Explore Ancient Anatolia

When Alexander the Great passed through with his armies in 333 BC and nearly met his death here after a bath in the Cydnus. Strabo praises the cultural level of Tarsus in this period with its philosophers, poets and linguists. The schools of Tarsus rivaled those of Athens and Alexandria. At this time the library of Tarsus held 200,000 books, including a huge collection of scientific works.

Hunting Scene Detail of Alexander Sarcophagus at Istanbul showing Alexander and the Macedonians on horses hunting lions together with Abdalonymus and the Persians.

Alexander Sarcophagus, War Scene Detail: Detail of Alexander Sarcophagus at Istanbul Archaeology Museum: The carvings on one short end depicts a battle, perhaps the Battle of Gaza, in which case the pediment above that end would be showing the murder of Perdiccas. Color reconstruction of one of the short sides of the Sarcophagus: