Ancient City Anemurion

The first traces of human settlement in Anemurion date to the 8th century BC. In 52 AD, the city was besieged by the Cilician Clitae under the leadership of Troxobor, but the defenders held out. It was only King Antiochus IV of Commagene who managed to defeat the attackers. A severe earthquake in the 4th century destroyed the water supply, significantly impacting the city. Nevertheless, Anemurion continued to exist until the mid-7th century before it was abandoned.

The ancient city of Anemurion is situated in the Mersin Province in the Akdeniz (Mediterranean) region of Turkey, near the modern town of Anamur. It is located at an elevation of approximately 17 meters above sea level.

Today, visitors can explore the remains of the ancient city of Anemurion. These include a fortified upper city on a cape and an adjoining lower city. A necropolis houses around 350 tombs from the 1st to 4th centuries, some of which still show remnants of wall paintings and mosaics. Within the city, the remains of a theater, an odeon, three baths, and a colonnaded street can be seen. The mosaics in the odeon and the discernible water supply system in one of the baths are noteworthy.