031: Discover Istanbul and the best ancient cities of classical world (Aegean Coast) & Dig in the Roman City of Sanisera (Spain)

General Information

This program, which has been scheduled by The Sanisera Archaeology Institute for International Field Schools, is divided in two main parts. In the first part of the course students will gain experience in archaeological fieldwork by excavating in the Ancient Roman city of Sanisera, which is located in the Mediterranean island of Menorca. During the second part, students will discover the most significant remains from ancient cities of Classical world through an archaeological tour that will start in Istanbul and will continue visiting the Aegean Coast, leaded by an expert on ancient art.

Part 1. The archaeological fieldwork in Sanisera (Menorca, Spain)

The research is focused on the archaeological excavation of Sanisera and it studies what happened in this Roman port connected to the maritime traffic that sailed the Mediterranean during those times. As a result, we know that this is a very interesting archaeological site, with abundant findings of multiple artifacts that will help us to reconstruct its past.

The excavation at the Roman city of Sanisera provides all the archaeological documentation necessary for the student to acquire enough training and experience in all aspects involving an excavation of the Roman civilization from the II century B.C. to the VI A.D.

In the laboratory students will learn to classify all the artifacts found on the site, including Roman pottery, numismatics and faunal remains.

Time dedicated to this part of the program: 70%.

Part 2. Discover Istanbul and the best five ancient cities of Classical world: Ephesus, Pergamum, Priene, Miletus and Didyma (Aegean Coast, Turkey)

For the second part of the course, the Field Program has scheduled an archaeological tour that will start in Istanbul. Its first destination will be Selçuk, where students will visit the most important classical remains of Ephesus, Pergamum, Priene, Miletus and Didyma y some of their renowned archaeological museums. This tour will have a duration of six days and explanations will be in English.

Istanbul, with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, is a unique city of contrasts. There are many fascinating sights including Sultanahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque), Topkapi Palace and the great basilica of Hagia Sophia built by Justinian in 537 AD.

The National Archaeological Museum of Istanbul was built by the sultans in the late century to house their collection of antiquities from across the Ottoman Empire. It is an amazing Greek and Roman sculpture collection that includes the sarcophagus from the necropolis of Sidon. The most relevant one is without a doubt The Alexander Sarcophagus, a late 4th century BC Hellenistic stone sarcophagus adorned with bas-relief carvings of Alexander the Great.

Ephesus, it was once a major port city on the Aegean Sea and one of the best preserved and most visited ancient Roman cities in the world. It was the crossroads of the north-south and east-west trade routes in Asia Minor, and also the center of politics and religion. In fact, ancient Ephesus had perhaps as many as 250,000 residents. Many of their homes have not been excavated or refurbished. From Roman houses stand above the so called Yamaç Evleri, with excellent frescoes like those in Pompeii.

The Library of Celsus is the most beautiful of the restored buildings in Ephesus. Today, the library consists of a rebuilt façade, without the rooms that once contained thousands of scrolls. Walk its grand marble streets to see the Temple of Hadrian. See the Temple of Artemis (once home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). It was also here that St. Paul preached some of his most famous sermons and where the Virgin Mary Spent her final days, a Vatican designated place of pilgrimage. The excellent site museum is also situated at Selçuk.

Pergamum, under the rule of Alexander the Great, became a major metropolis and capital city. Four distinctions of Pergamum at the time: a major medical center and the second largest library in the world (200.000 books) that Mark Antony plundered to stock books that he gave to Cleopatra. The parchment was invented in this city by Eumenes, as a surface made with animal skin used to write.

In Pergamum we will visit two ancient sites. The first is the Acropolis. It is set high on a hillside and dominates the surrounding countryside. Other ruins include the library, the Temple of Athena and the crowning temple dedicated to Trajan. It is also possible to see the lower temple of Zeus and a Hellenistic theatre. The second site is the Asklepion Health Center of Pergamum. This hospital was named after Asklepios, the god of health and life. The remains have several pools, tunnels, a running track and a sophisticated theatre.

Priene, a magical site, was once one of the most active ports of the Ionian Confederacy. Alexander the Great stayed here. It has the impressive public monuments -stadium, temples and agora stand as very substantial ruins. Miletus, home of philosophers and scientists, is also included in the tour with its theatre, Baths of Faustina, gymnasium and nymphaeum. A sacred road once joined Miletus and the Didyma sanctuary. In Didyma you will discover the colossal Temple of Apollo where crowds of pilgrims came to consult the oracle. Is one of the best preserved of the ancient sanctuaries.

Time dedicated to this part of the program: 30%.

 

---

The Hellenistic theater of Pergamum

Frescoes of Ephesus roman houses

The colossal Temple of Apollo in Didyma

Temple dedicated to Trajan in Pergamum

The Alexander Sarcophagus in Istanbul national Museum

The Sanisera Roman city in Menorca, Balearic Island

Student digging in the Roman city of Sanisera

Discovering archaeological finds from the fieldwork in Sanisera