TURKEY TRAVEL GUIDE
Selge
was an important Pisidian city. It lies on the southern slopes of the
Taurus in a naturally fortified spot difficult of access. It is reached
by a forest road that climbs past cliffs, rivers, and small waterfalls,
then passes over a Roman bridge. Thanks to its natural and historical
treasures, it has been included in the Köprülü kalyon
(Bridged Canyon) National Park.
According to Strabo, Selge's founder was Calchas, and it was later resettled by the Lacedaemonies (Spartans). The first settlement occurred during the Doric migrations which took place at the end of the second millennium B.C. and were connected with the Trojan War. The second settlement took place at the beginning of the seventh century B.C. together with the colonization of Rhodes. No inscription confirming this has come to light in the city, however and the idea that colonists would choose a place hard to spot from the coast and hidden in the mountains seems difficult to accept.
Selge was the first Pisidian city to mint coins. The silver staters minted in Selge starting in the fifth century B.C. conformed to Persian standards and exhibit a startlingly close resemblance to the coins of Aspendos, from which it is hard to differentiate them. On the observe of these coins are two wrestlers; on the reverse appear a figure using a slingshot and the city's name, written as Stlegiys of Estlegiys. These local names are linguistic proof that the Pisidian language, which was related to Luvian, a language we known to have been spoken in third millenium Pisidia ,was still in use in the fifth century B.C.
We do not possess any continuous account of the city's history. According to the sources, Selge, an ancient foe of Termessos, took up sides with Alexander the Great when he came here. Most likely Selge was at war with its neighbours almost all the time, due to the deep-seated and widespread tendency to bellicosity in this region. We learn of an interesting event connected with Serge, from Polybius. In 218 B.C. Selge and Pednelissos, another Pisidian city, were at war. Selge had a large population and was capable of fielding about 20,000 soldiers. At this time many Pisidian cities were allied to Selge, and so they besieged Pednelissos.
The people of Pednelissos appealed to Achaios, uncle of Antiochos III, king of Syria, for help, and he gave the task of lifting the siege to Garsyeris, one of his generals. Polybios relates the rest of the incident as follows. The people of Pednelissos appealed to Achaios for assistance. He in turn sent the trusted Garsyeris and 6,500 men as help, However, the people of Selge prevented Garsyeris' arrival by seizing the main passes and cutting off access to them. While marching from Millias to Kretopolis, Garsyeris heard the news that the passes had been closed, and turned home. The people of Selge too pulled back, returned to their houses and started the harvest. However, this was a ruse, because Garsyeris immediately returned, seized the pass of Kretopolis and, stationing a force there, moved into Pamphylia, entering into contact with the enemies of Selge at Perge. He received pledges of assistance from them. In the meantime the troops of Selge tried to recapture the pass held by Garsyeris'men, but they were unsuccessful. They continued to wage war against Pednelissos and did not lift the siege. Because Pednellissos was suffering from starvation. Garsyeris decided to try to smuggle 200 men into the town, each laden with a bag of wheat. However, this attempt was unsuccessful and everything fell into the hands of the Selgeans. Bolstered by their own successs. Selge's troops took the offensive and attacked. Leaving only a small force around Pednelissos, they threw their full force against Garsyeris and soon thereafter had him pressed into a very tight corner. Garsyeris counterattacked the enemy's rear with his cavalry in a surprise raid and was victorious. At the same time the people of Pednelissos were freed, and they attacked what remained of the enemy. the Selgeans suffered a heavy loss of some 10,000 men. The remaining troops escaped to the city, but Garsyeris would give them no change. He immediately followed them, sealing the passes, and appeared outside Selge. Their spirit broken and suing for peace, the people of Selge sent out one of their leading citizens, Logbasis, as an envoy, but Logbasis, betraying the trust of his fellow citizens delivered Selge to Garsyeris, who immediately occupied the city. Garsyeris extended peace negotiations until the arrival of Achaios. When Achaious reached the city, using a trick devised by Logbasis, he called the citizens and guards to a meeting. While the citizens were in the meeting, Achaious, with Logbasis'help, was just about to seize Selge and the Temple of Zeus at the Kesbedion outside the city, when the trick failed. A shepherd saw the troops and spread the alarm. The Selgeans gathered just in time. First they attacked Logbabis'house, killing him, his sons, and all his men, then they rushed to the defence of the city. They even freed all the slaves. Achaios was driven out at great loss of life. Immediately following this, the Selgeans appealed to Achaios to come to terms, and so they made peace, with the proviso that Selge pay an initial amount of 400 telents, and subsequently 300 talents more, and that it free all the prisoners taken from Pednelissos. The Selgeans thus regained their lands and their freedom.
As can be seen, the people of Selge kept their freedom but had to pay a heavy price for it. That they were able to pay is proof of the city's prosperity.
Strabo praises the city's natural beauties, its fruitful orchards, its wide pastures and forests. He also reports that the inhabitants of Selge often travelled great distances. The main source of revenue for the city was its production of olives, wine, and medicinal plants.
With the founding of the Kingdom of Galatia in 25 B.C., Selge lost its independence for a time. However, under Roman rule, Selge enjoyed good relations. Right up until the breakup of the empire, it kept its independent status and would not concede its beloved lands to anyone. We also know by the frequent minting of coins until the third century that the city's economic life remained healthy. The Goths, who were settled in Phrygia by the Emperor Theodosius (379-395 A.D.) soon thereafter revolted, raping and pillaging throughout Asia Minor. In 399 A.D. Selge, too, was attacked by Goths under the leadership of Tribigild, but beat the enemy back. This show of force is proof that Selge had lost none of its former strength.
Selge lay on three hills surrounded by a fortification wall. This wall, of which a portion survives today, had seven main entrances and high towers spaced at intervals averaging 100 metres. The first ruin visible today is the Greco-Roman type theatre, which forms part of the modern day village of Zerk. The theatre's lower portion rests on a rocky slope. The horseshoeshaped cavea is cut by a diazoma dividing the theatre into 30 tiers of seats below and fifteen above. The first row immediately below the diazoma has kept its stone seats intact. This theatre had a seating capacity of about 9,000. Four separate entrances give onto the diazoma. In addition, vaulted paradoses running between the cavea and the stage also provide access to the theatre. The Roman period stage building survives today only as a heap of rubble. Its general outlines, however, can be made out; it had five doors and a colonnaded facade. It can be dated to the second century A.D.
Immediately to one side of the theatre one can trace the outlines of the opposing rows of seats belonging to the stadium, even though it is, on the whole, in a very ruinous state. It appears from the surviving portions that the stadium was in all likelihood a little smaller than average. There are also several surviving inscriptions recording victories in the stadium at Selge.
The remains of two temples can be found at the top of the highest hill to the west. It is more than likely that this is the Kasbedion mentioned by Polyios. In that case, the large 17x34 metre peripteral temple must have been that of the city's chief god, Zeus. As for the small temple with the templum in antis plan, this can be tentaviely assigned to Artemis on the basis of an inscription found nearby.
Behind this hill is a giant round cistern, built not only for rainwater, but also to hold water brought by a channel coming from the nort-west.
Between this hill and the other hills to the south-east, lie the other principal municipal buildings. Here on an incline lie the extremely fragmentary remains of a very long porticoed street, a nymphaeum, and a bath.
On top of the hill to the south-east lie the remains of a large square plan agora enclosed on three sides. Attached to it is an apsidal basilica belonging to a later period.
The ruins of Selge which mostly date from the Roman period show that, especially in the 2nd century A.D. Selge was a wealthy and influential city.
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