the road to Sardis crossed the Maeander, while that to
Miletos went by the temple of Men Karou and Karoura, keeping the
south bank of the Maeander all the way to Miletos. The channel of
the Lycos, though deep, is so narrow, that even a rude people could
throw a bridge of logs over it. The Maeander needs a bridge of
200 feet or more in length, if it is crossed on the direct line, but by
a very slight detour to the north fords practicable throughout great
part of the year might be found 3.
This arrangement of the roads is natural and convenient; it avoids
crossing the Maeander on one of the two roads, and at the same time
gives the shortest line for both roads; and there can be no doubt that
it continued down to the foundation of Laodiceia. When that city
was founded, the road down the Maeander valley diverged from the
other at Colossai and kept the south bank of the Lycos and Maeander
all the way to Antiocheia4. We now see why the Graeco-Roman
road from Ephesos to the East crossed the Maeander at Antiocheia,
instead of keeping to the north bank of that river and afterwards the
north bank of the Lycos: the latter path appears to us to be the
obvious and the best route, yet it was neglected throughout ancient
1 tea) tovs ctoXoIkovs, r)v Xdfioxri, nepva- a bridge between Tripolis and the
criv, <bpvyas fiiv is MlXtjrov aXcpireva-ovTas Lycos junction in older time, Nieet.
fragm. 36. It is noteworthy that it is p. 252 and § 3. The Lycos though deep
the Phrygians who go down to Miletos in its lower stretch caused no difficulty,
(possibly the Milesians may also have and its crossings are never mentioned,
gone up to Phrygia ; but, as a rule, the i Hamilton was misled by the distant
natives seem to have maintained the view from the road on the opposite bank
caravan trade and the Greeks the mari- when he said, I 527, ' On the south side
time). of the Maeander the steep and almost
2 On Kydrara see § 9. barren hills rise directly from the
3 The native view is and was that the water's edge, so that the ancient road
Maeander is unfordable from near Tri- from Ephesos to Colossai must, after
polis downwards, though Crusaders did leaving Antioch, have passed along the
not find it so, Ch. I § 9. There was right or northern bank of the river.'
VOL. I. M
The latter attained importance through the trade between Phrygia
and the Greeks of Miletos, and was nourishing at the middle of the
sixth century, when the bad Greek of the Phrygian traders furnished
a jest to Hipponax1. The road from Colossai to Sardis became still
more important when the Mermnad kings extended their power over
Phrygia: at that time it must have been one of the greatest routes
in Asia Minor. Boundaries and probably distances were marked by
inscribed stones on it (Herod. VII 31). The road from Colossai to
the coast forked from the great road at a point between Colossai and
the Maeander, somewhere in the territory of Hierapolis-Kydrara2, and
thereafter the road to Sardis crossed the Maeander, while that to
Miletos went by the temple of Men Karou and Karoura, keeping the
south bank of the Maeander all the way to Miletos. The channel of
the Lycos, though deep, is so narrow, that even a rude people could
throw a bridge of logs over it. The Maeander needs a bridge of
200 feet or more in length, if it is crossed on the direct line, but by
a very slight detour to the north fords practicable throughout great
part of the year might be found 3.
This arrangement of the roads is natural and convenient; it avoids
crossing the Maeander on one of the two roads, and at the same time
gives the shortest line for both roads; and there can be no doubt that
it continued down to the foundation of Laodiceia. When that city
was founded, the road down the Maeander valley diverged from the
other at Colossai and kept the south bank of the Lycos and Maeander
all the way to Antiocheia4. We now see why the Graeco-Roman
road from Ephesos to the East crossed the Maeander at Antiocheia,
instead of keeping to the north bank of that river and afterwards the
north bank of the Lycos: the latter path appears to us to be the
obvious and the best route, yet it was neglected throughout ancient
1 tea) tovs ctoXoIkovs, r)v Xdfioxri, nepva- a bridge between Tripolis and the
criv, <bpvyas fiiv is MlXtjrov aXcpireva-ovTas Lycos junction in older time, Nieet.
fragm. 36. It is noteworthy that it is p. 252 and § 3. The Lycos though deep
the Phrygians who go down to Miletos in its lower stretch caused no difficulty,
(possibly the Milesians may also have and its crossings are never mentioned,
gone up to Phrygia ; but, as a rule, the i Hamilton was misled by the distant
natives seem to have maintained the view from the road on the opposite bank
caravan trade and the Greeks the mari- when he said, I 527, ' On the south side
time). of the Maeander the steep and almost
2 On Kydrara see § 9. barren hills rise directly from the
3 The native view is and was that the water's edge, so that the ancient road
Maeander is unfordable from near Tri- from Ephesos to Colossai must, after
polis downwards, though Crusaders did leaving Antioch, have passed along the
not find it so, Ch. I § 9. There was right or northern bank of the river.'
VOL. I. M