Tarsus, Mersin

Tarsus (Hittite: Tarsa, Greek: Ταρσός) is a historic ceety in south-central Turkey, 20 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It is pairt o the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Aurie, the fowert-lairgest metropolitan aurie in Turkey wi a population of 3 million. Tarsus Destrict forms an admeenistrative destrict in the eastren pairt o the Mersin Province an lees in the core o Çukurova region.

Wi a history goin back ower 2,000 years, Tarsus haes lang been an important stop for traders, a focal point o mony ceevilisations includin the Roman Empire, when Tarsus wis the caipital o the province o Cilicie, the scene o the first meetin atween Mark Antony an Cleopatra, an the birthplace o Saunt Paul.

Geography

Locatit on the mooth o the Tarsus Çay (Cydnus), which empties intae the Mediterranean Sea, Tarsus is a junction point o land an sea routes connectin the Cilicie plain (the day cried Çukurova), central Anatolie an the Mediterranean sea. The climate is typical o the  Mediterranean region, simmers are vera hot, winters chilly an damp.

Tarsus haes a lang history o commerce an is still a commercial centre the day, tradin in the produce o the fertile Çukurova plain; an aw Tarsus is a thrivin industrial centre o refinin an processin that produces some for export. Industries include agricultural machinery, spare pairts, textiles, fruit-processin, brick biggin an ceramics.

Agricultur is an important source o income, hauf o the land aurie in the destrict is fermland (1,050 km²) an maist o the remainder is forest an orchard. The fermland is maistly well-irrigatit, fertilisit an managit wi the latest equipment.

Etymology

The auncient name is Tarsos, derivit frae "Tarsa", the oreeginal name o the ceety in the Hittite leid, which wis possibly derivit frae a pagan god, Tarku, as Hittites wur the first settlers.Sirkeli Archaeological Project  At ither times the ceety wis namit Tarsisi; Antiochia on the Cydnus (Greek: Αντιόχεια του Κύδνου, Laitin: Antiochia ad Cydnum); Juliopolis, Տարսոն, Darson in Wastren Armenie an Tarson in Eastren Armenie .

References

Freemit airtins
Destrict o Tarsus
Municipality o Tarsus 

Category:Çukurova
Category:Airchaeological steids in Turkey
Category:Crusades
Category:Auncient Greek steids in Turkey
Category:Seleucid colonies in Anatolie
Category:Hittite ceeties
Category:Mersin
Category:New Testament ceeties
Category:Cilicie
Category:Populatit places in Mersin Province
Category:Thughur
Category:Titular sees