Myndos is an ancient city located in the west of the Bodrum Peninsula in today's Gümüşlük. Myndos, mentioned in ancient sources, was founded by Mausolus in the 4th century BC. The city is surrounded by walls starting from the ridges of Kocadağ in the west and continuing from the ridges of the city in the east and ending on Rabbit Island. It is known that wine and olive cultivation activities were carried out in ancient times. It gained its independence in 197 BC and was able to mint coins after this date. It remained a poor city during the Roman Empire. Today Myndos is a fishing village with tangerine orchards.

History

The ancient city of Myndos was founded by Mausolus in the 4th century BC. It is one of the cities frequently mentioned by ancient writers and is known today as Gümüşlük. The historian Herodotus mentioned the Myndosians and their ships in his time (5th century BC). However, scientific excavations to date have not yielded detailed information on this date. The city is surrounded by walls extending from the ridges of Kocadağ in the west to Rabbit Island.

Alexander the Great besieged Myndos but could not take it. One year after Alexander's siege, the city fell to Alexander's commanders after the defeat of the Persian commander Orontobates in 333 BC. In the 3rd century BC, it came under the rule of Ptolemy. Myndos gained its independence in 197 BC and was able to mint coins after this date. In 44 BC, Brutus and Cassius, the murderers of Caesar, used Myndos as their headquarters. Myndos remained a poor city during the Roman Empire. The city was inhabited until the end of the Byzantine period. The remains of the Byzantine church, several fortification walls, breakwaters and towers are among the ruins seen above ground today. There are also half-covered columns, traces of mosaics and ceramic fragments under the ground. Excavations carried out by the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology uncovered necropolis areas from the Early Bronze Age and these artifacts are exhibited in the museum.

Archaeological Studies and Remains

Since no scientific excavations have been carried out in the Leleg cities of the classical period, including Myndos, no detailed information has been obtained. Not even a trace of the stadium and theater mentioned by the writers of the last century remains. The above-ground remains are very few; these include a Byzantine church, a few fortification walls, the remains of a fortification on the hill, and the remains of a breakwater and tower in the water.

Excavations on Rabbit Island uncovered the remains of a church and the remains of an ayazma on the shore of Kocadağ opposite the island where it meets the sea. Excavations carried out by the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology around the city revealed necropolis areas dating back to the Early Bronze Age. The artifacts obtained from these excavations are exhibited in the museum.

Ancient Economy and Culture

In ancient times, Myndos was one of the places that produced wine. Myndos wine was mixed with sea water and drunk as it was thought to be good for the stomach; this custom was also seen elsewhere in antiquity. It is also known from written sources that olive cultivation activities were also carried out in antiquity. During the age of Mausolus, Koyunbaba Mevkii near Gümüşlük was used as a quarry.