Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:50 AM Sayfa
View of Gerdekkaya at Midas
The fact that the name of Midas is cited in the epitaph in the Phrygian
language found in Tyana in Ni¤de-Kemerhisar is very important in that
it shows his activities in the Tauruses of Cilicia. Furthermore, the
existence of eastern-origin containers in Gordion is evidence which best
explains these relations.
Towards 700 BC, the Cimmerians, who entered Anatolia through the
Caucasus and first came to the Urartu region, were directed towards
the west by the policies diplomatically applied by the Urartian kings.
Thus, they invaded all the regions within a short period of time as far
as the K›z›l›rmak River. Entering the Phrygian territories from here, the
Cimmerians fought a war with the Phrygians and won. Having lost the
war, Midas fell with grief and committed suicide by drinking the blood
of a bull. With the death of Midas in 696 BC, the Phrygian State came
to an end. His people showed their love for King Midas by building a
large tumulus in Gordion, however the fact that a warring people built
a massive grave of this size brings doubt to the death of Midas.
The largest of all the tumuli in Gordion, which number around 85, is
the tumulus of Midas. This massive grave is the second highest after
the tumulus of Lydian King Alyattes in Bin Tepeler-which is the
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