Eleskirt, Turkey

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local prince), held sway independently of the Ottoman Porte from his fortress at nearby Topprakale. An important inscription was discovered at Eleskirt relating to King Menua of Urartu (ca. 815-790 B.C.) whose capital was at Tushpa (now Van).

During his retreat from Persia Xenophon rested for a week on the Eleskirt plain with the exhausted remnants of the Ten Thousand, gathering strength for the next demanding stage of their forced march, the crossing of the Tahir Pass (the view from the pass is quite magnificent). Dominating the plain to the north is the 3,432m/11,264ft volcanic peak of Büyükköse Dagi, its summit often still snow-covered in June.