Photos of the Greco Roman Pergamon Archaeological Site Ruins

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Photos of the Greco Roman (Pergamum) Pergamon Archaeological Site Historic Ruins, Turkey. Photos by Photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Greco Roman Pergamon Archaeological Site Ruins,

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Pictures, images and photos of Pergamon (Pergamum) archaeological site, Bergama Turkey.

Library of Pergamon

The Kingdom of Pergamon was ruled by Eumenes II in 197-159 B.C who expanded the Library of Pergamon. The copying of ancient manuscripts was a very lucrative business in the ancient world The Library Alexandria had the monopoly of this trade as well as the Egyptian papyrus that all manuscripts were copied onto.

When the Library of Pergamon began to rival that in Alexandria and the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt banned the export of papyrus to Pergamon.

The Library at Pergamon needed to invented a substitute for papyrus. The came up with parchment to solve their problem. It is made from animal skin and could be cut into squares which could be bound into the first books known as codex.

Cleopatra & The Library of Pergamon

In 133 B.C Attalus III of Pergamon died without an heir and left the Kingdom of Pergamon to the Roman Empire and Mark Anthony was appointed as governor. When Mark Anthony fell in love with Ptolemaic Egyptian Cleopatra, she took the opportunity to persuade him that the books of the Library of Pergamon would be better housed in her Library of Alexandria. Mark Anthony gifted her the library of Pergamon and the wealth of the city slowly declined.

The archaeological site of Pergamon is one of the most dramatic sites of antiquity. The white Corinthian columns of the Temple of Trajan are visible from miles away.

Pergamon Altar

The Pergamon Altar was a monumental construction built during the reign of the Ancient Greek King Eumenes II in the first half of the 2nd century BC on one of the terraces of the acropolis. Its purpose is not known but scholars believe that this may have been a sacrificial alter for the Athena temple located on the acropolis terrace. The base of the altar was decorated with a frieze in high relief showing the battle between the Giants and the Olympian gods known as the Gigantomachy. 

Today the Altar is no longer at Pergamon as it was the founding monument around which the Pergamon museum was built in Berlin. Excavated in 1878 by German engineer Carl Humann. The thousands of fragments of the freeze were reconstructed by Italian restorers in Berlin.

Under Roman Emperor Trajan and his successors, a comprehensive redesign and remodelling of Pergamon took place, and a new Roman city was built at the base of the Acropolis. 

Theatre of Pergamon

From the Acropolis of Pergamon one of the steepest amphitheatres of the ancient world descends down the hillside. From its mountain top location the theatre at Pergamon has breath taking views and would have been a dramatic backdrop. Capable of holding an audience of 10,000 the theatre was constructed in the 3rd cent. B.C. Under the rule of Emperor Caracalla (211-217 AD) the theatre was given a Roman makeover.