FROM SOFIA TO TARSUS�DISCOVER MY CITY
Made by: Elitsa Stefanova Petrova
Sofia
Sofia’s history, the biggest town in Bulgaria and capital of the country, captures several thousand years dating back from ancient times. The earliest data of people inhabiting the territory of Sofia is from the Neolith era.
Tarsus
Tarsus is a town in ancient Kilikia, placed in the modern province of Mercin, Turkey. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited city centers in the world, and similarly to Sofia, its population history dates to the Neolith era.
Sofia
Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Justinian, his daughter - Sophia, was sick and that broke her father's heart. Many doctors tried to cure her illness, but to no avail. Justinian chose the best place for the treatment of his daughter - mineral springs at the foot of Vitosha mountain. After getting treated for a while she felt much better. Therefore, Justinian ordered the settlement to be called after her - Sofia.
Tarsus
The city was founded by the grandson of a woman named Anchiale, who founded the nearby city named after her. Cydnus, her son, gave his name to the river. Cydnus' son, Parthenia, founded the city of Parthenia, which would later become to be known as Tarsus. Similarly to Sofia, the town is named after a person.
Sofia
The 2nd longest all-Bulgarian river Iskar (in the past called Oxios) passes through the territory of the city of Sofia.
Tarsus
It was built near the Kydnus River (present-day Berdan River) and was an important trading center for most of its history, just like Sofia was built around Iskar.
Sofia
Partially written sources about the city appear from the time of the Roman conquest. The perpendicular Roman streets oriented along the main geographical directions are the evidence for their influence upon the region of Sofia, much like Tarsus.
Tarsus
In 27 B.C. AD Augustus Caesar became the first emperor of Rome, he annexed Cilicia, which is the region where Tarsus is located, removing it from the Empire. A Roman road, probably one of those built during Augustus’ time, can still be seen in modern Tarsus, just like in Sofia.
Sofia
The city is rich in many archaeological finds from Roman times - the remains discovered during the construction of the second beam of the metro, the Largoto are a great example of that.
Tarsus
Tarsus also has other vivid traces of life in the Roman Empire, for example the remains of the baths and their walls that are up to 9 meters high.
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