| Nemrut Mountain |
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| Written by emin02 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunday, 21 March 2010 13:41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1. Nemrud: Throne of the Gods The Nemrud is a mountain of the Taurus Range. From a height of 2,206 metres it dominates the entire landscape. From whatever side you approach it, its distinctive peak can be seen. The mountain is only accessible during the summer months. The rest of the year it is covered by snow and ice. The last priest of Kommagene probably left the sanctuary on Mount Nemrud in 72 A.D., after the rebelling King Antiochos IV had lost the war with Rome. For almost two thousand years, only the wailing of the wind disturbed the rest of the three kings who are buried here. The Christian population, which came later to live here, knew nothing of the origins of the sanctuary. They thought that it had to be the work of the legendary Nimrod from the Old Testament. Therefore they called the mountain after the first powerful ruler on earth, Nemrud. It was not until the nineteenth century, that the German, Karl Sester, discovered the sanctuary on Mount Nemrud. He was less astonished by the impressive ruins than by the total absence of them on any map of Asia Minor. After his discovery, the Turkish archeologist, Hamdi Bey, began the first excavations on the mountain. German and American archeologists took over the work and continued it to this day. The work of Professor Dörner, Professor Goell and Professor Sahin is worthy of note. The builder of the sanctuary, King Antiochos, wanted it not only to be his Hierothesion, but also the centre of his new religion. This religion had to unite in a peaceful fashion, the Persian Parthian world with the Greek Roman world. From the top of Mount Nemrud his new religion would radiate over the whole world. Three terraces were built on the mountain. The East, West and North Terrace. To make these terraces large enough, the builders of Kommagene had to cut away almost the whole mountains top. For the East Terrace alone 1,500 cubic metres of solid rock had to be cut away. On the West Terrace, you can see from a ten metre high rock face, left of the summit, what an enormous undertaking it must have been. The burial mound (tumulus), which covers the top of Mount Nemrud, was built from the innumerable pieces of angular and sharp stones thus produced. The tumulus has a height of 50 metres and at the base a diameter of 150 metres. An ancient processional way surrounds the tumulus. 2. The East Terrace The worn treads of a rock stairway lead you to the East Terrace. The first thing you see, as you reach the square, is a row of five enormous statues. Massive and lifeless, they look down on you from their thrones. They are in perfect harmony with the surrounding mountain landscape. The fallen heads of the statues have been set in front of them. You see from left to right:
The gods are shown sitting, not as is usual, standing, because the top of Mount Nemrud is their home. "Here," says King Antiochos, "are standing their heavenly thrones". Originally the statues were 8 to 10 metres high. They are made of limestone, now dull and weathered. Formerly, when the sun shone on their smooth, polished surface, their brilliance must have been visible from a great distance. The statues tower over two raised platforms cut from the rock. On the lower, stood five steles, four showing the king welcoming the gods and one stele, depicting a horoscope. Little has remained of these steles, but on the West terrace they are quite well reserved. The court was originally paved with white slabs. A number of these have been found and set by the pedestal of the Lion Horoscope on the West Terrace. Opposite the statues, at the other side of the court, there is a stepped platform. This is the restored fire altar. If you stand with your back to the statues, you see to your left and right, a long row of pedestals with the remnants of steles. On each of those steles was portrayed an ancestor of Antiochos. To the left, were the Persian ancestors, led by the King of Kings, Darius I. To the right were the Greek ancestors, led by Alexander the Great. 3. The Nomos: The Holy Law of Antiochos If you stand behind the statue of Zeus, you can read the letters N O M O [ (Nomos). Here, the Holy Law of Antiochos begins. The Nomos of the Nemrud can be regarded as the testament of Antiochos. To guide the people Antiochos initiated the Nomos, the Holy Law. (*) Maybe, as part of his education, Antiochos in his younger years, undertook a long journey to the east to visit some of the cities which were founded by his famous ancestor, Alexander the Great, such as Bucephala and Alexandra along the river Indus. It is possible that during this travel he learned about of Buddha. And maybe this impressed Antiochos so much that from the Holy Law of Buddha, Antiochos developed the Holy Law or the Nomos. Whatever has been the cause, in all the sanctuaries in Kommagene the Nomos is inscribed. At Mount Nemrud, Antiochos carved the Nomos on the back of the gigantic statues. In the Nomos, he tells the people how and when they have to honour the Great Gods. Antiochos says: "This Nomos is proclaimed by me, but it is the power of the gods that makes it law." Further, Antiochos says that it is his intention to reveal this law to : "Kommagenians and foreigners, kings, rulers, freemen, slaves, all who are part of humanity and only differ by birth or fate." Antiochos requested firmly that everybody would act according to this law. He also included the people of future times: "All the future generations of humans who will possess this land in the cause of the endless times, are asked to follow the holy law." His reference to future people is remarkable. Antiochos understood that after him and after his people, others will come to live in this region. An example of his humility and wisdom. In the Nomos of the Nemrud, we can read his testimony at the end of his life: This conviction has led to my prosperous power and the beneficial use of it. The whole of my life, I was standing in front of my subjects as a person who considers his respect to the gods as his most trustworthy defence weapon..... That is why I escaped, contrary to all expectation, the greatest dangers, I mastered unforeseen, hopeless situations and I passed my life, rich in years, in happiness." Indeed, it is a historical fact, that Antiochos and his small kingdom were subjected to all kinds of dangers. From the west, the Romans were approaching and from the east, the Parthians. Under the reign of Antiochos, Kommagene became the centre of the ruthless struggle of both super powers. It is remarkable that Kommagene remained independent and even reached its most flourishing period! 