DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4679#0189
2. THE ROADS. 163
the Maeander, which at that point is considered unfordable at all
seasons of the year, was swoln high when Louis approached it. The
Turks were drawn up on the south bank to dispute the passage; but
the French crossed the deep stream in the face of the enemy and
drove them before them. This gallant action shows that the bridge
had been destroyed. It appears that Louis must have crossed the
river rather lower down than the site of the Koman bridgex; the
expression of ISficetas p. 90 1. ] o almost suggests that the Crusaders
had come expecting an easy crossing; but the treacherous Greek
guides misled them, and took them to a difficult part of the river.
After the destruction of the old Koman bridge, a new one seems to
have been built, after the time of Nicetas 2, some distance further up
the river. Its remains may still be seen by the traveller, if he looks
out from the window of his railway carriage, immediately after leaving
Ortakche on his journey eastwards. Ortakche lies in the narrow
pass through which the Maeander flows between M. Messogis and
the Tchibuk-Dagk3. The ruins of the bridge project from the north
bank into the stream: it was built of a mass of small round stones
embedded in mortar, with a facing of squared stones. From the south
end of the bridge a mole or dam leads direct south to the edge of the
hills: it was evidently intended to carry the road from the bridge
across the low muddy plain that fringes the river to the skirts of
the hills a quarter of a mile distant. This bridge can hardly be the
Roman bridge, as Chandler thought4, first because the Roman bridge
was lower down the river, and secondly because it is represented on
coins with six arches5, whereas the Ortakche bridge spans the river
with a single arch, with a small one at each side. Probably the
1 The march of about 236 Koman purely Greek country,
miles from Ephesos to Attalia occupied 2 His history ends 1206 ; and he died
15 days (Wilken III p. 187), giving after 1210.
a day's march of 16 miles. It seems 3 The Cafe (Kahve) mentioned by
clear that the crossing was effected Hamilton, Chandler, and other travel-
4 days from Ephesos and 3 from lers is beside Ortakche, between it
Laodieeia (Wilken p. 180). Antioch and the river, near the railway line,
is only about 35 or 36 miles from See Ch. I § I. Is Ortakche the Italian
Laodieeia, therefore the crossing must Ortaggi (connected by popular Turkish
have taken place some miles west of etymology with Orta) ?
Antioch. Moreover the defeated Turks * Ch. 65 p. 221.
took refuge in Antioch, where they '" The exact number is not necessarily
were sheltered by the Byzantine gar- preserved on the coins; but we may
rison; and they would naturally flee safely conclude that the bridge was
eastwards towards their own land, not built with more than three arches, as
westwards towards the coast and the six occur on the coins.
M 2
the Maeander, which at that point is considered unfordable at all
seasons of the year, was swoln high when Louis approached it. The
Turks were drawn up on the south bank to dispute the passage; but
the French crossed the deep stream in the face of the enemy and
drove them before them. This gallant action shows that the bridge
had been destroyed. It appears that Louis must have crossed the
river rather lower down than the site of the Koman bridgex; the
expression of ISficetas p. 90 1. ] o almost suggests that the Crusaders
had come expecting an easy crossing; but the treacherous Greek
guides misled them, and took them to a difficult part of the river.
After the destruction of the old Koman bridge, a new one seems to
have been built, after the time of Nicetas 2, some distance further up
the river. Its remains may still be seen by the traveller, if he looks
out from the window of his railway carriage, immediately after leaving
Ortakche on his journey eastwards. Ortakche lies in the narrow
pass through which the Maeander flows between M. Messogis and
the Tchibuk-Dagk3. The ruins of the bridge project from the north
bank into the stream: it was built of a mass of small round stones
embedded in mortar, with a facing of squared stones. From the south
end of the bridge a mole or dam leads direct south to the edge of the
hills: it was evidently intended to carry the road from the bridge
across the low muddy plain that fringes the river to the skirts of
the hills a quarter of a mile distant. This bridge can hardly be the
Roman bridge, as Chandler thought4, first because the Roman bridge
was lower down the river, and secondly because it is represented on
coins with six arches5, whereas the Ortakche bridge spans the river
with a single arch, with a small one at each side. Probably the
1 The march of about 236 Koman purely Greek country,
miles from Ephesos to Attalia occupied 2 His history ends 1206 ; and he died
15 days (Wilken III p. 187), giving after 1210.
a day's march of 16 miles. It seems 3 The Cafe (Kahve) mentioned by
clear that the crossing was effected Hamilton, Chandler, and other travel-
4 days from Ephesos and 3 from lers is beside Ortakche, between it
Laodieeia (Wilken p. 180). Antioch and the river, near the railway line,
is only about 35 or 36 miles from See Ch. I § I. Is Ortakche the Italian
Laodieeia, therefore the crossing must Ortaggi (connected by popular Turkish
have taken place some miles west of etymology with Orta) ?
Antioch. Moreover the defeated Turks * Ch. 65 p. 221.
took refuge in Antioch, where they '" The exact number is not necessarily
were sheltered by the Byzantine gar- preserved on the coins; but we may
rison; and they would naturally flee safely conclude that the bridge was
eastwards towards their own land, not built with more than three arches, as
westwards towards the coast and the six occur on the coins.
M 2