Winter in Turkey

Today was our first real day of winter in Turkey. Very little sunlight, chilly wind but absolutely beautiful landscape where ever you look. We first started off in Sardis. Sardis located in Manisa Providence was on of the cities of the Persian empire.

A 1500 mile long Roman Road was made to reach the Aegean Sea, this made it possible for commerce to practice in trade. Sardis was advance in their manufacturing industry; we saw many ruin shops including some for making paint, creating hardware, dyeing fabric etc. These are only some of the things that were great for trade.

We next saw a beautiful synagogue that still had mosaics in the floor! This synagogue opened up from the Main Street. This made it seem like it was open to all not just Jews. Surprisingly there was a huge Roman gymnasium next to the synagogue; one of the largest in Turkey I believe, that honored Cesar. The grandness of this gymnasium is truly amazing, you can see that they honored exercise as well.

My favorite location of today was a medical healing center; Asklepios. Built in honor of the healing god Asklepios about 4th century BC. Many who where sick would travel from long distances to come to Asklepios and stay until they felt healed. There where sleeping quarters, along with a full library only containing comedy literature no tragedies aloud; and a great theater for entertainment.

Asklepios has many forms of treatment including: psychotherapy, mud baths, relaxing pools to soak in, sunbathing, massages with oils and creams, blood letting, healing herbal treatment and also a sacred spring that was said to cure all illness. There is also a sacred tunnel that many patients would rest in. Listening to soothing sounds of water, possibly looking at amazing art that encouraged healing, and sweet hymns being sung. After this the high priests doctors would lead you out into another resting area where patients would partake in some herbal treatments and then sleep. As they slept priest doctors would whisper into these pipes that where open in the ceiling such things as “be healed, be healed, Asklepios is with you”.

There was so much beauty to be seen in this one location and I can understand why so many traveled such a long way to experience this peaceful place of healing.

Mahalo,
Anne Renee