4. The North Terrace The pilgrims assembled at the foot of the mountain from the surrounding valleys. Here they were provided with food and drink by the servants of the priests. From there, two processional ways led to the sanctuary on the mountain. Both processional ways are marked with a stele close to the sanctuary. On these steles is carved a text. Here, Antiochos informs the visitors that they set foot on consecrated ground and should behave themselves as such. The southern processional way was for the nobles of Kommagene and ended on the West Terrace. The northern was for the common people and led to the North Terrace. At the North Terrace, in the forecourt of the sanctuary, the people were prepared for their meeting with the gods. With some difficulty you can find the worn ramp, where the people entered the North Terrace. From there, they moved in procession to the East Terrace along the 85 metre long row of steles, which separates the North Terrace from the rest of the sanctuary. These steles bear neither portraits nor inscriptions, as Antiochos intended them for his descendants. 5. The West Terrace Walking further round the tumulus, you reach the West Terrace, the most sacred place on the mountain. From this terrace, you look out on the edge of the plain of Mesopotamia, the cradle of our civilization. The sun, the moon and all stars of the zodiac rise on your left, reaching their zenith directly in front of you, and descending to your right. The West Terrace was not accessible to the common people. The processional way, which led the nobles to this terrace, ended at the open place on the north side of the terrace. Here was the entrance to this terrace. The entrance was guarded by a monstrous lion with three heads. Walking down, you will find the monster fallen, face down. The statues on this terrace are the same as those on the East Terrace, but greatly surpass them in beauty. The statues are also in a less exalted position than those of the East Terrace which look down on the people from their raised platforms. The fallen heads of the statues have been set in front of them. The resemblance between the head of Antiochos and the god Apollo is striking. Apollo was the only god to whom Antiochos assigned his own priest to celebrate his rites. What made this god so special? Apollo/Mithras is a combination of the Greek sun god, Apollo, and the Persian god, Mithras. About 1,400 B.C. the god Mithras is mentioned for the first time in a treaty of the Hitites. Further, he is mentioned in the Indian Vedas as a friend of the humans. He is the mediator between the Gods and the humans. In the Vedas we can read: "Mithras ! The mortal. This honourable and friendly Mithras is born as a wise ruling King." Mithras means literally Ally. Each god bestowed a gift to the people of Kommagene. One of the gifts considered to be from Mithras was petroleum, for which people are searching nowadays in this region. The Roman soldiers were so impressed by Mithras, that he became their favourite god. The legions propagated his worship throughout the whole of the ancient world. Finally, Mithras was even worshipped in England in underground sanctuaries. Without Christ, people would probably still worship Mithras. Opposite the statues you see a long row of pedestals, on which stood the steles of the Greek ancestors of Antiochos. At a right angle to this row stood another row of steles, depicting his Persian ancestors. From these steles the ones of Darius and Xerxes are well preserved. In front of each stele is a small altar. Inscriptions have been found on two of those altars. They have, for a large part, been chiselled away. These inscriptions date from earlier times. The following scheme is a survey of the Greek and Persian ancestors who have been depicted. Because there is not much left of the steles, this survey is assumed to be most likely. Standing in front of the row of steles, you could see originally from left to right:
Much attention was given by Antiochos that everyone would be aware that he was related to the dynasty of the King of Kings, Darius I, by the marriage of princess Rhodogune to his ancestor Orontes. The father of Rhodogune was the Persian king, Artaxerxes. In 401 B.C. he defeated his younger brother, who tried to throw him from his throne. Because of the help Artaxerxes received from his military commander, Orontes, he gave his daughter in marriage to him.
The same ancestors have been depicted in the same sequence on the East Terrace. The necessary sandstone to carve the steles from the East Terrace, has been taken from two quarries at the foot of the mountain. The steles form a great contrast to the massive forms of the rest of the complex. The soft sandstone from which they are made, appears anything but "imperishable", like Antiochos called it in the inscriptions. This material was suitable for i.e. Samosata but not for the harsh climate on top of the mountain. Next to the statues are five large steles. They are equal to those from the lower platform of the East Terrace. On four of them King Mithradates I Kallinikos welcomes the gods. From left to right you see the Goddess of Kommagene, next Apollo, then Zeus and finally Herakles. Their name is carved at the back of the stele. Archaeologists have found that those names have been carved over an earlier text. To honour the god he greets, the king wears on his tiara the stylised leafs of the plant dedicated to that god. For the Goddess of Kommagene the king wears the leaves of a pomegranate, for Apollo, laurel leaves, for Zeus oak leaves and for Herakles, vine leaves. Next to the stele of Herakles, you see the fifth stele, known as the Lion Horoscope. Just like the row of 5 statues from Antiochos, the row of 5 steles of Mithradates, is flanked on both sides by an eagle and a lion. 6. The Tomb of the three Kings Under the tumulus is hidden a tomb. Several attempts were made to find it by digging tunnels straight through the tumulus (burial mound). Many have tried, but neither Romans nor modern man have been able to disturb the rest of the dead. The reason for this, is that the burial chamber lies in the massive rock of the mountain itself and not under the loose stones of the tumulus. (*) There is a theory that there exists a tunnel, cut from the living rock. First, you have to go down a few steps, after which the tunnel gradually descends to the interior of the mountain. After passing a side tunnel, you reach the burial chamber. In this chamber there are three tombs of marble. In the middle tomb lies King Antiochos and in the two other tombs, rest his father Mithradates and another king. Their bodies are still in good condition. The burial chamber measures about 5 x 9 metres with a height of 2.40 metres. If you believe the inscriptions, one cannot enter the burial chamber without danger: "The face of a demon has been set as a guard, whom men can neither defy nor free themselves from." 7. The Manifestation of the Great Gods There were two important annual celebrations. On the 16th of Audnaios, a day in