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Allianoi is an ancient spa settlement (dating predominantly from the Roman Empire period, 2nd century A.D.) situated near Bergama (ancient Pergamon) in Turkey's İzmir Province. The site is located 18 kilometers to the northeast of Bergama, on the road to the town of İvrindi. It is just inside the projected reservoir of the Yortanlı Dam, the construction of which was recently completed. The dam has not yet been activated due to the ongoing discussion in Turkey in regards to preserving Allianoi, which would otherwise be inundated and disappear upon the dam's activation.
One particularity of Allianoi is its being a very recent discovery. It had been mentioned once by the 2nd century orator and medicinal writer Aelius Aristides’s Hieroi Logoi (Sacred Tales) (III.1), one of the key sources for our knowledge on the science of healing as it was understood at that time. No other writer of antiquity nor any epigraphic finding refer to Allianoi.
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