This text is a fragment of "The Secrets of Bodrum and Ancient Caria" guidebook.
Euromos ruins, located just off the Söke-Milas road, are frequently overlooked by travellers who do not realize that an olive grove hides one of the best preserved ancient temples in Asia Minor. Meanwhile, if you just turn off the road as indicated by a signpost, you will see a magnificent view of the ancient temple of Zeus. More inquisitive tourists can also find the remains of an ancient theatre, city walls, and an agora.
Historical overview:
The city, located in the region known as Caria, was known from the 5th century BCE as Cyramos or Hyramos. During the reign of King Mausolus of Halicarnassus (the 4th century BCE) the city was subordinated to Milas and lost its independence. At the same time, its name was changed to Euromos (meaning 'Beautiful and Strong'), which resulted from the program of Caria Hellenization implemented by Mausolus.
In the 5th century BCE, Euromos became part of the Delian League, founded by Athens. After Alexander the Great's conquest, the city repeatedly came under the control of various rulers, including Macedonia, Egypt, and Syria. Between 201 and 196 BCE, the city came under the control of the Macedonian king Philip V and was renamed Philippoi. In the Treaty of Apamea in 188 BCE, it was ceded to the Roman Empire along with the rest of Caria.
In Roman times, Euromos gained the status of an autonomous city. From the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century CE, Euromos also minted its own coins. Pliny the Elder mentions that in his time, in the 1st century CE, Euromos was under the control of the nearby city of Alabanda. However, Euromos was completely abandoned soon afterwards. The most probable reason was the Antonine Plague that broke out in the western part of Asia Minor in 166 CE. The scholars suspect it to have been either smallpox or measles. In subsequent years, an epidemic spread throughout the entire territory of the Roman Empire, and within 20 years decimated its population.
Archaeological research:
The first excavations at Euromos were conducted by Turkish archaeologists led by Ümit Serdaroğlu in the 1970s. Excavations at the ancient city resumed in 2011 after a 36-year hiatus. In July 2021, archaeologists led by Abuzer Kızıl announced the discovery of two 2,500-year-old marble statues (known as Archaic kouros) and inscriptions during the excavations at the temple of Zeus Lepsynos. According to Abuzer Kızıl, one of the statues was naked, while the other wore leather armour and a short skirt. Both statues were depicted holding a lion in their hands.
In 2022, the temple in Euromos was partially restored, and the Turkish authorities ensured that 90% of the original architectural elements were used in the restoration. Euromos' excavation director, Associate professor Abuzer Kızıl from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University’s Department of Archaeology, stated to the press that their intention was to 'rebuild' the fallen columns from the temple. Many of the original column drums had been located after successive excavations. Prof. Kızıl explained that "We use chrome rods to join the large architectural blocks (column drums). After we put the columns together, we will put them back in their original places [...]". Prof. Kızıl strongly attested that "[...] his team has complied with international restoration rules without using modern materials". However, the first pure chrome was produced by the French chemist Nicholas-Louis Vauguelin only in 1797. It means that, during the reconstruction, at least some part of the used materials were not the ones available in the ancient times.
Sightseeing:
The most important, and also the best-preserved building in Euromos is the Temple of Zeus. It is believed that already in the 5th century BCE, a temple dedicated to Zeus stood at the foot of the hill. Its erection could be a symbol of the Hellenization process of these areas of Asia Minor, and the replacement of local, mostly female Anatolian deities, with the gods of the Greek pantheon.
However, the temple that we can see nowadays was built much later, in the Roman times, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138 CE). From an architectural point of view, it is a peripteros, i.e. a building surrounded by a single colonnade. The long sides of the temple are decorated with 11 columns each, and the short ones - with six columns. Originally, there were 32 columns, all made in the Corinthian order.
The stylobate - the highest layer of the stone base of the temple - has dimensions of 14.40 to 26.80 meters. The interior consisted of a vestibule (pronaos) and a cella (naos). Inside the cella there was the so-called naiskos, i.e. an inner sanctuary surrounded by columns.
Sixteen columns have remained standing until today. Twelve of them have inscriptions indicating the donor who paid for their execution. Among the sponsors of the temple, the inscriptions mention a doctor named Menekrates, his daughter Tryphena, and a bureaucrat Leo Quintus. Stonemasons working on the construction of the temple left in several places their symbol - the so-called labrys or double blade ax.
In front of the temple, on the eastern side, the remains of an altar have been discovered. The inscription on it states that the sanctuary was dedicated to Zeus Lepsynos. The meaning of 'Lepsynos' nickname remains a mystery, but scholars believe that it is a word derived from the Carian language.
Since not all the columns were fluted, archaeologists speculate that the construction of the temple was never completed. Perhaps this was because of the abandonment of the city in the second half of the 2nd century CE. Because of this, the Temple of Zeus was never converted into a church and has remained in an excellent state of preservation since the ancient times.
Since Euromos was situated on a low hill that did not provide the sufficient protection against the enemy attacks, Euromos was surrounded by thick city walls. These walls, built of hewn stone, and bastions, which were part of the defence system, have been partially preserved to this day. Their traces can be found near the Zeus Temple.
On the western slope of the hill, there are the remains of a small theatre. This theatre represents a typical building from the Hellenistic period and dates back to the middle of the 3rd century BCE. It could originally accommodate around two thousand spectators, but only five rows of seats have survived to this day. The theatre can be found in the grove to the west of the temple.
Within the city agora, that was once surrounded by colonnaded porticoes, only several fragments of columns are visible. A long inscription discovered there on a corner column of the agora mentions the financial support for the city of a certain Kallisthenes and the alliance of Euromos with Iasos.
An ancient necropolis is situated on the right side of the path leading from the D525 route to the Temple of Zeus.
Visitor tips:
The entrance fee to the Euromos ruins in 2024 was 3 euros. The archaeological site is open to visitors every day from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
In Euromos there is no tourist infrastructure. Remember to bring your water supply, as wandering around the area, especially in summer, is an exhausting activity.
Euromos ruins are not fenced off. They are bordered by pastures for sheep and goats, so be careful where you step. Except for the Temple of Zeus, all the buildings are heavily overgrown and well hidden among olive trees growing on the hill. There are inconspicuous signposts near the Temple of Zeus, indicating the directions to the theatre, the city walls, and the necropolis.
Getting there:
By car: Euromos ruins are situated on the eastern side of the D525 route from Selçuku and Söke to Milas. The distance from Söke is 69 km, and from Milas - only 12 km. The nearest settlement is Selimiye (3 km to the north-east).
By public transport: buses and minibuses that travel along the Söke-Milas road can stop at the Euromos crossing on demand. The remaining distance is just 200 meters to walk.
Bibliography:
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