Modern history: The site was excavated in 1881 by Karl Sester a German engineer assessing transport routes for the Uttomans. subsequent excavations have failed to reveal the tomb of Antiochus. This is nevertheless still believed to be the site of his burial. The statues all of them beheaded have not been restored to their original condition.
Ancient history: When the Seleucid Empire was defeated by the Romans in 190 BC at the Battle of Magnesia it began to fall apart and new kingdoms were establidhed on its territory by local authorities. Commagene one of the seleucid successor states occupied a land between the Taurus mountains and the Euphrates. The state of Commagene had a wide range of cultures which left its leader from 62 BC 38 BC Antiochus I Thoes to carry on a peculiar dynastic religious program which included not only Armenian Greek and Persian deities but Antiochus and his family as well. This religious program was very possibly an attempt by Antiochus to unify multiethnic Kingdom and secure his dynasty's authority. Antiochus supported the cult as a propagator of happiness and salvation Many of the ruins on Mount Nemrud are mounments of the imperial cult of Commagene.
The most important area to the cult was the tomb of Antiochus I which was decorated with colossal statues made of limestone. Although the imperial cult did not last long after Antiochus several of his successors had their own tombs built on Mount Nemrud For around half of the year Mount Nemrud is covered in snow the effect of which increases weathering which has in part caused the statues to fall in ruin.
Some of the statues near the peak of Mount Nemrut: The mountain lies 40 km (25 mile) north of Kahta near Adyaman. In 62 BC King antiochus I Theos of Commagene built on the mountain top a tomb sanctuary flanked by huge statues 8-9 metre high (26 -30 ft) of himself two lions two eagles and various Greek Armenian and Medes gods such as Zeus Aramazd or Oromasdes (associated with Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda Hercules Vahagn Tyche Bakht and Apollo Mihr Mithras. These statues were once seated with names of each god ins cribed on them. The heads of the statues have at some stage been removed from their bodies and they are now scattered throughout the site. The pattern of damage to the heads (notably to noses) suggests that they were deliberately damaged as a result of iconoclasm. The statues have not been restored to their original positions. The site also preserves stone slabs with bas relief figures that are thought to have formed a large frieze. These slabs display the ancestors of Antiochus who included Armenian Greek and Persians.
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