January/December, the birth of Antiochos was celebrated. The 10th of Loos, the 14th of July, was not only the coronation day of Antiochos, but also the day of the "Manifestation of the Great Gods", as the inscriptions called it. The daily life of Kommagene came to a halt then and for two days the people joined in the celebrations on Mount Nemrud or the temenos, the local sanctuaries built by King Mithradates I. All these ceremonies were recorded in detail in the Nomos, which Antiochos carved on the back of the statues of both the East and West Terraces. (*) If we had lived in that time, maybe we could have seen the long ribbon of bright lights climbing the mountain shortly before midnight. Hundreds of people assembled at the North Terrace. From there they proceeded to the East Terrace. They took their places on either side of the court. The court was bathed in the soft light of the full moon. Motionless, the gods looked down on them, while the Moon sank slowly behind the tumulus. Fires burned in great metal dishes set on tripods. Fitful shadows danced over the lifeless figures of gods and humans. It was completely silent. The king stood at the fire altar, awaiting the gods. His cloak billowed in the strong wind. The tension mounted. Suddenly the trumpets sounded, clear and shrill. A shudder ran through the mountain. It seemed as if the gods rose from their thrones of stone and their massive forms darkened the stars.... A few hours later the sun bathed everything in a golden glow. The ceremony was at an end and the citizens returned home satisfied. Once again it had been demonstrated that they were under the protection of the gods.
8. The Legend of the White People It is remarkable that simular to the Manifestation of the Great Gods in Kommagenian times, the local people of today have worshipped the manifestation of the so-called white people. On a hot summers evening of July 1987, an old woman named Firat from the village of Eski Kâhta, told me following: "Long ago, before the Prophet (1), there was a group of soldiers on their way to the town of Malatya. They were passing through the Taurus mountain range. At sunset they wearied. They had very little food. One of the soldiers saw in the distance a light. They went towards the light and came upon a house. The house was inhabited by an old man with white hair together with his daughter and a boy. The soldiers were given food. After they had finished their meal they saw to their astonishment that there was as much food left as when they began. They did not understand this. They left the house and reached the town of Malatya without any further events. On their return from Malatya they decided to visit the house again. They refound the house and received hospitality again. The commander of the soldiers took a fancy to the daughter of the old man. After the meal, the commander then asked the old man for the hand of his daughter in marriage. The old man did not want, but he was afraid that the soldiers would take his daughter by force. That's why he granted the request and the soldiers left with his daughter. When they arrived at Eski Kâhta, at the same place where the holy house now stands (2), the girl asked them to stop for a moment. She descended into the dry streambed of a water course. She passed her hand lightly over the dry soil and magically a spring of water bubbled up. That spring still exists. She drank the water and washed herself. Then she asked the earth to open and bury her. Before the soldiers knew what was happening, the earth opened and she disappeared. Since that time it is a holy place and the people built a house on her grave. The girl, together with some friends appeared after some time to the people at this place and at three other places in the region. In spring at Eski Kâhta, in summer on a mountain nearby Malatya, in autumn at Gerger and in winter somewhere in the Taurus mountain range. At Eski Kâhta, the annual appearance took place at the holy house (2)." The old woman said that when she was a child, each wednesday and friday in spring, the villagers gathered at the end of the day in front of the holy house. They lit candles in the holy house and prayed. After sunset the people had to return to their houses. Nobody should disturb the girl and her friends who came at night to pray in the holy house. Only a few people were allowed to stay. The old woman told me that her parents have witnessed the appearance of the girl and her friends. She said that they were smaller than normal people and had white hair. 1. Kommagene: The Forgotten Kingdom The kingdom of Kommagene was situated in the south east of Turkey, at the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. "Oaks and plane trees cover the hillsides. The valleys are full of fig, olive, walnut and pomegranate trees, grapevines and oleanders, nowhere do the corn fields give such an abundant harvest. " You can hardly imagine that this description was given less than one hundred years ago, by a German who travelled through this region. If you read his report, it seems as if he describes paradise. Indeed, it is said that here once blossomed the garden of Eden. Today, this land resembles little its former paradise. Most of the trees have been felled and goats are busily eating away the last vestiges of vegetation. Nevertheless, irrigation, presently undertaken, will work miracles, and efforts are undertaken to refoster the land. The soil is very fertile and silver mountain water sparkles from the numerous springs. In the past, Kommagene was a very rich region known for its wealth of minerals and ores such as brown coal, gypsum, iron, gold and petroleum. A part of this richness has been re-discovered. In the sixties for example, an archaeologist panned successfully for gold in the Euphrates. Another discovery has been petroleum. During the last few years there has been extensive drilling for crude oil. everywhere on the landscape the oil rigs of the Turkish Petrol Organisation (TPO) are multiplying, drilling for black gold. But now, we have to travel back in time. Around 850 B.C. Kommagene appears for the first time in the annals of written history. According to the records of an Assyrian king, the population had to pay an annual tribute to him of gold, silver and the famous wood of the cedar trees. Apparently, the valuable cedar tree not only grew on the hillsides of the Lebanon in those days, but also in Kommagene. Kommagene became a satellite state of the Assyrians. Around 700 B.C. a Kommagenian king rebelled against the Assyrians. The Assyrian king, Sargon, defeated him. Sargon has given us a vivid description of this rebel king : " He is a godless man, who does not fear the gods. He plots only bad things and is full of cunning." We may assume that Sargons' description is a little subjective. Sargon continues: " I took his wife, his sons, his daughters, his possessions, his treasures, and finally I took the population of his land and had them deported to the south of Mesopotamia (Iraq). Nobody escaped. The people of the south of Mesopotamia I transferred to Kommagene." As we see, the policy of deporting people was already exercised in those days. Around 600 B.C. the Assyrians were defeated by the Babylonians. The last battle was fought at Samosata, a town which would become the future capital of Kommagene. Here, at the banks of the Euphrates the remains of the Assyrian army had united with the Egyptian army to withstand the Babylonians. The Babylonian king defeated the united forces. The people of Kommagene saw, how in their turn the Babylonians were replaced by the Persians, around 550 B.C. and then the Persians by the Greek intruders under Alexander the Great. Around 300 B.C. one of the heirs of Alexander the Great came into possession of the land. It was King Seleukos I Nicator, who founded the dynasty of the Seleucides. He is one of the Greek ancestors of the Kommagenian kings. Around 130 B.C. Kommagene became an independent kingdom. 