Comments can be written but are only visible after I have checked them: these pages are not forums for political debate - nor to just let the world know you exist!

Yorum yazabilirsiniz ama yorumlarınızı ben kontrol ettikten sonra sitede görebilirsiniz. Bu sayfalar politik tartışmalar ya da dünyaya hayatta olduğunuzu duyurmak için hazırlanmış forumlar değil!

I quote heavily from the Enc. Britt.: Tarsus is an ancient city, on the alluvial plain of ancient Cilicia. It’s the birthplace of St. Paul. Excavations show that, with some interruptions, settlements had existed there from Neolithic to Islâmic times. Tarsus' prosperity between the 5th century BC and the Arab invasions in the 7th century AD was based primarily on its fertile soil, its commanding position at the southern end of the Cilician Gates (the only major pass in the Taurus Range), and the excellent harbour of Rhegma, which enabled Tarsus to establish strong connections with the Levant. The first historical record of Tarsus is its rebuilding by the Assyrian king Sennacherib (705–681 BC). Thereafter, Achaemenid and Seleucid rule alternated with periods of autonomy. In 67 BC Tarsus was absorbed into the new Roman province of Cilicia. The famous first meeting between Mark Antony and Cleopatra took place there in 41 BC. And of course Paul of Tarsus was born here. During the Roman and early Byzantine periods, Tarsus was one of the leading cities of the Eastern Empire, with an economy based on agriculture and an important linen industry. Modern Tarsus continues to be a prosperous agricultural and cotton-milling centre.

I visited in September 2005 and liked the place. Not very much to see, but a fine town. I was told there are some sights in the vicinity that I missed on this one visit. I returned in September 2007 and added the results.