Quixotic Discovery

 

Located in the region known as Pisidia in antiquity, the ancient city of Sagalassos continues to amaze its visitors with its glory. It is situated at the end of a highland area of Ağlasun Mountain in Turkey at an elevation between 1400-1750 meters, and thus, at the end of a long and tough journey it creates an enchantment that is neither visible nor imaginable aforetime. Climbing up towards the city, one feels as if he/she is walking back in time, especially when there are few other visitors at sight. This city to see is composed of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius Shrine for the emperor cult, early Byzantine fortification wall, grand colonnaded street, Tiberian gate, lower agora, Severan Nymphaeum, late Hadrianic nymphaeum, Christian basilica inside the Shrine of Apollo Klarios, odeon, imperial baths, an urban mansion, macellum, upper agora, Antonine Nymphaeum, bouleuterion, Basilica of St. Michael, doric temple, northwest heroon, martyrion inside the stadion, Hellenistic fountain house, Neon Library, theatre, and a potters’ quarter today. Among all, the restored (2010) Antonine Fountain attracts the attention the most since one can see the water flowing through its channels, which is a rare sight in ancient cities for many visitors.  Built in 160-180 AD, its is located in the upper agora together with the honorific columns, Tychaion, Arch of Claudius, the bouleuterion, the Doric temple, northwest heroon, a macellum (market for  luxury products) and together they create an incomparable feeling of a quixotic discovery. It feels dreamy, as if you found an abandoned site out of nowhere, and you are the only one in the city.