2. King Mithradates I Kallinikos Like many of the other small kingdoms of Asia Minor, Kommagene was a melting pot of people from east and west. They had different cultures, habits and spoke different tongues. They certainly did not feel united as one people. Family ties and bonds of blood were more important than belonging to the people of Kommagene. King Mithradates did a great deal to change this attitude. For example, he organised each year in Kommagene, Olympic Games in honour of the ancestors. Those games could virtually be compared with the Olympic Games of the Greeks. In his younger years, King Mithradates was one of the participants, which made him popular amongst the Kommagenians. His skills won him many victories. As a result of his sporting achievements, Mithradates received the honourable name Kallinikos. This means literally 'He who triumphs beautifully'. Mithradates married a Seleucid princess, named Laodike. (*) They begot three daughters and after bearing their fourth daughter, they began to despair of ever having a son. This was very important, as without a son there was no heir to the throne, so the stability of the kingdom would be threatened. The joy and relief when Laodike bore a son was immense. He was given the name of the father of Laodike, Antiochos. Mithradates was in need of help, for Kommagene was surrounded by powers which outnumbered Kommagene many times. Therefore Mithradates concluded a treaty with the gods. We do not know whether these gods were real or imaginary. Obviously it helped to protect his small kingdom and keep it independent. Secondly this treaty softened the mutual discordance of his people. The population of Kommagene was a varied mixture of people, coming from different origins. They hardly felt that they were related to each other. However, by this treaty with the gods, there grew the feeling amongst them that they were a chosen people, favoured by the gods and under their protection. As a consequence of this, Mithradates could forge a link between the different population groups in his kingdom. To honour this treaty, Mithradates had built all over the country small sanctuaries, called temenos. The temenos of King Mithradates were built on top of striking points in the landscape. From there you could always see the most important of them all, the sanctuary on top of holy Mount Nemrud. Each of these sanctuaries consisted of five stone slabs, depicting King Mithradates shaking hands with one of the gods. Mithradates gave each of the five gods a Greek and a Persian name:
The Greek and Persian names of the gods meant that each Kommagenian, whether he had Greek or Persian ancestors, felt close to them. These stone slabs were known as steles. By these steles, Mithradates made everyone aware that through him alone, all of his subjects were under the protection of the gods. These temenos had to bear testimony of his treaty with the gods. The 10th of Loos, the 14th of July was called the day of the "Manifestation of the Great Gods". It was also the day chosen for the coronation of Mithradates. Each year, on that particular day, all the citizens of Kommagene assembled at the small sanctuaries within reach of their village or town, to celebrate this occasion. King Mithradates gathered together the nobles and other important men of Kommagene on top of Mount Nemrud. There, in the presence of hundreds of Kommagenians, the king received the representatives of the Great Gods. For the people of Kommagene this was the annual confirmation of their treaty with the gods.
4. Art Kommagene had an art tradition which was completely its own. It was an unique synthesis of Greek and Persian art. Antiochos stimulated the art in a special way. He gathered together at his court a group of artists and scientists. They were called Philoi, the 'Friends of the King'. Under the reign of King Mithradates the art was still dominated by eastern influences. During the reign of Antiochos, the style became more naturalistic and less stylised. Antiochos himself, preferred the Greek culture. He called himself literally a 'Friend of Greeks and Romans'. The statues on top of Mount Nemrud became the crowning glory of Kommagenian art. Here, east and west fused into total harmony. A beautiful example is the head of Antiochos at the West Terrace. Any superfluous detail that could possibly disturb the form of the statue has been avoided. There are no luxuriant beards, jewellery and other ornaments. In this way a harmonic tension has been realised in the carving of Antiochos. Even today the gazing head of Antiochos impresses the people by its timeless beauty. 5. Trade Trade was an important source of income. The growing difficulties between the Romans and the Parthians hindered the profitable trade between east and west. The only independent state between both super powers, Kommagene, was an acceptable trading partner for the Romans as well as the Parthians. The Kommagenian traders could travel freely through the land of the Parthians. They brought among other things, exotic animals and spices from India and silk from China. Antiochos could levy heavy tolls, as he controlled the passes of the Taurus Range as well as the crossings of the Euphrates river. Because of its wealth, Kommagene was not only a transit point but could afford to import costly goods as well. The traders sold their valuable wares in Samosata to Roman traders and prosperous Kommagenian citizens. Under the reign of Antiochos, Samaosata became the centre of trade between the east and west. Here, Parthians, Kommagenians, Romans, Greeks and Arabs met. 6. War with Rome
After the Romans had obtained a foothold in Western Turkey, they captured one by one, the kingdoms of Asia Minor, Bythinia, Pisidia, Galatia and Cappadocia. After Pergamum, they captured around 80 B.C. Bythinia and Pisidia. At the same time the Parthians reached the borders of Kommagene.
