The Ancient City of Side

Side is an ancient city on Turkey's Mediterranean coast between Antalya and Alanya, founded in the 7th century BC by Greek colonists from Kyme in Aeolia. Uniquely, the settlers adopted the local Anatolian language and customs rather than imposing Greek culture, with inscriptions found in the indecipherable native tongue. Under Roman rule the city flourished as a major slave market and commercial hub. Its impressive ruins include a 2nd-century AD theatre blending Hellenic and Roman design, temples of Apollo and Athena on the harbour tip, colonnaded streets, a nymphaeum, and Roman baths now housing an archaeological museum. The city was sacked by Arab raiders in the 7th century and largely abandoned by the 10th century.