This was a town in Syria, near the Euphrates, deriving its name from the
number of its temples[283]. It abounded in hot springs; and those gave
origin to the following fable: "The shepherd poet relates, after
mentioning a case in Phrygia, sacred to the nymphs, that near these
springs Luna had once descended from the sky to Endymion, while he was
sleeping by the herds; that marks of their bed were then extant under
the oaks; and in the thickets around it the milk of cows had been spilt,
which man still beheld with admiration (for such was the appearance if
you saw it afar off); but that from thence flowed clear and warm water,
which in a little time concreted round the channel, and formed a stone
pavement."
The deity most worshipped in ancient times in this city, and indeed
throughout all Phoenicia, was the goddess Astarte, called in Scripture
the Queen of Heaven and the goddess of the Sidonians.
Dr. Chandler and his friend Mr. Revett ascended to the ruins, which are
in a flat, passing by sepulchres with inscriptions, and entering from
the east. They had soon the theatre on the right hand; and opposite to
it, near the margin of the cliff, are the remains of an ancient
structure, once perhaps baths, or as was conjectured, a gymnasium; the
huge vaults of the roof striking horror as they rode underneath. Beyond
is the mean ruin of a modern fortress; and farther on are massive walls
of edifices, several of them leaning from their perpendicular, the
stones disjointed, and seeming every moment ready to fall--the effects
and evidences of repeated earthquakes.
In a recess of the mountain, on the right side, is the area of a
stadium. Then again sepulchres succeed; some nearly buried in the
mountain side, and one, a square building, with an inscription with
large letters.
The theatre appears to have been a very large and sumptuous structure:
part of the front is still standing. In the heap, which lies in
confusion, are many sculptures, well executed in basso-relievo, with
pieces of architecture inscribed, but disjoined, or so incumbered with
massive marbles, that no information could be gathered from them. The
character is large and bold, with ligatures. The marble seats are still
unremoved. The numerous ranges are divided by a low semicircular wall,
near the midway, with inscriptions, on one of which Apollo Archegetes
(or the Leader) is requested to be propitious. In another compartment,
mention is made of the city by its name; and a third is an encomium, in
verse. "Hail, golden city, Hierapolis, the spot to be preferred before
any in wide Asia; revered for the rills of the nymphs; adorned with
splendour." In some of the inscriptions the people are styled "the most
splendid," and the senate "the most powerful."
Hierapolis was not so magnificent as Laodicea; but still it was a
splendid place; and, like its neighbour city, is now almost "an utter
desolation[284]."