Around 70 B.C. the Romans destroyed their greatest enemy, the kingdom of Pontus. Next, the Romans overran the mighty ally of Pontus, the kingdom of Arm. To complete their conquest, the Romans continued swiftly to the last independent kingdom, Kommagene. Like a steam roller, they invaded this small country.
In 69 B.C. the capital of Kommagene, Samosata, was besieged. Then the unexpected happened. The Roman war machine was stopped. To their horror, the Roman soldiers were ombarded with an alien substance, unknown outside Kommagene. A Roman historian Plinius recorded; "a soldier who is touched by it, burns with all his weapons". Obviously the fear caused by this weapon was tremendous. Samosata could not be captured. There was a personal meeting between the Roman consul Lucullus and King Antiochos. We do not know what they discussed, but it resulted in the withdrawal of the Roman legions. Still, the situation remained tense for Kommagene, as it was caught between two walls. On one side, the imperialistic, warlike Romans and on the other, the powerful realm of the Parthians.
In 64 B.C. the Romans continued their conquests. The remnants of the Seleucid state were swept away and absorbed into the province of Syria. By this time Rome had subjected all the independent states of Asia Minor, except for Kommagene. Kommagene even profited from the fall of the Seleucid state, by gaining a limited extension of territory. From the strategic position of Kommagene, it was obvious that sooner or later Rome had to conquer that land or halt its eastward expansion. Therefore, Antiochos reinforced his ties with the Parthians by giving his daughter, Laodike, in marriage to the Parthian king. They begat a son named Pakoros. He was the favourite of his father and heir to the throne. The wars in Asia Minor continued. In 53 B.C. the Parthians defeated the Romans and conquered Syria. Now, the subjected kingdom of Pontus felt strong enough to rebel against the Roman ursurper. Julius Caesar marched to Asia Minor and suppressed the rebellion. On the occasion of this victory, Caesar spoke the famous words : "I came, I saw, I conquered." After the assassination of Julius Caesar, the Roman Empire was divided among his successors. Marcus Antonius received the east and Octavianus the west. Marcus Antonius held court at Tarsus, where his beloved Cleopatra kept him company. Even Julius Caesar had succumbed to the beauty of the queen of Egypt. Marcus Antonius defeated an army of the Parthians in 38 B.C. He killed Pakoros, the Parthian crown prince. His mother, Laodike and his father, the king of the Parthians, were full of grief. Antiochos felt compassion with his daughter and her husband for the loss of their son and wanted to help them. When the survivors of the battle fled to Kommagene, Antiochos accorded them protection. He refused to yield the fugitives to Marcus Antonius. Instead, to avoid war, Antiochos offered the Roman 1000 talents. An amount equivalent to more than 25 tons of silver. Marcus Antonius now saw a possibility to take possession of all the gold and silver of Kommagene, a land famed for its wealth. He refused the offer of Antiochos and demanded the entire treasure of Kommagene. Naturally, Antiochos did not feel inclined to agree. Marcus Antonius, saw this as a grave insult by a petty local chieftain. He ordered his legions to invade Kommagene immediately. He himself stayed at the court of Tarsus in expectation of good tidings. In the meantime, he enjoyed the company of his beloved Cleopatra. Unfortunately, the good tidings did not arrive. On the contrary, he received a message that the siege of Samosata was at a standstill. Marcus Antonius was forced to say farewell to the good life at the court. He left Tarsus and took personal command of his legions. To avoid failure, King Herod of Judea was summoned to his aid. Marcus Antonius felt confident that the job would soon be done. Maybe this has happened: (*) As the siege of Samosata continued the Kommagenian soldiers were amassing in the outlying districts of Kommagene. Loyal to the call of their king, every civilian who could wield a weapon reported for duty. When their numbers were sufficient, they began an attack on the supply columns of Marcus Antonius. Soon the Romans were cut off from their supplies. Marcus Antonius had to send out his cavalry to re establish his provisions. This was exactly what the military council of Kommagene had counted on. Now the time had come for the dreaded elite corps of Kommagene, the heavy armoured cavalry, to move in. Horse and rider were protected by a heavy armour of black steel, which made them almost invulnerable. They numbered only a few hundred riders, but when they attacked, no enemy could stop them. This steel hammer was the pride of Kommagene. In the mist of early morning they awaited the Romans. The horses nervously kicked the ground with their hooves. Suddenly, the shrill sound of the trumpets rent the silence. On that signal the riders advanced. It was too late for the surprised Romans to retreat. Hastily, the Roman cavalry closed their ranks to withstand the first blow. When the trumpets sounded a second time, the Kommagenian riders glided into gallop. The earth trembled. Like rolling thunder they approached the Romans. With a tremendous blow the heavily