Abstract:

According to ancient writers, Gordion is the place where Alexander the Great cut, in 334/3 BCE, the famous Gordian Knot and fulfilled a prophecy to become the ruler of Asia. Gordion is also linked with Midas, the Iron Age king of the late 8^th century BCE, who in later Greek mythology is cursed with the “golden touch”. In addition to the stories and myths that provide a popular backdrop to the site, extensive archaeological and textual evidence has revealed Gordion’s very long and complex settlement history. Spanning at least 4,500 years from the Bronze Age (ca. 2500 BCE) to the present, Gordion and its environs have been closely connected to key geo-political and cultural developments in the region. This article presents a brief account of the archaeological investigations carried out at Gordion and an overview of the site’s history.