In the last documentary of the series, the journey starts in Kaunus, a city where, according to mythology, Kaunus sought refuge to forget his love for his sister Vivlida. The city is a mosaic of monuments from various eras. There are rock-cut tombs from the Hellenistic period, while the acropolis of the city has fortifications from both the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods. The journey through time and space continues to the abandoned Livissi, the ancient city of Karmylissos, which was mainly inhabited by Greeks and flourished in the early 20th century.
The next stop in the journey is Xanthos, which is first mentioned in the Iliad: Sarpedon, a hero of the Trojan War, is said to be its founder. The city, which experienced successive conquests, particularly flourished under Lycian rule, when the three worship buildings on its acropolis were built. The camera focuses on monuments that reflect its history: the Lycian Sarcophagus, a monument «encompassing» many eras, and the inscribed stele, which bears the longest inscription found in the Lycian language.
The next city on the journey is Myra, which is closely connected to the life of Saint Nicholas (Aghios Nikolaos). According to popular tradition, Saint Nicholas saved three children from certain death, and for this reason, he was considered the protector of children. Legend intertwines with reality regarding his works and contributions to the city. It is certain that the inhabitants of Myra, recognizing his contributions, made him bishop and built a church dedicated to his memory.
The final city on the journey is Knidus.
There is a disagreement surrounding its founder's identity, but it is clear that it was an important city with, colonies in Northern Sicily, from the island of Lipari, to as far as Naukrati in Egypt. The city's cultural significance is demonstrated by Praxiteles' statue of Aphrodite, which adorned the city. Knidus also had a medical school and was the hometown of the architect Sostratos, the creator of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and the astronomer Eudoxus, the inventor of the sundial.
Narration: Kleopatra Tologlou, Dimitris Loukopoulos, Alexandra Martinou
Scenario-Director: Dimitris Loukopoulos
Music: George Magoulas
Research: George Pilihos
Production Director: Gina Petropoulou
Photography: Nady Francis
3D Graphic Director: Vangelis Christodoulou
Scientific advisor on architecture: John Svolos
Digital Production Director: Dimitris Efraimoglou
3D Graphics: Vangelis Christodoulou (supervisor), Abraham Onassiadis, Ilias Mihailidis, Amalia Delikari
2D Graphics: Lydia Abastado, Peggy Tsaprouni
Editing: Antonis Xenos, Thanasis Takis
Post Production: Imagina Computer Graphics
About the series:
«Asia Minor... Echoes of Memory»
FHW's second film production, a series of four half-hour documentaries written and directed by Dimitris Loukopoulos, is entitled «Asia Minor... Echoes of Memory».
Filming took place in September and October 1998. The narrative unfolds through the dramatic dialogue of two souls that wander through space and time in search of their roots. This journey allows us to explore the history of Asia Minor across various periods, from antiquity to the present day. Specifically, the series takes us through twenty cities of Asia Minor, uncovering their history during different time periods. The films highlight the unique cultural mosaic created by the intertwining of Antiquity, Byzantium, and Modern times, which characterizes Asia Minor.
The journey starts in Assos and ends in Myra, covering the following cities: Assos, Pergamos, Aivali, Moschonisia, Teos, Erythrae, Magnesia, Smyrna, Ephesus, Claros, Priene, Miletus, Sirince, Didyma, Heraclea, Cnidus, Caunos, Xanthus, Livisi, and Myra.
The series is enriched with 3D reconstructions of various monuments.
These include the temple of Athena in Assos, the altar of the temple of Artemis Leukophryene in Magnesia, the Agora and the Bouleuterion of Miletus, the port of Knidus, and three buildings of worship on the acropolis of Xanthus.