armoured riders clashed onto the Romans. The light armoured Romans were felled like skittles. The Kommagenian riders ploughed through their ranks. Cold bloodely, the disciplined Romans pulled themselves together. Counting on their far greater numbers, they tried to encircle the small iron force. Again the trumpets sounded shrill. From behind the elite corps, like the wings of an eagle, two regiments of mounted archers swarmed out on both sides. A barrage of arrows was shot into the ranks of the Romans. Their light armour was insufficient protection against the piercing steel arrows and many of them were injured. While the heavily armoured cavalry continued to beat the Romans into the arms of the Kommagenian archers, the archers systematically shot them off their horses. Panic arose and the Romans broke their ranks. First they lost their heads and then their lives. At the end of the day, Marcus Antonius had lost all his cavalry. Caught between the walls of Samosata and the Kommagenian cavalry, he was changed from the besieger into the besieged. Whatever happened, Marcus Antonius was forced to relinquish the siege of Samosata. His ally, Herod, did not wait for the final outcome and had already returned to his kingdom, Judea. Empty handed, Marcus Antonius had to retreat. The magnanimous Antiochos gave him 300 talents to soften the blow. In exchange, Marcus Antonius had to deliver a renegade to Antiochos. Antiochos insisted on this, as he hated faithlessness and treachery. 7. The End of Kommagene Shortly after these events, Antiochos died. Antiochos was interred in the sanctuary on the Nemrud, where his body was laid to rest in the tomb probably next to the tomb of his father. The son of Antiochos, Mithradates II, succeeded him to the throne. Kommagene was no longer a match for the Roman Empire. Under the reign of Mithradates II, Kommagene became a satellite state and finally a part of the province of Syria. When the Parthian crown prince was slain in battle against the Romans, the sorrow of the king was so great that he abdicated. It was no comfort to him that Antiochos, the grandfather of the crown prince, was risking his kingdom by providing protection for the survivors of the defeated Parthian army. The Parthian king was succeeded by one of his other sons. This son was merciless. He murdered everyone who could possibly threaten his throne. Laodike and her children were also assassinated. Mithradates II transferred the body of his sister to Kommagene and buried her at the burial mound of Karakus (Black Bird). He placed the beautiful relief slab in memory of her. It shows his farewell to Laodike. From the inscriptions, we learn that Mithradates was very fond of her : "She was the most beautiful of all women..." Also his mother Isias and his second sister Antiochis are buried here, together with Aka, the daughter of Antiochis. Mithradates built Karakus on the banks of the river Nymphaios. From the galleries of his summer residence, high above the dizzy depths of the ravine, he looked out over the green valley of the Nymphaios, at the striking mound of Karakus. In this way his beloved ones would always be close to him, even after their death. His jealous brother, Antiochos II, tried to overthrow Mithradates II from his throne. For this, Antiochos II was adjucated by the Romans. The senate of Rome sentenced him to death and in 29 B.C. he was executed in Rome. Kommagene became independent for the last time under King Antiochos IV. That was only for a short time. In 74 A.D. Kommagene lost its independence. The Kommagene army was defeated by the Roman legions. The small army of Kommagene was disbanded. Its dreaded archers and heavily armoured cavalry were absorbed into the Roman army as the 'cohortes Comagenorum'. To avoid any rebellion in the future, the Roman soldiers destroyed all the statues and buildings which recalled the earlier greatness of Kommagene. They demolished the sanctuary on holy Mount Nemrud. Kommagene died and the Nemrud began its long sleep, disturbed only by the howling of the mountain wind and the visit of a lost shepherd. 1. The Lion Horoscope The Lion Horoscope, at the West Terrace of the Nemrud, is the oldest known horoscope in the world. It depicts a constellation which will not be seen for the forthcoming 25,000 years.
The animation at the next page shows the sky as if you yourself were present at the West Terrace on top of the Nemrud on the 14th of July 109 B.C. Please, enjoy it! The Lion Horoscope is a is a stone slab measuring 1.75 x 2.40 metres with a thickness of 0.47 metres. It shows a lion marching to the right. It is the Lion Horoscope. The body of the lion is covered with 19 stars. Each star has 8 pointed rays. Apart from a small difference the positions of the 19 stars represent the constellation of Lion as described in the Ephemeris of Eratosthenes. The lion wears under his neck a sickle, symbol for the new Moon. Above that dish the star Regulus radiates. Regulus has been associated with the king throughout history of mankind. It was named Regulus by Copernicus after the earlier "Rex", equivalent to the "Basileos" of Ptolemeus. In ancient Akkadia known as "Amil-gal-ur" King-of-the-celestial-sphere. In Babylonia as "Sharu" the King. In ancient Persia as "Miyan" the Centre, leader of the four royal stars.
