Carura
Encyclopedia
Carura was an ancient town of Asia Minor
on the north-eastern border of Caria
.
Its position east of the range of Cadmus assigns it to Phrygia
, under which country Strabo
describes it. It was on the south side of the Maeander River, 20 miles west of Laodicea
to Ephesus
. The place is identified by the hot springs, about 12 miles northwest of Denizli
, which have been described by the scholars Pococke
and Chandler
. Strabo
observed that Carura contained many inns , which is explained by the fact of its being on a line of great traffic, by which the wool and other products of the interior were taken down to the coast. He added that it has hot springs, some in the Maeander, and some on the banks of the river.
All this tract is subject to earthquakes; and there was a story, reported by Strabo, that as a brothel keeper was lodging in the inns with a great number of his women, they were all swallowed up one night by the earth opening. Henry William Chandler
observed on the spot a jet of hot water, which sprung up several inches from the ground; and also the remains of an ancient bridge over the river. On the road between Carura and Laodicea
was the temple of Men Carus, a Caria
n deity; and in the time of Strabo there was a noted Herophilean
school of medicine here, under the presidency of Zeuxis, and then Alexander Philalethes
. Chandler discovered some remains on the road to Laodicea, which, he supposes, may be the traces of this temple; but he states nothing that confirms this conjecture.
Herodotus
mentions a place called "Cydrara", to which Xerxes
came on his road from Colossae
to Sardes. It was the border between Lydia
and Phrygia
, and the Lydian king Croesus
fixed a stele
there with an inscription on it, which declared the boundary. Classical scholar William Martin Leake
thought that the Cydrara of Herodotus may be Carura. It could not be far off; but the boundary between Lydia and Phrygia should perhaps not be located south of the Maeander in this region.
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
on the north-eastern border of Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
.
Its position east of the range of Cadmus assigns it to Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
, under which country Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
describes it. It was on the south side of the Maeander River, 20 miles west of Laodicea
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
to Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
. The place is identified by the hot springs, about 12 miles northwest of Denizli
Denizli
Denizli is a growing industrial city in the Southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in southwestern Turkey, in the country's Aegean Region.The city...
, which have been described by the scholars Pococke
Pococke
Pococke is a surname, and may refer to*Edward Pococke - an English Orientalist and biblical scholar.*Richard Pococke - an English prelate and anthropologist....
and Chandler
Henry William Chandler
Henry William Chandler was an English classical scholar.He was born in London. In 1848 he entered Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was elected fellow in 1853. In 1867 he succeeded Henry Longueville Mansel as Waynflete professor of moral and metaphysical philosophy, and in 1884 was appointed...
. Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
observed that Carura contained many inns , which is explained by the fact of its being on a line of great traffic, by which the wool and other products of the interior were taken down to the coast. He added that it has hot springs, some in the Maeander, and some on the banks of the river.
All this tract is subject to earthquakes; and there was a story, reported by Strabo, that as a brothel keeper was lodging in the inns with a great number of his women, they were all swallowed up one night by the earth opening. Henry William Chandler
Henry William Chandler
Henry William Chandler was an English classical scholar.He was born in London. In 1848 he entered Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was elected fellow in 1853. In 1867 he succeeded Henry Longueville Mansel as Waynflete professor of moral and metaphysical philosophy, and in 1884 was appointed...
observed on the spot a jet of hot water, which sprung up several inches from the ground; and also the remains of an ancient bridge over the river. On the road between Carura and Laodicea
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
was the temple of Men Carus, a Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
n deity; and in the time of Strabo there was a noted Herophilean
Herophilos
Herophilos , sometimes Latinized Herophilus , was a Greek physician. Born in Chalcedon, he spent the majority of his life in Alexandria. He was the first scientist to systematically perform scientific dissections of human cadavers and is deemed to be the first anatomist. Herophilos recorded his...
school of medicine here, under the presidency of Zeuxis, and then Alexander Philalethes
Alexander Philalethes
Alexander Philalethes was an ancient Greek physician, whom Priscian called Alexander Amator Veri , and who was probably the same person quoted by Caelius Aurelianus under the name of Alexander Laodicensis. He lived probably towards the end of the 1st century, as Strabo speaks of him as a...
. Chandler discovered some remains on the road to Laodicea, which, he supposes, may be the traces of this temple; but he states nothing that confirms this conjecture.
Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
mentions a place called "Cydrara", to which Xerxes
Xerxes I of Persia
Xerxes I of Persia , Ḫšayāršā, ), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the fifth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire.-Youth and rise to power:...
came on his road from Colossae
Colossae
Colossae or Colosse , was an ancient city of Phrygia, on the Lycus, which is a tributary of the Maeander River. It was situated about 12 miles South East of Laodicea, and near the great road from Ephesus to the Euphrates...
to Sardes. It was the border between Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
and Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
, and the Lydian king Croesus
Croesus
Croesus was the king of Lydia from 560 to 547 BC until his defeat by the Persians. The fall of Croesus made a profound impact on the Hellenes, providing a fixed point in their calendar. "By the fifth century at least," J.A.S...
fixed a stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
there with an inscription on it, which declared the boundary. Classical scholar William Martin Leake
William Martin Leake
William Martin Leake, FRS , British antiquarian and topographer, was born in London.After completing his education at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and spending four years in the West Indies as lieutenant of marine artillery, he was sent by the government to Constantinople to instruct the...
thought that the Cydrara of Herodotus may be Carura. It could not be far off; but the boundary between Lydia and Phrygia should perhaps not be located south of the Maeander in this region.