The ancient name is Tarsos, probably derived from the God Tarku. It was located at the crossing of several important trade routes, linking southern Anatolia to Syria and the Pontus-region. As the ruins are covered by the modern city, it is not very well known archaeologically. Settlement goes back to the Bronze Age at least, but is most probably older.
Tarsos was the seat of a Persian satrap from 400 BC onwards, later part of the Seleucid empire. After the Roman conquest, it was capital of the province of Cilicia. The stoic philosopher Antipatros and the apostle St. Paul were born here.
Cilicia ultimately fell under the rule of the Seleucid kings of Syria, whose capital was Antioch on the Orontes.
The king therefore came to Cilicia in all haste to settle matters.” That this settlement took the form of a compromise and the grant to Tarsus of at least a municipal independence we may infer from the fact that Tarsus struck its own coins from this reign onward.
Other philosophers of Tarsus were Nestor, a representative of the Academy, and tutor of Marcellus, Augustus' nephew and destined successor, and of Tiberius, Plutiades and Diogenes; the latter was also famous as an improvisatore, and indeed the Tarsians in general were famed for their ease and fluency in impromptu speaking.
That the latter was due to Greek influence is shown by the village Mopsucrene on the southern approach to the Gates: Mopsus was the prophet of Clarian Apollo.
The statue was probably an archaic work, with Hittite or cuneiform inscription, representing a figure with right hand raised: the letters and the attitude were misunderstood; the figure was supposed to be snapping the fingers and uttering this expression of effeminate and weary sensualism.
Nicephorus Phocas reconquered Tarsus and all Cilicia for the empire in A.D. In the First Crusade Baldwin and Tancred captured Tarsus A.D. 1099, and there the two leaders had a serious quarrel.
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