Gordium Archaeological Site, capital city of ancient Phrygia, Turkey
Gordium (Greek: Γόρδιον, Górdion; Turkish: Gordiyon) was the capital city of ancient Phrygia. It was located at the site of modern Yassıhüyük, about 70–80 km southwest of Ankara (capital of Turkey), in the immediate vicinity of Polatlı district. The site was excavated by Gustav Körte and Alfred Körte in 1900[1] and then by the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, under the direction of Rodney S. Young, between 1950 and 1973.[2] Excavations have continued at the site under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania Museum with an international team. Gordium lies where the ancient road between Lydia and Assyria/Babylonia crossed the Sangarius most famous king of Phrygia was the quasi-legendary Midas. Contemporary Assyrian sources dating between c. 718 and 709 BCE call him Mit-ta-a. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, King Midas was the first foreigner to make an offering at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, dedicating the throne from which he gave judgment.[3] During his reign, according to Strabo, the nomadic Cimmerians invaded Asia Minor, and in 710/709 BCE, Midas was forced to ask for help from the Assyrian king Sargon II. In Strabo's account, King Midas committed suicide by drinking bull's blood when the Cimmerians overran the city.[4] Tumulus MM (for "Midas Mound"), the Great Tumulus, is the largest burial mound at Gordium, standing over 50 meters high today, with a diameter of about 300 meters.
Size: 3264px × 2448px
Location: Yassıhüyük, Turkey
Photo credit: © Gordium / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: anatolia, archaeological, blue, clouds, dick, gate, gordion, gordium, grass, green, janzig, main, midas, phrygian, site, sky, stone, tomb, tumulus, turkey, walls, yassilhuyuk, yassilhüü
