Myndus, Archaeological site in Gümüşlük, Turkey.
Myndus is an ancient Greek settlement on the Aegean coast, located within and around the modern village of Gümüşlük in Muğla Province, Turkey. The remains include sections of city walls and harbor structures, some of which sit on land while others lie just beneath the surface of the sea.
Myndus was founded by Dorian colonists from Troezen and later grew into a port of strategic importance under Roman rule. In 44 BCE, Brutus and Cassius used it as a base during the period following Julius Caesar's assassination.
Myndus was home to thinkers who worked in philosophy and natural science, and the town carried that reputation across the Greek world. Today, visitors walking through Gümüşlük can still spot stretches of ancient wall that once defined the boundary of that city.
The ruins are accessible on foot through the village of Gümüşlük, and no special equipment is needed to see the main remains. Since some structures extend into shallow water along the shore, waterproof shoes or sandals will help when exploring those sections.
A section of the ancient city now lies underwater because tectonic shifts gradually changed the shoreline over centuries. Snorkelers can spot wall foundations on the seabed in shallow water, which is something few ancient sites along the Aegean allow so easily.
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