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Pessinus (Balhisar)
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Unless
otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona
Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes,
but you have to acknowledge Livius. |
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The road from Sivrihisar to Balhisar, part of the ancient Royal
road that connected Sardes
with the capitals of Persia, Susa
and Persepolis.
Balhisar was one of the stations, in Aniquity known as Pessinus. It was
famous for its shrine of the goddess Matar or Cybele, the Phrygian mother
of the gods who was also venerated by the Greeks and Romans. |
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A statue of Cybele, from the museum at Gordium.
She was also represented sitting on a chariot drawn by lions. According
to legend (more...),
she had fallen from the sky as a stone, and the name Pessinus does indeed
mean something like "castle where the fall has taken place" |
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The temple of Cybele at Pessinus, which was discovered by Belgian archaeologists
in 1967. It is surprisingly small (the cella measures only 8 x 8 meter).
Next to the sanctuary was a theater, which also served as the stairs leading
to the temple. This combination is unique in the ancient world. |
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The theater part of the temple of Cybele at Pessinus. The temple is
to the left. |
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