DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4692#0010
INTRODUCTION.
IIE vast peninsula of Asia Minor, naturally fertile and advantageously situated between
the Euxine and the Mediterranean, has, from the earliest period of history, been at once
the prize for which Europe contended with Asia, and the field upon which the contest
was carried on. Its position in the centre of the ancient world, and the communication it
had by sea with all the ports of the then civilized world, rendered it suitable for the site
of a great empire. It is not, then, surprising that the possession of it was coveted by the
Greeks, nor that they waged, for a series of years, the most sanguinary wars in order to
obtain it. "We find them settled on its western coasts ten centuries before the Christian era. The iEolians from
the Peloponnesus founded twelve cities, of which Smyrna was the chief. The Ionians built Ephesus,
Colophon, and Clazomense. The Dorians took possession of Caria and founded the six cities of Cos, Cnidus,
Lindus, Camirus, and Ialysus, which united themselves in a league, and were known by the term of Hexapolis.
That the various cities founded by the Greeks on the coast of Asia were prosperous and powerful, not-
withstanding the vicissitudes of war, we have not only the evidence afforded by the writings of Herodotus,
Strabo, Pliny, and other historians and geographers, but the strongest proofs in the numerous ruins of their
temples and other public buildings, which were on a more magnificent scale than those of Greece Proper.
The Temple of Diana at Ephesus was 425 feet long by 220 broad, and the largest in the world.
The Herseum of Samos was 346 feet long by 189 broad.
The Didymaaon of Miletus, 295 feet by 156.
The Temple of Cybele at Sardis, 261 feet by 144.
Of these splendid structures," and of the cities which they adorned, there are many remains—silent witnesses
to the truth of early history.
As education and enlightenment spread throughout Europe, the learned became anxious to receive well-
authenticated accounts of this most interesting country, an acquaintance with which was essential to a thorough
knowledge of history ; and antiquaries, especially, were desirous of obtaining accurate delineations of the
remains of the monuments of antiquity with which it abounded.
But many circumstances combined to render this information scanty and infrequent. The country being
in the hands of a semi-barbarous people, was difficult to traverse; the hostility of the Mahometans to Christians
was extreme; the government was feeble, and the whole country overrun by lawless bands of robbers; lastly,
the hardships and privations were so great that only the most adventurous would run the risk of travelling
in the interior, and of these only a few were competent to afford accounts sufficiently accurate for antiquarian
and historical purposes.
Paul Lucas was the first who traversed the peninsula. His first voyage commenced in 1699. He then
visited Egypt, Syria, and Persia, and returned by Cyprus, llhodes, and Broussa, to Constantinople. In 1704
he again left Prance for Constantinople, whence he travelled to Mcomcdia, Nicaea, Kutayah, and Ancyra.
Afterwards he visited Smyrna, Sardis, Attalia, Sagalassus, and Koniah. His descriptions of the ruins he saw
are short and unsatisfactory, and the engravings in his book incorrect.
After Lucas, Spon and Wheler, at the end of the 17th century, went from Constantinople to Smyrna by
Thyatira, and afterwards to Ephesus. The account they give of their tour is interesting, and the information
they afford is on the whole very accurate. Their book contains some interesting details of a tour to the
B
IIE vast peninsula of Asia Minor, naturally fertile and advantageously situated between
the Euxine and the Mediterranean, has, from the earliest period of history, been at once
the prize for which Europe contended with Asia, and the field upon which the contest
was carried on. Its position in the centre of the ancient world, and the communication it
had by sea with all the ports of the then civilized world, rendered it suitable for the site
of a great empire. It is not, then, surprising that the possession of it was coveted by the
Greeks, nor that they waged, for a series of years, the most sanguinary wars in order to
obtain it. "We find them settled on its western coasts ten centuries before the Christian era. The iEolians from
the Peloponnesus founded twelve cities, of which Smyrna was the chief. The Ionians built Ephesus,
Colophon, and Clazomense. The Dorians took possession of Caria and founded the six cities of Cos, Cnidus,
Lindus, Camirus, and Ialysus, which united themselves in a league, and were known by the term of Hexapolis.
That the various cities founded by the Greeks on the coast of Asia were prosperous and powerful, not-
withstanding the vicissitudes of war, we have not only the evidence afforded by the writings of Herodotus,
Strabo, Pliny, and other historians and geographers, but the strongest proofs in the numerous ruins of their
temples and other public buildings, which were on a more magnificent scale than those of Greece Proper.
The Temple of Diana at Ephesus was 425 feet long by 220 broad, and the largest in the world.
The Herseum of Samos was 346 feet long by 189 broad.
The Didymaaon of Miletus, 295 feet by 156.
The Temple of Cybele at Sardis, 261 feet by 144.
Of these splendid structures," and of the cities which they adorned, there are many remains—silent witnesses
to the truth of early history.
As education and enlightenment spread throughout Europe, the learned became anxious to receive well-
authenticated accounts of this most interesting country, an acquaintance with which was essential to a thorough
knowledge of history ; and antiquaries, especially, were desirous of obtaining accurate delineations of the
remains of the monuments of antiquity with which it abounded.
But many circumstances combined to render this information scanty and infrequent. The country being
in the hands of a semi-barbarous people, was difficult to traverse; the hostility of the Mahometans to Christians
was extreme; the government was feeble, and the whole country overrun by lawless bands of robbers; lastly,
the hardships and privations were so great that only the most adventurous would run the risk of travelling
in the interior, and of these only a few were competent to afford accounts sufficiently accurate for antiquarian
and historical purposes.
Paul Lucas was the first who traversed the peninsula. His first voyage commenced in 1699. He then
visited Egypt, Syria, and Persia, and returned by Cyprus, llhodes, and Broussa, to Constantinople. In 1704
he again left Prance for Constantinople, whence he travelled to Mcomcdia, Nicaea, Kutayah, and Ancyra.
Afterwards he visited Smyrna, Sardis, Attalia, Sagalassus, and Koniah. His descriptions of the ruins he saw
are short and unsatisfactory, and the engravings in his book incorrect.
After Lucas, Spon and Wheler, at the end of the 17th century, went from Constantinople to Smyrna by
Thyatira, and afterwards to Ephesus. The account they give of their tour is interesting, and the information
they afford is on the whole very accurate. Their book contains some interesting details of a tour to the
B