Ancient road in Tarsus
Encyclopedia
Ancient road at 35°55′N 34°53′E is the unearthed section of an ancient road in the historical city of Tarsus
, Turkey
.
Tarsus an ancient city known as the birth place of Paul the Apostle, is now a major district center in Mersin Province
, Turkey. The road was accidentally unearthed in a construction pit in 1993. The construction was abandoned and the road is now surrounded by mesh wire panel for protection.
The road was undoubtedly constructed during the Roman Empire
period and probably in the first century AD. The width of the road is 6.5 metres (21.3 ft) The construction material is basalt
stone and underneath the road a sewage system had been laid down which makes the road unique among the other Anatolia
n roads of the era. On the west and east of the road there are stylobate
s.
There is a Roman road
at the north of Tarsus. But it is not known if the two roads were connected during the ancient ages.
Tarsus
Tarsus may refer to:*Tarsus , a cluster of articulating bones in each foot** Tarsometatarsus, a fusion of the tarsus and metatarsus mainly found in birds...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Tarsus an ancient city known as the birth place of Paul the Apostle, is now a major district center in Mersin Province
Mersin Province
The Mersin Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast between Antalya and Adana. The provincial capital is the city of Mersin and the other major town is Tarsus, birthplace of St Paul...
, Turkey. The road was accidentally unearthed in a construction pit in 1993. The construction was abandoned and the road is now surrounded by mesh wire panel for protection.
The road was undoubtedly constructed during the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
period and probably in the first century AD. The width of the road is 6.5 metres (21.3 ft) The construction material is basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
stone and underneath the road a sewage system had been laid down which makes the road unique among the other Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n roads of the era. On the west and east of the road there are stylobate
Stylobate
In classical Greek architecture, a stylobate is the top step of the crepidoma, the stepped platform on which colonnades of temple columns are placed...
s.
There is a Roman road
Roman road in Cilicia
Roman road in Cilicia is a part of a Roman road in Mersin Province, Turkey- Geography :The road is thought to be a part of the main road connecting Cilicia to Capadocia during antiquity. The northern terminus was likely in the town of Bahçeli, a part of the ancient city of Tyanna in Niğde Province...
at the north of Tarsus. But it is not known if the two roads were connected during the ancient ages.