The History of Bodrum: Halicarnassus

The history of Bodrum Turkey can be traced back to 3000-4000 BC based on the archaeological findings from the Early Bronze Age. However, there is a consensus that Halicarnassus was founded by the Dorian settlers as a colony and later it became an important city of the Carians. Throughout its long history, Bodrum, as the capital of Caria, became the seat of power for many rulers and invaders. Around 700 BC Caria and Lydia were the main powers in Asia Minor3 but were invaded by the Persians in 546 BC.

During the Persian rule Hecatomnus became the first satrap4 of Caria. The family of Hecatomnus played a prominent role in the history of Halicarnassus. He had three sons, Mausolus, Idrieus, and Piksodaros and two daughters, Artemisia II and Ada. The oldest son Mausolus married to his oldest sister, Artemisia II and the next oldest son Idrieus married to his second oldest sister Ada. After Hecatomnus died in 377 BC his sons and daughters became satraps according to their ages. The oldest son Mausolus succeeded his father in 377 BC. Mausolus moved Caria’s capital from Mylasa to Halicarnassus and improved the new capital in 367 BC. Between 364-360 BC he built the Myndos gate and the walls surrounding it. Caria became the most prominent power in the region and Mausolus reigned about 24 years. When Mausolus died his wife Artemisia II ascended to the throne. After the death of Artemisia II, the second son of Hecatomnus, Idrieus, took the satrap title in 351 BC. When Idrieus died his wife Ada5 succeeded in 344 BC. Later the youngest son of Hecatomnus, Piksodaros came to power by dethroning Ada, the daughter of Hecatomnus, and sent her into exile in Alinda in 340 BC. For some reason Piksodaros decided that he could not rule the country alone and requested that the Persian empire send another satrap to Caria to share the power. The Persian empire sent Othontopates, who later became the sole ruler of Caria. Othontopates married to another Ada, the daughter of Piksodaros from Aphenis. After exiled from Halicarnassus, Ada, the daughter of Hecatomnus, became the queen of Alinda.

The Macedonian King, Alexander, the Great won the battle against the Persians and started conquering Anatolia; he came to the outskirts of Halicarnassus in 334 BC. He defeated the Carians and destroyed Halicarnassus. The Carians put up a strong resistance during the siege. According to the Greek philosopher and historian Arrianus Alexander, the Carians lost many soldiers who fell into the ditches during the fighting at the gates of Myndos. After Alexander took the city he made Ada again the ruler of Caria in 326 BC. Later with the death of Alexander one of his generals, “one eyed” Antigonus I Monophthalmus (382-301) became the ruler of the area in 313 BC. Caria came first under the dominion of the Seleucid6 Empire and later the Kingdom of Pergamon7.

The Egyptian King, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, started ruling Halicarnassus in 281 BC. King Philip8 V invaded the city for a short time in 201 BC and the Syrian King Antiochus, the Great tried to take the city but failed (197-196 BC). The Pergamum kingdom had the Treaty of Apamea with the Romans and gave the city to them without any fight; Halicarnassus, by then, a small city, became part of the Asian province of the Roman Empire (1299 BC). In 80 BC it was attacked by the pirate Verres. It was still a poor and neglected town in 60 BC. Caesar’s murderers Brutus and Cassius used Myndos10 as their military post in 48 AD and caused a lot of destruction in the area. The temple of Mars was built at this time.

Caria was given its freedom in 27 AD but it could not keep it long. In 395 AD it was brought under the Byzantine rule. After officially accepting the Christianity, Halicarnassus became the Episcopalian center in 400 AD. During the Crusades Byzantine ruled the area (1096-1099 AD) and in 1402 the Ottoman rulers gave Halicarnassus to the Saint Jean Knights, who wanted to build a castle in the city. Saint Jean Knights started the construction of the castle around 1406 and 1407. The knights caused lot of damage to the ancient works of art in the city, especially to the Mausoleum11 of Mausolus.

Halicarnassus became part of the Ottoman Empire with the conquest of Rhodes by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent on January 5, 1523. When the Ottoman Empire was defeated in the World War I, the area was invaded by the Italians. The Italian invasion ended on July 5, 1921 before the new Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923.

Some references mention that Mausolus started building the Mausoleum. Some other references, however, suggest that it is his wife who started the project. In any case since Mausoleum was not finished in his time his wife Artemisia II continued overseeing the construction. Mausoleum was still not completed by the time Artemisia II died. The Architects and sculptors finished it after her death in 353 BC.

Notes

  1. The historian Herodotus was born in Halicarnassus( Bodrum) in 484 BC.
  2. Halicarnassus (present day Bodrum, Turkey).
  3. In the south western part of Asia Minor (Anatolia).
  4. Satrap was the title given by the Persians to the governors of the provinces.
  5. His wife Ada was also his sister.
  6. The Seleucid Empire was established by Seleucus I Nicator.
  7. Pergamon (Pergamum).
  8. King Philip V (238 BC-179 BC) was the King of Macedon from 221 BC to 179 BC.
  9. Some sources give the date 133 BC.
  10. Myndos nearby Halicarnassus.
  11. The Mausoleum of Mausolus was one of the seven wonders of the world.