Above the lions back are three stars depicted with sixteen points instead of eight. These are not stars but planets. From left to right they are Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. Above them you can read their Greek names:
The Lion Horoscope is a frozen picture of the positions of the heavenly bodies at a certain moment at a certain date. But what date ? Jupiter needs about 12 years to pass the ecliptica, Mars 2 years and Mercury 1 year. The moon passes the ecliptic in 1 month. So the slow planets Jupiter and Mars give the year, Mercury the month and the moon gives the day. First the years were selected in which Jupiter was in the constellation of Lion as depicted at the stone slab. From these years those were selected in which Mars was also moving through this part of the ecliptica. And the same for Mercury. The second selection criterium was the sequence of these planets, being Mars-Mercury-Jupiter according to the Lion Horoscope. As a result the constellation of the 14th of July 109 B.C. was selected. Normally Mercury can not be seen with the naked eye most of the time. However, on this particular day Mercury had reached almost its maximum distance from the Sun and was therefore good visible. The time lapse between sunset and descending of the moon was about 17 minutes. If the moon-Regulus conjunction was visible from top of the mountain, it was only very short : Just before the descending of the moon at 19h37 Local Real Time. In the minutes before the complete constellation as depicted on the Lion Horoscope was in place. This particular phenomenon makes it possible to determine not only the date but also the time of the constellation, being 19h35 Local Real Time. So, the Lion Horoscope indicates not only the date of that particular constellation but even the exact hour! This as amazing as it would have been to the scientist Puchstein who wrote : "Such a relief can only depict very roughly the positions of the celestial bodies....."
3. The Coronation of King Mithradates 14e July 109 B.C. at 7:35 pm The 14th of July is mentioned in the inscriptions as the day of the coronation. This particular day was chartered and chosen long before as being the right day for the coronation of Mithradates. That day the King and his court assembled on top of the Nemrud. If you had been a noble of Kommagene, you could have seen how Mithradates ans his father King Samos II were standing at the West Terrace and watched the sunset. In the rapidly fading sunlight, they saw the fine silver crescent of the moon and immediately above it, the bright shining of the star Regulus. Regulus, the star of the king, shining above the moon, the land of Kommagene. Is there a more beautiful symbol? Also you could see Jupiter, Mercury and finally Mars, the red planet. On the nights before, everyone in Kommagene had followed their path through the heavens. The people had watched how the planets passed the royal star Regulus. One after another, Jupiter on June 18, Mars June 21 and Mercury on July 6, they passed Regulus from above. It seemed to the Kommagenians as if the gods came to visit their new king. Before the last gleam of sunlight had died away, it was time for the moon to set. Followed by Regulus, the moon sank behind the Taurus range. Only the gods stayed in the sky and watched when Samos gave his son the Diadem. This was the end of the ceremony. Kommagene had a new king, Mithradates I Kallinikos, a child of the gods, a blessing to his people! To commemorate his coronation, Mithradates had sculptured the Lion Horoscope and the four slabs, on which he welcomes the gods. The five slabs are flanked on both sides by an eagle and a lion. Antiochos, the son of King Mithradates, constructed the statues of the gods identical to the slabs of his father. These statues are Apollo, the Goddess of Kommagene, Zeus and Herakles. He flanked the five colossi also with an eagle and a lion. They are only much bigger as those of his father. As Antiochos said : "I was determined to leave behind all the sanctuaries of my ancestors bigger and more beautiful". And so he did. 1. Artagnes / Herakles / Ares (West Terrace) The Great King Antiochos, the God, the Righteous One, the Manifest (Deity), the Friend of the Romans and the Greeks, the Son of King Mithradates Kallinikos and of Laodike the Brother-loving Goddess, the Daughter of King Antiochos Epiphanes, the Mother-loving, the Victorious, has recorded for all time, on consecrated pedestals with inviolable letters the deeds of his clemency. I have come to believe that, for mankind, of all good things piety is both the most secure possession and also the sweetest enjoyment. This judgment became, for me, the cause of fortunate power and its blessed use; and during my whole life I have appeared to all men as one who thought holiness the most secure guardian and the unrivaled delight of my reign (or kingdom). By this means I have, contrary to all expectations, escaped great perils, have easily become master of hopeless situations, and in a blessed way have attained to the fullness of a long life. After taking over my father's dominion, I announced, in the piety of my thought, that the kingdom subject to my throne should be the common dwelling place of all the gods, in that by means of every kind of art I decorated the representations of their form, as the ancient lore of Persians and of Greeks--the fortunate roots of my ancestry--had handed them down (to us), and honoured them with sacrifices and festivals, as was the primitive rule and the common custom of all mankind; in addition my own just consideration has further devised still other and especially brilliant honours. And as I have taken forethought to lay the foundation of this sacred tomb, which is to be indestructible by the ravages of time, in closest proximity to the heavenly throne, wherein the fortunately preserved outer form of my person, preserved to ripe old age, shall, after the soul beloved by God has been sent to the heavenly thrones of Zeus Oromasdes, rest through immeasurable time, ... 2. King Antiochos I Theos (West Terrace) ....so I chose to make this holy place a common consecrated seat of all the gods; so that not only the heroic company of my ancestors, whom you behold before you, might be set up here by my pious devotion, but also that the divine representation of the manifest deities might be consecrated on the holy hill and that his place might likewise not be lacking in witness to my piety. Therefore, as you see, I have set up these divine images of Zeus-Oromasdes and of Apollo-Mithras-Helios-Hermes and of Artagnes-Herakles-Ares, and also of my all-nourishing homeland Kommagene; and from one and the same quarry, throned likewise among the deities who hear our prayers, I have consecrated the features of my own form, and have caused the ancient honour of great deities to become the coeval of a new Tyche. Since I thereby, in an upright way, imitated the example of the divine Providence, which as a benevolent helper has so often been seen standing by my side in the struggles of my reign. Adequate property in land and an inalienable income therefrom have I set aside for the ample provision of sacrifices; an unceasing cult and chosen priests arrayed in such vestments as are proper to the race of the Persians have I inaugurated, and I have dedicated the whole array and cult in a manner worthy of my fortune and the majesty of the gods. I have decreed the appropriate laws to govern the sacred observances thus established for everlasting, so that all the inhabitants of my realm may offer both the ancient sacrifices, required by age-old common custom, and also new festivals in honour of the gods and in my honour. The birthday of my natural body, the sixteenth of Audnaios, and the tenth of Loos, the day of my accession to the throne, I have consecrated to the manifestation of the great deities, who were my guides in a prosperous beginning and have been the source of universal blessing for my whole kingdom. 