TARSUSGeography, Etymology,

History, Cuisine, Places of Interest, Notable Residents

Tarsus is a historic city in south-central Turkey, 20 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of 3 million. Tarsus District forms an administrative district in the eastern part of the Mersin Province and lies in the core of Çukurova region.

With a history going back over 6,000 years, Tarsus has long been an important stop for traders, a focal point of many civilisations including the Roman Empire, when Tarsus was capital of the province of Cilicia, the scene of the first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, where Paul the Apostle was born.

Geography

Located on the mouth of the Berdan Riverwhich empties into the Mediterranean Sea, Tarsus is a junction point of land and sea routes connecting the Cilician plain (today called Çukurova), central Anatolia and the Mediterranean sea. The climate is typical of the Mediterranean region, summers very very hot, winters chilly and damp.

Tarsus has a long history of commerce and is still a commercial centre today, trading in the produce of the fertile Çukurova plain; also Tarsus is a thriving industrial centre of refining and processing that produces some for export. Industries include agricultural machinery, spare parts, textiles, fruit-processing, brick building and ceramics.

Etymology

The ancient name is Tarsos, derived from "Tarsa", the original name of the city in the Hittite language, which was possibly derived from a pagan god, Tarku, as Hittites were the first settlers.

History

Excavation of the mound of Gözlükule reveals that the prehistorical development of Tarsus reaches back to the Neolithic Period and continues unbroken through Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Ages.

Much of this legend of the foundation of Tarsus, however, appeared in the Roman era, and none of it is reliable. The geographer Strabo states that Tarsus was founded by people from Argos who were exploring this coast.

Alexander the Great passed through with his armies in 333 BC and nearly met his death here after a bath in the Cydnus. By this time Tarsus was already largely influenced by Greek language and culture, and as part of the Seleucid Empire it became more and more hellenized.

Pompey subjected Tarsus to Rome, and it became capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, the metropolis where the governor resided. In 66 BC, the inhabitants received Roman citizenship.

To flatter Julius Caesar, for a time it took the name Juliopolis. It was also here that Cleopatra and Mark Antony met and was the scene of the celebrated feasts they gave during the construction of their fleet (41 BC).

A cave in Tarsus is one of a number of places claiming to be the location of the legend of the Seven Sleepers, common to Christianity and Islam.

Despite its excellent defences, Tarsus was captured from the Ottomans in 1832 by the Mamluks of Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt, son of Muhammad Ali, and for 8 years remained in the hands of the Egyptians, who began growing cotton on the surrounding plain. Upon the return of the Ottomans this cotton drove a substantial growth in the economy of the area, due to increased world demand for the crop during shortages caused by the U.S. Civil War.

A new road was built to the port in Mersin and the city of Tarsus grew and thrived. Still today many large houses in the city stand as reminders of the wealth generated during this period. However after being a port for 3,000 years, by the end of the 19th century neglect resulted in Tarsus no longer having access to the sea, and the delta became a swamp. At this point Tarsus was a typical Ottoman city with communities of Muslim Turks, Christian Greeks and Armenians. At the founding of the Turkish Republic in the 1920s the swamp was drained and the River Berdan was dammed to build Turkey's first hydro-electric power station. Irrigation, roadworks and a railway brought the economy of Tarsus back to life, with new factories, particularly producing textiles.

Cuisine

The local cuisine includes: chargrilled chicken; hummus; şalgam (pickled turnips); tantuni (a sandwich of grilled meats; the tiny pizzas called "fındık lahmacun"; and cezerye (a confection made out of carrots).

Places of Interest

Tarsus has a great many ancient sites of interest, with many in need of restoration and research. These have been well described by travellers over many years.

The best known include: Cleopatra's Gate - to the west of the city, the

only ancient city gate still standing, where Anthony and Cleopatra entered the city in 41 BC, though the "restoration" of this structure has involved covering much of it over with shiny new stone (see for a picture of the gate before the work was done).

The Roman bridge of Justinian over the Berdan River. Still in good condition.

Tarsus Museum - contains lots of ancient coins and a severed mummified arm.

Roman road north of Tarsus. Ancient road another Roman road within

Tarsus.

Sites of religious interest and pilgrimage: The St. Paul's Church and well (it is now a

museum, but occasionally Christian services can be performed there).

The mosque said to be the burial place of the Prophet Daniel.

The ancient story of Pegasus, the winged horse, also concerns Tarsus. Because of Pegasus' faithful service to Zeus, Pegasus was honored with a constellation. On the last day of his life, Zeus transformed him into a constellation, then a single feather fell to the earth near the city of Tarsus.

From the Turkish era: Tarsus Grand Mosque and Kırkkaşık Bedesten The old baths; the dark brown spots on the white

marble walls are said to be the bloodstains of Shah Meran, the legendary Snake King who was killed in an ambush in the baths.

Tarsus American College; founded in the Ottoman period, still active today.

"Nusret (Nusrat)" the minelayer used to defend the straits before the Battle of Gallipoli is being restored in Tarsus; it is to be part of a memorial park to those lost in the fighting.

Places of natural beauty include: Tarsus Waterfall; since the construction of

the Berdan dam the water of the Tarsus river has been distributed in canals for irrigation, with the result that the waterfall can now be seen only in seasons of very heavy rainfall.

Notable Residents

Cleopatra Zeno of Tarsus, philosopher Lokman the Physician Mark Antony Paul the Apostle ,Christian apostle,

missionary, martyr, and saint, was born here and returned for a brief period later in life.

St.Paul’s Church

St.Paul’s Well

Cleopatra’s Gate

Roman Road

Ancient Road

Tarsus Waterfall

Tarsus Grand Mosque

Kırkkaşık Bedesten

Tarsus American College

Nusrat Mine Ship