Seleuica Pieria, 6 km south of Samandag, is the ancient city which was a busy port at the time when Paul and Barnabas made their first missionary journey from here. The Titus Vespasianus Tunnel which was built to divert the rain waters, even by today’s standard, is a superb example of engineering. Near by there are 12 rock tombs to be visited.
The city is located 45 kilometers away from Harran and the preent ruins belong to the Roman Period. Numerous structures was constructed from shear stone blocks over hundreds of rock mausoleums. Only some wall sections and the foundation ruins of the structures managed to withstand the destruction of the passing time and reached to the present day. A cave located among the ruins of the Şuayb city is known as the position of the Prophet Suayb.
It is at the today’s oren borough, North coast of Gokova Gulf, and it is 50 km. away from Milas. Defense walls, rock graves at feet of mountain, tombs at necropolis from the city, which took its name Keramos, which means “Pot” or “Ceramic” in Greek language are the important ruins which reached till today. It is one of the most attractive ruin places of tourists, participated to Blue Cruise, made in Gokova Gulf, begun from Bodrum.
Situated at the head of Latmian Gulf, Herakleia was called Latmus at the beginning taking its name from the impressive mountain reaching the height of 1300 meters above the sea level. Hearclia, which was located at the head of the gulf never, became an important city it was far from the popular trade road running form Ephesus to Miletus. Miletos captured most of the sea borne trade. Although it was located in Ionia, Heralia was a Carian city in character and its history was formed by the events of Caria.
King Mausolos used a stratagem to capture the city and he changed the name of the city during his efforts of Hellenisation of the Caria region. To differ it from many other Herakleias, it was called Herakleia under Latmus. In 287 BC Lysimachus, one of the generals of Alexander the Great captured the city. He also built great defense walls for the city that still surrounds the town and most impressive remains in the city. These walls, which started at the lakeshore level climb up to 500 meters altitude, extended nearly four miles and fortified with 65 towers.
Towards the end of the 1 century BC, the prosperity of Herakleia began to decline due to loss of the trade when river Meandros silted up the area and closed the Herakleia’s link with the sea. Second noteworthy monument in Herakleia is the Temple of Athena, situated on a promontory over the beach. This beautiful temple in tem plum in antis dates to Hellenistic period. Herakleia follows Hippodamic style town planning created by the Hippodamus of Miletus. During the Byzantine era, Latmos region attracted great number of monks seeking for the monastic life.
During the 7th century, monks and anchorites from Arabic lands settled in the caves of Latmus Mountain. Some of these monks became so famous and attracted great number of pilgrims and people to the area. Monastic life at Latmus region lasted for 400 years but ended with the arrival of Turks at the 14th century. The monks returned to the region when Crusaders defeated the Turk at Doryleon 1069. According to a tradition, a monk discovered a cave sanctuary on Mt. Patmos. Discovering also a tomb in it, the monks accepted as the tomb of Endymion and converted the shrine to a Christian holy place.
If you head towards the Gulf of Gulluk and get to the edge of the Bodrum Peninsula and the Cove of Varvil you will find the ancient city of Bargylia. The site where there are remains is four kilometres off the main road. You can get there by four wheel drive, though it is much easier to get here by boat from Gulluk. At the site of the ancient city, which had its heyday during the Hellenistic and Roman eras, you can see the columns, the walls of a Roman temple, an altar with reliefs, a small part of a theatre, the ruined foundations of a stoa, fragments of a Roman era aqueduct, city walls and the town’s cemetery.