Dascylium, situated to the southeast of Lake Dascylitis on a bank of a river, was rediscovered in 1952 and has been excavated in 1954-1960 and since 1988. These excavations have shown that the town was already settled in the Bronze Age, which confirms reports by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who mentions the town at the time of theTrojan War,^note[Dionysius of Halicarnassus,Roman Antiquities1.47.], and byStrabo, who says that Dascylium was settled by Aeolian colonists after that war.^note[Strabo,Geography13.1.3.]

In the first quarter of the first millennium, Phrygians conquered Dascylium; from this period, walls and the foundations of a temple ofCybele have come to light. Later, the city was underLydian suzerainty. According to legend, it was named after one Dascylus, who was the father of kingGyges. When the Persians took over the Lydian Empire (an event usually dated to547 BCE), the town became the capital of the Persiansatrapy of Hellespontine Phrygia and the residence of the Pharnacid dynasty (Artabazus,Pharnabazus,Pharnaces,Pharnabazus,Ariobarzanes, andArtabazus).

The architectural remains from this age are not very monumental - Dascylium is not a major tourist site - although a terrace wall was found that is similar to the retaining walls of the citadel ofPasargadae and theterrace walls ofPersepolis.

In 395, the Persian city was captured by theSpartan kingAgesilaus, who was waging war against the Persians in Asia Minor. During the Corinthian War, it became Persian again, until it was captured byParmenion, a general ofAlexander the Great, after the battle of theGranicus (334).^note[Arrian,Anabasis 1.17.2.] The town appears to have been assigned toCyzicus.

The town is famous for several fifth-century reliefs, showing a/o PersianMagians performing sacrifices. Two stelas, one with anAramaic inscription, show how funerary gifts are brought to a tomb.

In Antiquity, the town was well known for its park (paradeisos). Today, it is a nature reserve.

Dascylium, Long funerary stele	Dascylium, Long funerary stele, detail: chariot	Dascylium, Long funerary stele, Inscription	Dascylium, Relief of two Magians sacrificing a sheep and a bull
Dascylium, Short funerary stele	Dascylium, Short funerary stele: chariot	Dascylium, Short funerary stele: chariot: dinner scene	Dascylium, Relief of a Magian venerating the fire
Dascylium, Frieze of women on horseback	Dascylium, View from the acropolis

• Jona Lendering

More pictures

• Ergili (Dascylium)

Country

• Turkey

Categories

• Anatolia
• Persia

Subdisciplines

• Archaeology
• History

Tag

• City

See also

• Hellespontine Phrygia(article)