3. Zeus / Oromasdes (West Terrace) Because of the multitude of offering and the magnificence of the celebration I have consecrated two additional days, each of them as an annual festival. The population of my empire I have divided up for the purpose of these assemblies, festival gatherings, and sacrifices, and directed them to repair by villages and cities to the nearest sanctuaries, whichever is most conveniently located for the festival observance. Moreover, I have appointed under the same title that, in addition to the observance just named, my birth on the sixteenth and my accession on the tenth shall be observed every month by the priests. Now that these regulations have been established, to be observed continually as the pious duty of men of understanding, not only in my honour but also in the blessed hope of their own good fortune, I have, in obedience to the inspiration of the gods, ordered to be inscribed upon sacred, inviolable stelae a holy law, which shall be binding upon all generations of mankind who in the immeasurable course of time, through their special lot in life, shall successively be destined to dwell in this land; they must observe it without violation, knowing that the stern penalty of the deified royal ancestors will pursue equally the impiety occasioned by neglect as that occasioned by folly and that disregard of the law decreed for the honour of the heroes brings with it inexorable penalties. For the pious it is all a simple matter, but godlessness is followed by backbreaking burdens. This law my voice has proclaimed, but it is the mind of the gods that has given it authority. Law The priest who is appointed by me for these gods and heroes, whom I have dedicated at the sacred tomb of my body, on the topmost ridges of the Taurus range, and who shall at a later time hold this office, he, set free from very other duty, shall without let or hindrance and with no excuse for evasion keep watch at his memorial and devote himself to the care and the proper adornment of these sacred images. On the birthdays which I have established forever as monthly and annual festivals of the gods and of my own person, throughout the whole year he shall, himself decently garbed in Persian raiment, as my benefaction and the ancestral custom of our race have provided, crown them all with the gold crowns which I have dedicated as the sacred honours due the deified ancestors; and out of income from the villages, which I have designated for the sacred honours of the heroic race, he shall offer on these altars rich additional offerings of incense and aromatic herbs, and also splendid sacrifices in honour of the gods and in my honour, ... 4. The Goddess of Kommagene (West Terrace) .....in worthy wise setting up sacred tables with appropriate foods and filling jars from the winepress with precious drink (that is, wine mixed with water). He shall hospitably welcome the whole of the assembled people, both the native and the foreigners who stream hither, and he shall provide for the common enjoyment of the feast by the assembled multitudes, in that, as is the custom, he shall take for himself a portion, as a gift in honour of the priestly office, and then distribute the rest of my benefaction to the others for their free enjoyment, so that during the holy days everyone may receive a never failing sustenance and may thus be able to celebrate the festival without running the risk of malicious calumny. The drinking cups, which I have dedicated, are to be used by them as long as they remain in the holy place and participate in the general assembly for the feast. The group of musicians whom I have chosen for the purpose and those who may later be consecrated, their sons and daughters, and also their descendants shall all learn the same art and be set free from the burden of every other responsibility; and they are to devote themselves to the observances which I have established to the end, and without any evasion are to continue their services as long as the assembly requests it. No one, no king or ruler, no priest or official shall ever make slaves of these hierodules, whom I have, in accordance with the divine will, consecrated to the gods and to my own honours, or their children or the descendants of their children, who shall continue their family to all later time; he shall neither enslave them to himself nor alienate them to anyone else in any way, nor injure one of them, nor deprive him of this ministry; but the priests shall take care of them, and the kings, officials, and all private persons shall stand by them, and the favor of the gods and heroes will be laid up for them as a reward for their piety. 5. Apollo / Mithras / Helios / Hermes (West Terrace) It is equally not permitted or anyone to appropriate or to alienate the villages which I have dedicated to these gods, to sell them or to devote them to some other purpose, or in any way to injure those villages; or to reduce the income from them, which I have dedicated to the gods as an inviolable possession. Nor shall anyone go unpunished who shall devise in his mind against our honour some other scheme of violence or of disparaging or suspending the sacrifices and festal assemblies which I have established. Whoever shall presume to rescind or to injure or guilefully to misinterpret the just tenor of this regulation or the heroic honours which an immortal judgment has sanctioned, him the wrath of the daemons and of all the gods shall pursue, both himself and his descendants, irreconcilably, with every kind of punishment. A noble example of piety, which it is a matter of sacred duty to offer to gods and ancestors, I have set before the eyes of my children and grandchildren, as through many other, so too through this work; and I believe that they will emulate this fair example by continually increasing the honours appropriate to their line and, like me, in their riper years adding greatly to their personal fame. For those who do so I pray that all the ancestral gods, from Persia and Macedonia and from the native hearth of Kommagene, may continue to be gracious to them in all clemency. And whoever, in the long time to come, takes over this reign as king or dynast, may he, if he observes this law and guards my honour, enjoy, through my intercession, the favor of the deified ancestors and all the gods. But if he, in his folly of mind, undertakes measures contrary to the honour of the gods, may he, even without my curse, suffer the full wrath of the gods.
All this ibformation has been taken from http://www.nemrud.nl website. |
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