Another great Roman city in Turkey

Archaeologists excavating the ancient Roman city of Pompeipolis on the coast of the Black Sea in Turkey have uncovered a mosaic floor, an iron furnance, a marketplace and a bunch of small artifacts like the bronze Apollo on the right.

This dig has been turning up amazing things for three years. Last year they found a temple of Augustus which is even better preserved than the one in Ephesus.

Pompeipolis was founded by none other than Pompey the Great (aka Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) in 65 or 66 B.C. when he was in the East fighting Mithridates VI of Pontus. It’s such a rich site for Roman remains because it was built brand-new, not on top of or amidst an existing town, like Ephesus was.

It was abandoned in the sixth or seventh century A.D. when the Persians invaded.

I found a nice little video tour of the uncovered ruins but fair warning: you’ll want to mute your computer before clicking play.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/RAxrybgGA4w&w=430]