EUROMUS

Euromus

Ancient City

Muğla Province / Turkey

Euromos was an ancient city located in the province of Caria. It was first mentioned in the 5th century BC when it was known as Kyromos. The city was subdued by nearby Mylasa during the reign of King Mausolus of Halicarnassus in the 4th century BC but regained some autonomy during Roman rule. Its ruins are located approximately 4 km southeast of Selimiye and 12 km northwest of Milas in the Muğla Province of Turkey. It was situated at the foot of Mount Grium, which runs parallel to Mount Latmus, and was built by one Euromus, a son of Idris, a Carian.

Probably dating from the 6th century BC, Euromus was a member of the Chrysaorian League during Seleucid times. Euromus also minted its own coins from the 2nd century BCE to the 2nd century CE. Under the Roman dominion Euromus belonged to the conventus of Alabanda.

Category: Ancient City

Civilisation Caria /Asia Minor

The temple was built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD on the site of an earlier Carian temple However, the temple was never entirely completed. Today some of the standing columns seem to be never fluted. Tye reason was probably the economic crisis that hit the ancient city 1,800 years ago. As the inscriptions on the columns say, Wealthy citizens stepped forward with financial support and had their names engraved on plaques on some of the columns, but this support was insufficient. An inscription says that a physician named Menecrates donated five of the 32 columns of this temple, while another inscription mentions that a magistrate named Leo Quintus donated another seven.

Twelve columns have inscriptions indicating the donor who paid for their execution._edited

Inscription on a fluted columns of the Temple of Zeus Lepsynus.

Carving of a labrys (double-bitted axe), Zeus’ symbol, flanked by two ears.

Euromos stood on flat ground, which did not provide a natural defence so the city was protected by thick walls of ashlar masonry with towers at intervals. On the western slope of the hill are the remains of a small theatre facing west. Only a few rows of seats and some fragments of the stage building have been preserved. But the most striking monument is the Temple of Zeus Lepsinos, just outside the city wall, one of the best-preserved temples in Asia Minor.

Archaeologists have found terra cotta shards indicating that the temple site had its origins back at least to the 6th century BC. The temple is one of the best preserved classical temples in Turkey: sixteen columns remain standing and most of the columns are inscribed in honour of the citizen who commissioned their construction. Carian rock-cut tombs are also found at Euromus.

In July 2021, archaeologists have announced the discovery of two 2,500-year-old marble statues and an inscription during excavations at the Temple of Zeus Lepsynos. One of the statues was naked while other was wearing armor made of leather and a short skirt. Both of the statues were depicted with a lion in their hands.