The Commagene Kingdom has a special and important place in Kurdistan's history. The Kurdish king Mirdad created a new culture or synthesis of Eastern and Western cultures, thus conducting his rule. He also calls his state Commagene. That means "group of nations" or "group of races". They are strengthening their unity through knowledge and globalization. Therefore, the Roman Empire, which had conquered most of the world and all around Commagene, could not quickly conquer the state city of Commagene.
Mount Beli, mostly known as Mount Nemrud, is one of the most important symbols and The Commagene Kingdom and one of the most important mountains in North Kurdistan. Mount Beli or Nemrud, located in Semsur province in North Kurdistan, was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO. Mount Belli is 2150 meters high and covers an area of 11 hectares.
In the top middle of Mount Beli, there is the Cave and Tomb of Commagene. The products and statues were made by the kings of Commagene Antiochus - Theos 39-69 BC and Mithradates' father - Kalinikos 109 - 69 BC. The statues are said to have been made as a symbol of the tranquility of the gods.
Semsur is an ancient city in North Kurdistan and has been inhabited by many civilizations throughout history. Mount Nemrud is located in this city and has a long history. The mountain, located at a height of 2150 meters in the Kolik region, is one of the glorious works of the Hellenistic period whose tomb was built by Queen Komazhine I to demonstrate the values of Antiochus. This dates back two thousand years.
Beli Mountain hosts thousands of local and foreign tourists every year. Especially tourists who go to Mount Beli, mostly like to see the sculptures on top of the mountain and decide on their visit to the mountain according to the time of sunrise and sunset, because sunrise and sunset on Mount Beli have a very special scenery. Tourists who wake up in the morning welcome the sunrise with historical sculptures from the top of the mountain and with views of the entire area. Some parts of the heads of some of the statues are broken because they were considered "idols" by the locals before they were discovered by German and American archaeologists. After the discovery of the mountain, which has a mysterious and deep history, many questions of two thousand years have been answered.
Tourists who have to climb dozens of stairs to reach the top of the mountain are amazed at the sculptures covered to protect them. The names and status of the found statues are written on a plaque, and the outlines of the people and the inscriptions next to the statues are worth seeing. Mount Beli’s monuments are scattered in three parts: east, west, and north. The eastern part is the center of the sanctuary; therefore, the most important sculptures and architectural remains are located there. The huge sculptures are made of clay blocks and are 8-10 meters high. However, the queen's tomb has not yet been discovered, but its existence has been proven.
The independent kingdom was founded by Mithradates (Mirdat) I in the area known in ancient times as Commagene, and the kingdom gained importance during the reign of his son Antiochus I (32-62 BC). After the defeat of the war of Rome in 72 AD, the kingdom’s independence ended. Mount Nemrud is not a place of residence, but the sacred lands of King Antiochus. There is a cemetery overlooking the Euphrates River and the plain. The cemetery is 50 meters high and 150 meters wide. The king's bones or body were buried in a chamber dug into the rock, covered with a small piece of stone, and protected. Although the inscriptions say that the king's tomb is here, it has not been found to this day. In the eastern and western parts, there are also statues of Antiochus, God, Goddess, and statues of lions and shields. A unique lion Tower is in the western part. The sculptures are a combination of Hellenistic and Kurdish art and the original art of Commagene. It means Mount Nemrud is a bridge between Western and Eastern civilizations.
