  Acharaca Shown within Turkey | |
| Location | Salavatlı,Aydın Province,Turkey |
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| Region | Lydia |
| Coordinates | 37°54′N28°06′E / 37.900°N 28.100°E /37.900; 28.100 |
| Type | Settlement |
Acharaca (Ancient Greek:Ἀχάρακα) was a village ofancient Lydia,Anatolia on the road fromTralles (modern Aydın, Turkey) toNysa on the Maeander, with aPloutonion or a temple ofPluto, and a cave, named Charonium (Ancient Greek:Χαρώνειον άντρον), where the sick were healed under the direction of the priests.[1] There is some indication that it once bore the nameCharax (Χάραξ), but that name may have belonged to Tralles.[2][3] Its location is now the site of the modern town ofSalavatlı. Recoveries from archaeological excavations are housed at theAydın Archaeological Museum.
The city was founded byAntiochus I Soter in the first half of the 3rd century BC.[4]
The city had an oracle of Pluto and Kore (Persephone) at Acharaca. A large grove, aDoric temple (remains of which survive),[4] and a cave called the Charonium, were the seat of the oracle.Strabo noted that "The sick resort thither, and live in the village near the cave, among experienced priests, who sleep at night in the open air and direct the mode of cure by their dreams. The priests invoke the gods to cure the sick, and frequently take them into the cave, where they remain in quiet without food for several days. Sometimes the sick themselves observe their own dreams, but apply to the priests to interpret them. To others the place is interdicted and fatal."[5]
Strabo also describes a festival held at Acharaca. An annual festival, to which there is general resort, is celebrated at Acharaca, and at the time particularly are to be seen and heard those who frequent it, conversing about cures performed there. During this feast the young men of thegymnasium and theephebi, naked and anointed with oil, carry off a bull by stealth at midnight, and hurry it away into the cave. It is then let loose, and after proceeding a short distance falls down and expires.[5]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Acharaca".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray. This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Oraculum".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray.
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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