(the ancient Kaikos).
Today’s Bergama, the Turkish name for Perga mum, covers most of the
lower city on the plain. It is an attractive mixture of
ancient remains and historic and modern buildings. Ochre painted
old Turkish houses with bay windows and wooden balconies are interspersed
with traditional workshops.
The town has managed to
combine modernisation with conservation in
a sensitive balance which delights visitors, thanks to
local awareness of the value of Bergama’s heritage.
Although Pergamum
can be traced back to origins in the 12th century BC, and bathed in the reflected
glory of King Croesus of Lydia in the 6th century BC, the
city’s real rise to fame began after the death of Alexander the Great.
When his empire was divided up the Aegean region
came under the control of his general Lysimachus. Following his death in battle
in 281 BC, Lysimachus’s treasurer Philetaerus
stepped into his master’s
shoes, and proceeded to construct a great new city at
Pergamum.
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