This week a team of archaeologists began to explore an area near the city of Erzin in the province of Hatay, southern Turkey, where the ancient town of Issus is believed to have been situated.
Ruins near the city of Erzin (Narin Hotel)
The team of four archaeologists aims to examine the site and its underground features using ground-based sensors, according to the Today’s Zaman.
Earlier this year, excavations at the site unearthed ruins of a bath and mosaics depicting Artemis.
The town of Issus (or Issos) is most notable for being the place of three ancient battles, each called the Battle of Issus.
The first battle took place in November 333 BC, when Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeated Darius III of Persia. The second happened between the forces of Septimus Severus and Pescennius Niger in 194 CE, and the third occurred in 622 CE between the Byzantine and the Sassanid Empires.
The town is also famous thanks to the Alexander mosaic dating back to 100 BC. This floor mosaic, found in Pompeii, depicts the First Battle of Issus between the armies of the last Achmaenid dynasty ruler Darius III and Alexander the Great.
The Alexander mosaic in Museo Archaeologico Naples (Magrippa)
Archaeologists still debate whether the town is present within a modern settlement.
Turkish researchers hope to find more evidence of ruins, which date back to the times of the ancient town.
