Hellenistic Tower Gates at Perga, Turkey
“Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia” Acts 13:13
Perga was an ancient city in southwestern Anatolia (Turkey) in the region of Pamphylia. Perga in Paul’s time was up river from the port of Antalya and the gateway to two major routes into and through the Taurus Mountains (the Via Sebaste or Augustan Way and a steeper more central route through the mountains). The Via Sebaste was first constructed in the 6th century BC. Written mention of Perga dates as far back as a bronze Hittite table from Hattusa that speaks of “Parha” (Perga) within a border agreement in 13th century BC.
The archeological park reveals many amazing structures from the Roman period of the 2-3rd centuries AD. However there are city walls and a major southern gate structure that are hellenistic. Paul and Barnabus would have walked through the 3rd c BC fortification gates at the south end of the city. These gates have two distinctive round towers with a horse shoe shaped courtyard. The courtyard has high defensive walls with niches that held statues of pagan gods and mythic city founders. What is standing of the towers today reaches nearly to the original height. They are 3 stories tall and would have had a round wooden roofs. There were shuttered windows in the third floor. In recent years there has been restoration work occurring at the towers. We will be going back to visit in a few weeks and will hopefully see the results of the restoration. We are also going to make sure that we see the western gate where Paul and Barnabus would undoubtedly have left the city to join the Roman road to Psidian Antioch.
Perga. Looking through the 3rd - 4th c AD southern Roman gate at the 6th c BC Hellenistic round tower southern gate. Paul and Barnabus would have entered the city through the Hellenistic gates.
