The Amphitheatre of Termessos
The mountain citadel city of Termessos was one of the few cities to hold out against Alexander the Great as he swept across Asia Minor. At the highest point in the city is a Greco-Roman theatre with spectacular views of the Pamphylian plain to both the right and to the left.
The theatre displays most clearly the features of the Roman theatre, but the theatre plan of the Hellenistic period is well preserved in the semicircular seating area, the cavea.
The cavea is divided in two by a diazoma, with eight tiers of seats above the diazoma, and sixteen below. Between 4000 and 5000 spectators were accommodated.
A large arched entrance way connects the cavea with the agora (the market place).
Yes, it was quite a hike to Termessos. No wonder Alexander the Great by-passed the city after two failed attempts to conquer the people of Termessos in their mountain citadel.
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