An elaborate mosaic dating back to the 2nd century BC has been discovered recently in the ancient Greek city of Side in the southern province of Antalya, Turkey.
The Culture and Tourism Ministry in Turkey said that the mosaic floor depicts Kalliope, the muse of epic poetry that inspired poets, in magnificent detail.
Dating back to the 2nd century BC, this floor displays an impressive combination of ancient art and mythology. Frescoes, which show the aesthetic understanding and artistic richness of the period, were also discovered on the walls of the area where the mosaic floor was located, the ministry added.
Who was Kalliope depicted on the mosaic?
In Greek mythology, Kalliope of Calliope is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the “Chief of all Muses”.
She had two famous sons, Orpheus and Linus, by either Apollo or King Oeagrus of Thrace. She taught Orpheus verses for singing. According to Hesiod, she was also the wisest of the Muses, as well as the most assertive.
She married Oeagrus in Pimpleia, a town near Mount Olympus. She is said to have defeated the daughters of Pierus, king of Thessaly, in a singing match, and then, to punish their presumption, turned them into magpies.
She was sometimes believed to be Homer’s muse for the Iliad and the Odyssey.
The ancient Greek city of Side where the mosaic was uncovered
The ruins of the ancient city of Side (Σίδη in Greek), are one of the best-known classical sites in Turkey. Strabo and Arrian record that Side was founded by Greek settlers from Cyme in Aeolis, a region of western Anatolia. This most likely occurred in the 7th century BC.
A basalt column base from the 7th century BC found in the excavations and attributable to the Neo-Hittites is evidence of the site’s early history.
Possessing a good harbor for small craft, Side’s natural geography made it one of the most important trade centers in the region.
Its tutelary deity was Athena, whose head adorned its coinage.
Alexander the Great occupied Side without a struggle in 333 BC. Alexander left only a single garrison behind to occupy the city. This occupation, in turn, introduced the people of Side to Hellenistic culture, which flourished from the 4th to the 1st century BC.
After Alexander’s death, Side fell under the control of one of Alexander’s generals, Ptolemy I Soter, who declared himself king of Egypt in 305 BC. The Ptolemaic dynasty controlled Side until the Seleucid Empire captured it in the 2nd century BC.
Yet, despite these occupations, Side managed to preserve some autonomy, grew prosperous, and became an important cultural center.