Gordion is an ancient city that is remembered in history with a legendary knot that Alexander the Great tried to untie and is the historical capital of Phrygia. The “knot” in this city was once associated with prophecy, and its unraveling became the primary goal of those who would claim to be the rulers of Asia. Alexander the Great’s encounter with this knot further strengthened his ambitious desire for domination and opened the door to a destiny for world domination.
Gordion’s legendary knot has remained in memory as a mysterious and prophetic part of history and has added deep meaning to Alexander’s life story. This legendary knot was not just a physical phenomenon, but also a symbol of the desire to establish an empire and the essence of a tremendous prophecy recorded by history.
Gordian knot, Alexander the GreatIt originates from a legend attributed to , and is a metaphor generally used to express the solution of a difficult problem with brute force. ‘I’m blind’ The fact that the term is derived from Gordion is an indication that various civilizations of Anatolia have influenced our language.
The Story of Gordion’s Prophetic Knot
Alexander the Great’s untying of the knot in Gordion has survived to this day as a legend that has been passed around for thousands of years. According to the legend, Phrygian king Midas This story, which took place during the time, tells how the king was elected in the famous city. The famous sage of the ancient city of Gordion at that time made a prophecy after his long meditations. According to prophecyIt is said that the future king of the city and the country will enter Gordion after midnight with an ox cart loaded with hay. Hearing this prophecy, the people of the city cannot sleep all night and wait with excitement for the morning, impatient for the new king to come.
Gordion A farmer named hay, which he carefully prepared, in the city of Gordion He sets out early to sell. By driving his ox cart in the dark, he finally reaches the city of Gordion. There are rumors that this farmer is the father of the famous King Midas. Gordion enters this city, from which he will take his name, at the first light of the morning. The city is empty, but the people who had been watching the square throughout the night suddenly appear. An old, wise man with a long beard rose from the crowd and said: “The prophecy has come true. This man is now the new king of the city and the country!” He declares the kingship of the villager named Gordion.
Gordion, a peasant and wheat merchant, suddenly finds himself on the king’s throne without realizing what happened. Gordion, the king, hides his excitement while looking around with curiosity. Gordion, who is happy to be the king, does not dare to throw away the ox cart even though he no longer needs it because he is the king. Finally, he makes his decision and takes the car from the square to the largest and most magnificent temple in the city and gifts it to this temple.
As he stands in front of the ox cart from King Gordion’s farming days, the memory of the rope becoming a knot comes to his mind. Turning to those around him: “If he can solve this impasse, I will give him many sumptuous and beautiful gifts.” he says. However, despite every effort and effort, no one can solve the impasse. As time passes, the ox cart and the untied knot become the source of a prophecy that will not be forgotten for thousands of years.
According to the prophecy, the person who can solve this impasse will be the king of all Anatolia and the Asian continent. Many people try their luck many times, believing that the prophecy will come true, but they cannot solve this mysterious and interesting impasse.
The Story of Alexander the Great Untying the Gordian Knot
legendary king of Macedonia Alexander the Great, dreamed of world domination from his early ages. The prophecy of the Gordian oracles that the person who untied the knot of the rope that tied King Gordion’s chariot in the temple to the columns would be able to rule the world, spread throughout the ancient world. It was almost impossible for Alexander to be unaware of this prophecy. Because it was important for him to know that the path to world domination passed through the control of Anatolia. However, achieving this goal would not be easy. Because at that time, a large part of Anatolia was dominated by one of the largest empires. Persians It was managed by. Persian Emperor III. Darius’under the leadership of.
But Alexander was an extraordinarily ambitious and intelligent leader. He defeated the Persian Emperor Darius with a great victory in the City of Issos, approximately 90 kilometers away from Adana, despite his much smaller military force, and became the new ruler of all Anatolia. After this great victory, he would no longer be known as Alexander, the son of King Philip, but as Alexander the Great, whose name was given to one of the greatest empires in history.
Born in the ancient city of Nicomedia and “Alexander’s CampaignFlavius Arrianus, known for his work ” ‘Gordian Knot Prophecy’He talks about. According to Flavius’ narrative, Alexander came to Gordion and wanted to see the chariot and vineyards of the Phrygian King Gordios. According to the prophecy, the person who unties the Gordian Knot will be the ruler of all Asia. However, when Alexander realized that it was impossible to untie the complex knot made of branches, he took out his sword and cut the knot, amidst the suspicious looks around him. Thus, he opens the gates of Asia, declaring that the knot is solved.
However, some soothsayers saw this action of Alexander as a curse and attributed his early death to this action. According to legend, it is said that the legendary place where this knot was solved is located in Yassıhöyük village in Polatlı district. Yassıhöyük village welcomes its visitors as a place to visit with its Gordion Museum and the Mound where the tomb of Midas, the legendary king of the Phrygians, is located.
