Tiyatrolar

"No man goes down to the same river twice." So said Heraclitus of Ephesus lo these many years ago. That's what I was thinking as I descended the rain-slick steps of the ancient theater at Ephesus. I should have been thinking less about Heraclitus and more about where I was going, because I slipped and busted ass in the most unphilosophical way. I could console myself with the thought that many thousands had slipped on those same steps in earlier generations, and that more suffered worse fates in the pit when the Romans used it for gladiatorial contests.  

Ephesus in the rain

 Just back from a whirlwind trip through Western Turkey, through the lands of ancient Lycia, Pamphylia, Ionia, Caria and Lydia, where I learned that you can't step in the same river twice but you can visit an ancient theater in every town. Nothing is ever the same but everything is comparable.

Centurions at Aspendos

And what better to compare than theaters, where the ancient world put itself most eagerly on display? As another great philosopher—the post-Socratic La Lupe—put it, "Teatro, lo tuyo es puro teatro."

Upper Galleries at Aspendos

We started with the most recent example, the great theater at Aspendos, built under the Roman empire, in the free-standing, enclosed Roman-style. Crashing the gate was much harder in a Roman theater than in a Greek theater. (That also probably made it harder for those about to be mauled by lions to contemplate escape.)

Hierapolis Theater, with downtown ancient Hierapolis in the background

 Then onto Hierapolis, perched above the thermal springs at Pamukkale. This was built in the Hellenistic period in the Greek style, on a sloping hill above town. The Romans later expanded it and added the two story proscenium. 

Hierapolis

Aphrodisias

My favorite was Aphrodisias. We had the entire vast site to ourselves on a gorgeous autumn afternoon. If you want to see ancient Greek and Roman ruins, come to Turkey. And it you want to see them in utter solitude, come to Turkey in November.

Hoya Gladiators in Aphrodisias

Aphrodisias was another Hellenistic theater later used for gladiatorial battles by the Romans. But it was never upgraded as ambitiously as Hierapolis, and fell into disuse earlier. Then Aphrodisias was entirely deserted and nearly forgotten for centuries. And as it is too far from any port for a half-day tour bus option from any cruise line, it gets relatively few visitors even in peak season.

The nearby stadium at Aphrodisias--not strictly a theater, but even more bleachers.

Assos theater, with the Aegean in the background

Last on our trip was the oldest in the group, the theater at Assos. 

Assos, another angle

Again, we were the only ones there. We spent an entire day, starting at the Temple of Athena at the Assos Acropolis, then winding our way down the hill past the Byzantine fortress, down through the ruins of the old city and the theater, and out to the Aegean. It was just us and the ghost of Aristotle prowling the ancient site.

In the cheap seats at Pergamum

Meanwhile, the same day I was at Assos with the Hoyas, Mary, her mom and the boys were debuting at Pergamum, maybe the most majestic setting of any of the ancient Anatolian theaters.

Pergamum. How did we get stuck with RFK?

Six theaters, one week, totally different (and that is not including the karaoke in Kuşadası). At the same time, I knew if I didn't label these photos soon they would start to blend together before long. Ephesus will be the one I never forget, since every time I think of it I will remember Heraclitus and falling down the stairs (which I hope never to do again).