Zeugma Ancient City – Nizip, Gaziantep
Zeugma is one of the most important frontier and trade cities of the ancient world, established at the shallowest and most suitable crossing point of the Euphrates River. Its name means "Bridge" or "Crossing." The city has gained worldwide fame, especially for the unique mosaics adorning the floors of Roman villas.
History Founded in 300 BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, as "Seleukeia Euphrates." It was connected to the city of Apamea across the river by a bridge. In the Roman period (1st century AD), it took the name "Zeugma" and reached a population of 80,000, becoming one of the largest cities in the region. It was destroyed by Sassanid attacks.
Highlights
- Mosaics: The villas in Zeugma were built on terraces overlooking the Euphrates. The floors of these houses are covered with highly detailed and artistic mosaics depicting mythological stories (Poseidon, Oceanus, Tethys, Achilles, etc.).
- Gypsy Girl Mosaic: Becoming the symbol of Zeugma, this mosaic is called the "Mona Lisa of Zeugma" due to the depth of her gaze and technical mastery. (Artifacts are in the Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum).
- Statue of Mars: The bronze statue depicting the war god Mars symbolizes the military importance of the city.
- Birecik Dam: A significant part of the city (Zones A and B) is now under dam waters. However, the most important artifacts were moved to the museum through rescue excavations.
Sources
- Zeugma Mosaic Museum
- Wikipedia – Zeugma (Commagene)