The Asklepion is situated well below the Acropolis

As the city of Smyrna, it prospered under the Romans, suffered under Arab invasions, and enjoyed a long period of prosperity as part of the Byzan tine Empire, most notably as a key stop on the Silk Route from Asia. The Ruins The ruins are scattered across a large area. As in most ancient arenas, the acoustics are superb: a conversa tionally pitched voice can be heard clearly from the highest seats. Built in the 2nd century AD under the Romans, it was a centre of ancient medicine. Remnants of the original Temple of Asklepios library (a branch of the Great Library on the Acropolis), sacred fountain and theatre still stand.

A staircase leads down to the theatre, which spectacular ly backs onto a vast panoramic valley. By the time Attalus III bequeathed the city to the Romans, the population was several hundred thousand strong, immense by the standards of the day.30am 5. Start your visit at the Acropolis, on a rocky hill 6km (4 miles) above modern Bergama, and then explore the Asklepion near the town.30amS. Post Cap manufacturers In September 1922, the Turks drove the Greeks off the mainland. Its magnificent frieze, depicting the battle between the gods and the giants, now has pride of place in Berlin's Pergamon Museum, along with a collection of other art from the site. Beautifully preserved, its 80 rows of seats could accommodate 10,000 people. Turkey's second largest port, Izrnir, 80km (48 miles) south of Bergama on the coast road, is the gritty industrial centre of the region. Near the summit, the Corinthian columns of the 3rd century BC Temple of Trajan have been partially restored. The fighting and atrocities in Izrnir were intense: almost 70 per cent of the city burned to the ground, thousands of civilians died and over 250,000 non-Muslim residents were summarily expelled from the country. The resulting deep distrust between the Turks and Greeks is only now beginning to thaw.

 The Asklepion is situated well below the Acropolis. Found ed in the 2nd or 3rd century AD as a temple to the Egyptian god Sera pis, it was later converted to a basilica and became one of the seven churches of Asia Minor, as referred to in the Book of Revelations. The library was a mag net for scholars and historians until the 4th century AD. Parking is available outside the Royal Gate, and con cession stands there sell site maps. Performances took place on a removable wooden stage (you can still see holes for the supporting posts). Galen, perhaps the world's first anatomist and physiol ogist, trained here before he joined the court of Marcus Aurelius in Rome. The 20th century brought disaster. Below is what's left of the Temple of Athena and the Altar of Zeus, which was raided by German archaeologists in the 19th century.30amS.30pm in winter, until 7pm in summer; separate entrance fees. Just offstage is the Temple of Dionysos.

 The Pergamon Arkeoloji Miisezi (Ar chaeological Museum; daily 8. Below, in the town, stop at the KIZII Avvlu (Red Basilica; daily 8.30pm, until 7pm in summer; charge). The city claims to be the birthplace of Homer, but its known history starts with Alexander the Great, who had a dream that inspired his generals to build a fortified settle ment here in the 4th century BC. Founded by Attalus II, it contained 200,000 vol umes, partly written on papyrus and partly on bound parch ment, a material the scribes invented when Egypt, fearing that the Pergamon library would outshine the one at Alexan dria, banned the export of papyrus. Izmir always had a large Greek population and, after the defeat of the Ot toman Empire at the end of World War I, the city was occu pied by the Greek army, which moved a huge force to the city and began to press inland, infuriating nationalist resistance fighters under the command of Kemal Atatiirk. . Both the Asklepion and Acropolis are open daily 8.Under Eumenes and his descendants (variously named Attalus and Eumenes), the Attalid rulers of Pergamon defeated the Gauls, allied themselves with Rome, and steadily increased their wealth through war and exploitation of the surrounding silver mines and pasture lands.30pm; charge) has those finds from the site not in Berlin. Pergamon's famous library was also once situated on this site.