Alexandria Troas

Alexandria Troas is one of the largest and most important ancient cities in the Troad region. Located near Dalyan village on the Aegean coast of Çanakkale, the city developed as a major centre of trade, transportation and urban life between Anatolia, the Aegean islands and the wider Mediterranean world. The Ancient City of Alexandria Troas was founded in 310 BC by Antigonus Monophthalmus and was later renamed by Lysimachus in honour of Alexander the Great. The carefully planned city was surrounded by approximately eight kilometres of defensive walls and contained temples, baths, a stadium, fountains, paved streets, a theatre, aqueducts and an important harbour. Alexandria Troas became particularly prosperous during the Roman period. Its strategic coastal position and extensive harbour made it an important connection point between Asia and Europe. The remains of monumental buildings and public spaces reveal the wealth and scale of a city once considered among the largest urban centres in ancient Anatolia. One of the most impressive surviving structures is the Herodes Atticus Bath, also associated with a large gymnasium complex. Constructed during the 2nd century AD, the monumental building was supplied with water through an aqueduct extending from the Mount Ida region. With its enormous dimensions, it was one of the largest Roman imperial bath complexes built in Anatolia. The baths were more than a place for washing. Like similar Roman complexes, they formed an important centre of social life, exercise and public activity. Although much of the structure has collapsed, its massive walls and surviving architectural remains still demonstrate the advanced engineering and monumental character of Roman Alexandria Troas. The harbour, now separated from the sea, once played an important role in military movement, regional trade and travel between Anatolia and Europe. Together, the Ancient City of Alexandria Troas and the Herodes Atticus Bath offer an impressive journey through Hellenistic and Roman history. The site’s monumental ruins, coastal landscape and peaceful surroundings reveal the former importance of one of the ancient Troad’s greatest cities.