Bodrum (Halicarnassus)

Home of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, birthplace of the 'father of history' Herodotus and fortress for the Knights Hospitaller, Bodrum is truly a city rich in history.

Founded in the 11^th century BC as Halicarnassus, historians generally believe that it was colonists from Troezen and Argos who first raised a city in the south-west of Anatolia, though legends say it was founded 17 years after the fall of Troy. 

They initially settled on an island now occupied by the Knights Hospitaller's castle of Saint Peter and moved to the mainland, where a marketplace was established which helped boost prosperity, an area now occupied by Bodrum's entertainment area. Citizens then built homes for themselves on terraces overlooking the market place, leading ancient commentators to compare the city to a theatre. The harbour allowed Halicarnassus to flourish and it soon became one of the six most important municipalities in the region.

As with its sister cities, Halicarnassus lost its independence and was subjected to Persian rule under Cyrus the Great in the sixth century BC, who entrusted its rule to a single noble family.

However, when the Persians planned to expand their empire across the Dardanelles and into the Greek mainland, it was the Atermisia of Caria, the female ruler of the city, who played an important part in the Battle of Salamis in 450BC. This naval battle helped ensure that Hellenic democracy survived and quashed the expansion of the Achaemenid empire.

However, Halicarnassus' freedom did not last and it once again came under Persian rule. However, it was during this time that the city gained most of its achievements and gained wider recognition.

Under the satrapy (governorship) of Mausolus, who managed to maintain a large degree of independence from his official rulers, he added populations of neighbouring cities to increase Halicarnassus' size. Rebuilding the city on a regular pattern, he fortified it with large walls, the remains of which are still visible.

He is also responsible for the city's theatre and temple of Ares, as well as his palace on the "royal" island, royal as Mausolus styled himself as king, despite only being a satrap.

Yet while these achievements were notable in his lifetime, his greatest - and also the city's greatest - legacy was his death in 353 BC. For it was his sister, Artemisia II, who built an extravagant tomb for him in the centre of the city.

So lavish was it that it became one of the Seven Wonders of the World and gave us the word still used to describe such magnificent tombs - mausoleum. First excavated in 1857 by CT Newton, the general pattern of it is that of a marble podium, with a level of 36 columns with statues, then a frieze of life-sized images of men and animals. Capping all this was a pyramid, with 24 seats leading to a pedestal, making it a truly impressive sight and visitors can still view its base.

Not long after Mausolus' death, Alexander the Great besieged the city and was nearly defeated due to the defence of the citadel, which held out, with Cicero saying that the town was near-deserted due to its effects.

After the demise of Alexander, Halicarnassus became subject to a series of contests for its domination, with the Romans moving in and ruling the city. They were not the last overseas visitors to the city, with the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, to give them their full title, building the castle of Saint Peter in 1404. This held out for some time against Muslim conquest, but in 1522, the knights raided the mausoleum to shore up the walls, even taking the sarcophagus. This was to no avail and they were expelled.

However, westerners are welcome today, with a mix of ancient and modern living, with its nightlife and nearby beaches, making Bodrum a popular tourist spot.

Turkey has a wealth of archaeology and historical sites ready for discovery. Click here to view the main places of interest.