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Jason Borges
May 20, 20249 min read
Historical Sites in Tarsus
This post describes the historical sites in and around the city of Tarsus.


Jason Borges
May 14, 20247 min read
The Cilician Gates: History and Geography
The Cilician Gates is a mountain pass in the Taurus mountains that connects the Cilician plain to the Anatolian plateau. In pre-Roman...

Jason Borges
Oct 19, 20233 min read
Philomelium on the Roman Road Network
Philomelium (modern Akşehir, Türkiye) was a notable Greco-Roman city in central Anatolia. It was located on the eastern border of the...


Jason Borges
May 25, 20233 min read
The Via Sebaste in Antalya
You can walk a well-preserved section of a Roman road, the Via Sebaste, located 30 km north of downtown Antalya and 3 kilometers NNE of...


Jason Borges
May 11, 20237 min read
“How Many People Lived in Ephesus?”—The Challenges of Ancient Demography
A quick explanation of how scholars calculate ancient populations, and a discussion about the population of Ephesus.


Jason Borges
Mar 30, 20232 min read
The Jewish Inscription at Termessos?
A Jewish inscription at Termessos (in Pisidia, near Antalya) reads: Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος) Ἑρμαῖο δὶς Κευη τὴν σωματοθ̣ή̣κην τῆ θυγατρὶ...


Jason Borges
Mar 30, 20233 min read
The Future of Antakya?
Since the earthquake hit southeast Turkey in early February, I have talked with people who visited Antakya (aka Hatay, Syrian Antioch)....

Jason Borges
Mar 23, 20233 min read
Visiting Antalya
Antalya is a beautiful and historical city on the Mediterranean coast in southern Turkey. If you are planning to visit, here is some...


Jason Borges
Mar 17, 20232 min read
Istanbul Airport Museum
For the last several years, when I have visited a local archaeology museum in Turkey, I often encountered, in place of prized artifacts,...

Jason Borges
Feb 10, 20235 min read
Earthquakes in Antioch/Antakya
Five days ago a 7.8 earthquake leveled cities in Turkey’s southeast region. The city of Antakya (ancient Syrian Antioch) lies is ruins....


Jason Borges
Feb 6, 20232 min read
The Harbor of Troas
The city of Alexandria Troas was like a comet dashing through history—it appeared as a bright flash in an instant, then disappeared. The...


Jason Borges
Oct 20, 20225 min read
4-Day Itinerary for Phrygia
The hill country of Phrygia features natural beauty, Iron-age Phrygian monuments, and early Christian inscriptions. Explore the region!


Jason Borges
Sep 6, 20223 min read
Maps of Ignatius’ Journey Through Asia
Ignatius of Antioch was convicted in Antioch and then marched to his death in Rome around 115 AD. During his journey, several churches in...


Jason Borges
Sep 6, 20221 min read
Excavations at Colossae
The mound at Colossae has long waited to be excavated. The great news is that excavations began in 2021, led by Bariş Yener of Pammukale...


Jason Borges
Aug 22, 20227 min read
5-Day Itinerary for Van & Kars
The mountainous region of eastern Turkey is nestled between the Anatolian plain, Caucasus Mountains, and Mesopotamia. Political conflicts...


Jason Borges
Jul 5, 20223 min read
Jews in Ancient Asia Minor
Jewish people lived throughout Asia Minor during the Hellenistic and Roman eras. This is significant in its own right, and also important...
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