Antiochos, a just, eminent god, friend of Romans and friend of Greeks, c. 86 BC – 38 BC, ruled 70 BC – 38 BC) was a king from the Greek Kingdom of Commagene and the most famous king of that kingdom.
The ruins of the tomb-sanctuary of Antiochus are magnificent to behold even today. The site of his interment atop Mount Nemrut, a.k.a. Nemrut dagi, was named to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1987. Several sandstone bas reliefs discovered at the site contain the oldest known images of two figures shaking hands.
«Στην κορυφή του Νεμρούτ Ντάγκ, up to Antitayro, in n. a.. Turkey, is a strange monument, at a height of 2.500 measures.
For the first time discovered a germanotoyrkiki joint archaeological expedition, the 1882. It is strange, However that since, as today, It was possible to investigate the inside of. Is the mausoleum of Adiochou 1st , the King of Commagene, a tiny Kingdom, that wasn't long life, and I just stood, the last echoes of the great adventure of Alexander in Asia.
"This is a stunning monument, very reminiscent and Persian works, but Egyptian together. The resemblance, on the other hand, with the Egyptian monuments by early researchers, they still had not noticed how everything, What monumental was constructed in East, mimicked much of Egypt's projects.
In Persepolis, the monuments of Artaxerxi and Darius, carved on the rock, totally reminiscent of the temples of the Valley of the Nile.
In Nemroyt Ntagk, the colossal statues were erected over the tomb of the Adiochou of the first, closely resemble the colossi of the temples of Thebes ".
The name Kingdom of Commagene
Researching various sources about the name of this Kingdom, we discovered that the name originates from the words party-genus which means part or part of a larger generation (genus). In a Turkish text says that it is from the words Kommoyn and Genes, who says as Greek words. The small land came after the decay of the Seleucid Empire (known as the Greco-Syrian Kingdom) the 162 e.g..
Other historians say that there is the name of the Assyrian texts Kummuhu, that is associated with the Kingdom of Commagene,.
First King of Commagene was the former satrap (Commander) When it ceased to be under the Seleucid Empire.
With the dissolution of the Greek-Syrian Empire proclaimed the Kingdom of Commagene independent with capital Samosata (who had previously built the Sami on the banks of the Euphrates-Turkey's current town of Samsat). In his Kingdom incorporated Greek and Persian peoples of the region.
The establishment of the Kingdom
The Ptolemaios according to an inscription found in the tomb of Mount Nemroyt was a descendant of King Darius I of Persia. His son succeeded the Sami b ' dubbed ' Theosebis ' Dikaios. From the later reign of Mithridates Callinicus of A΄toy (100 until 69 e.g.) the Kingdom of Commagene had miscarried the Persian past of, After being dominated in all levels of the Greek civilization. Established as an official language of the Greek State.
Mithridates married the Princess of ellinosyriakoy Kingdom Laodice Vii the Goddess and their son Antiochus 1st the ' God of Commagene ' took over the Kingdom the 70 e.g., until his death, the 38 e.g. Photo: The stone heads they have height 3 measures!
Huge sizes
Archaeologists have been impressed by the mausoleum of, which has a circumference of 30 measures and punctuating inscriptions.
The choice of venue for the project, made by the same King, in order to do meditation and Memorial place of pilgrimage for the people of. At the foot of mount this his father Mithridates founded the town Arsemeia.
According to the inscriptions Antiochus himself was proud of his ancestry after he stated that he was a descendant of Alexander the great and Darius!
In the eastern embankment of the monument there is an altar, While at the top of the project were erected 25 colossal statues in which only heads were worked with meticulous detail. In them we distinguish him Antiochus and around him the Sun God, Apollo of Greek, the Midas of Persians, the Fortuna, the goddess of fertility, the Malda Achoyra, the father of the gods, personification of Zeus, Hercules etc..
Today the stone heads are strewn around the mound. It is huge, over three meters each, and impress guests.
The vanity of Antiochus with the erection of the monument is open, After he proclaimed himself a representative of the gods on Earth! Theopoiise, Indeed, himself before he died and identified every worshipful detail around his grave.
"I believed always that piety is the most important asset and this gives the sweetest joy to mortals ' writes in an inscription on the monument of.
It is believed that an earthquake dropped the huge statues of the monument that reached the 15 meters high.
The archaiokapiloi, of course, over the centuries ,searching frantically for a coveted treasure, erected all devotional utensils were made of precious metal.
But they failed to catch up in the Interior of the monument, in order to loot the inside of. The stone is asikwtoi and volumes in these remote parts, for now at least, It is impossible to use modern mechanical means. Some effort was formerly bore no result because it rolled dangerously above rocks.
In an inscription seem to be written by Antiochus:
"Conceived the plan to raise close to celestial Thrones and foundations inaccessible and immune from the time this ' orothesion ' monument dedicated to the gods where my body, After old would sleep the eternal sleep, apochwrismeno from my soul reverent, you will fly to the celestial realms of Zeus-Achoyra Magda».
While in another you made:
I Antiochus, I set up this monument to glorify myself and my gods».
Typical is another inscription located as one ascends towards the entrance of the mound:
"This is the road to the sanctuary. Those who have bad intentions should leave immediately ".
Until today I have walked through the Tomb archaeologists. You might expect the first to dare archaiokapiloi!
So though, We will be able to learn the mystery of the tomb of an ancient King.
George Echedwros
