POLATLI İKDAM - GORDION

KING MIDAS AND POLATLI

Polatlı is a district of Ankara Province of Turkey, 80 km west of the Turkish capital Anka ra, on the road to Eskişehir. Elevation 850m. Area 3789 km². Population (2000) 116,400 of which 79,992 live in the town of Polatlı.

Geography

Polatlı is situated at the heart of the high Anatolian plateau, a large steppe covered with grass. Far from the coast, it has a typical steppes' climate. The winters are generally cold, the summers dry and dusty. The springs are the most humid times of the year. Polatlı is one of the most productive agricultural districts in Turkey and is best known for its cereal production, especially barley and wheat. Polatlı is one of Turkey's largest grain stores. Sugar beet, melon and onion are also grown.

History

The ancient Phrygian capital Gordion is 10 km from the town of Polatlı. On his expedition to the east, Alexander the Great cut the famous Gordian Knot, an omen of his coming rule over the whole Asia. Pessinus, an ancient city on the upper river Sangarios (modern day Sakarya River), is also within the borders of Polatlı. The mythological Phrygian King Midas is said to have ruled from Pessinus and to be buried here.

Polatlı also occupied an important place in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922 as the Battle of Sakarya (August 23-September 13, 1922) was fought here, the utmost eastern point reached by the invading Greek Army in Anatolia. There are two memorial burial grounds of those lost in the battle.

In any event, Gordius seems to have done very well. One of his first acts was to dedicate his wagon to Zeus and to place it near the temple, the yoke tied to the pole by an intricate knot of cornel bark. Another oracle declared that anyone who succeeded in untying the knot would be the conqueror of all Asia. The knot stayed tied until the arrival of Alexander. Then, as everybody knows, he cheated on the oracle by cutting the knot with his sword instead of untying it. Zeus honored his initiative by making the prophecy come true.

'Turn him to any cause of policy,
The Gordian Knot of it he will unloose,
Familiar as his garter' ....Shakespear (HenryV, 1.i)

'The Gordian Knot 'Three sayings used by pompous orators for hundreds of years as classical figures of speech are "as rich as Croesus", "I came, I saw, I conquered", and "to cut the Gordian Knot". All three had their original home in Türkiye / POLATLI

Midas

In Greek mythology, Midas or King Midas (in Greek Μίδας) is popularly remembered for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold: the "Midas touch".