A History of Discoveries at Halicarnassus, Cnidus and Branchidae. Sir Charles Thomas Newton and Richard Popplewell Pullan.

Pp268-9 Around this curved shore the area of the ancient city is marked out very distinctly by its walls, which may be traced in unbroken continuity all round, except where they approach the sea-shore on the eastern side. It has already been remarked that the lines of these fortifications have been planned with great judgement in reference to the natural capability of the ground for defence; and here, as in other Greek cities, the apparent irregularity in the general outline has been caused by the endeavour to make best account of every point of vantage-ground.

There seems no reason to doubt the plan of these fortifications was designed by Mausolus, though, as Arrian states that Alexander razed Halicarnassus to the ground, it is possible that the walls themselves may be the work of a later period. The greater part of the masonry is polygonal, except on the west side, where isodomous masonry occurs. The materials employed are trachyte, limestone, and tufaceous stone. The gate on the west side, where the ancient road from Myndus entered the city, must have been one of the weakest parts of the line of defence, from the lowness of the level here. Hence this gate has been fortified with three large towers, still standing : one of which is set obliquely to the wall, for the purpose of more effectively commanding the approach (see Plate LXXIII) It was on this side that Alexander sought to find a weak place in the wall, and here he probably directed his real attack while he threatened the opposite side.

Passing from this gate in a north-eastern direction the wall turns at an obtuse angle on the side of a conical hill, on the summit of which it is carried round a platform, so as to form a small citadel. On this platform are the foundations of a building, running 35 [feet] east to west, by 27 [feet] from north to south, which Ross supposed to be the Temple of Mars, but the foundations are more like those of a watch-tower than of a temple. Close to this building is a large cistern. From the summit of the conical hill the wall descends into a valley, whence it bends away to the north-east over very rocky and precipitous ground, forming a salient, which seems to be the akra, or fortress, turned towards Mylasa, mentioned by Arrian (The approach to this part of the wall being very difficult of access, was probably less carefully guarded by the besieged. Arrian [I 21] states that the two soldiers who entered the akra, were on a vantage-ground when attacked, ex hyperoeziou tois polemiois he epidrome etc, as would be the case in this part of the walls.) The eastern wall of this salient runs in a southern direction along a lofty ridge, at the foot of which is a deep ravine, and the bed of a winter torrent. Thence, descending to a fertile level near the harbour, the line of the wall must have continued to the shore to the east of the Greek quarter. Nearly all trace of it here is lost, except at the spot marked Large Blocks in the Plan; and perhaps near the church of Hagios Nikolas, where massive foundations still remain.

It is probable that this part of the wall suffered much in the siege by Alexander, and in subsequent sieges, as, being the key to the isthmus, it would be a special object of attack; it has probably

contributed much material to the building of the castle, and, from its proximity to the harbour, many stones from it may have been carried away in vessels.