Mighty fortresses round the Thermodon region
Caleoglu Kale
About five km southwest of the town Ünye you encounter the ruins of the castle
Caleoglu Kale. Even today the remains of this monument are impressing.
The castle is on a great rock, of striking aspect.
A rock-cut Hellenistic tomb indicates the old age of this building,
the origins of this monument are probably much older.
Myth about the fortress of the beautiful princess
It is rather amazing that this castle has been popularly identified with the
»fortress of the beautiful princess«.
There is following legend: For a long period a beautiful princess defended this fortress against the Infidel.
At last - either by treachery or by cunning -
the besiegers succeeded in capturing the castle.
But the princess, to save herself from capture, leaped from the topmost tower
to her death.
What makes this legend so exceptional?
It is striking that this myth portrays a person, who in many aspects
resembles an Amazon. She owns the same characteristics like bravery, pride,
absolute will for resistance, prowess, valor and sacrifice - all those
aspects perfectly fit with the classical image of an Amazon.
Furthermore, it is very conspicuous that just this castle which is situated in the
immediate vicinity of the Amazon homeland is associated with this myth.
Kekirkalesi
In this region you often come across impressive fortresses.
Near the town Akkus, about 40 km southwest of Ünye,
there are - hidden deep in the mountains -
the formidable ruins of the castle Kekirkalesi.
In fact, it is amazing that around the Thermodon plain there stretches a ring of ancient fortresses of mighty appearance. A connection with the warlike Amazons who once lived in this region seems obvious. Furthermore, it is remarkable that just in this region a great many women were martyred in the late Roman period - a clear sign that women there always took up a very self-confident and engaged position.
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