Because of the names of legendary heroes Calchas and Mopsus written on the basis of statues, the inhabitants of Perge believed that their city had been founded after the Trojan War. However, Perge did not appear in history until Alexander the Great came here in 333 BC. From that period, it became an important city surrounded by fortifications. Under the domination of the Seleucid kings, Perge enjoyed a considerable freedom and rights of minting. On most of the coins, Artemis Of Perge was represented because at the time, there was in the city a sanctuary dedicated to Artemis that was famous in the whole Pamphylia. In 188 BC, Perge came under the Roman domination and went on flourishing and expanding through the first three centuries AD. At the time of their apostolic trips through Asia Minor, St Paul and Barnabas staid in Perge.
Apollonius, mathematician of the 3-2C BC and known as the "Great Geometer" (Treaty of Conic Sections) was born in Perge.

The beautiful sculptures from Perge are displayed in Antalya Archaeological Museum.

The Archaeological site of Perge includes:

The Theatre, originally a Hellenistic theatre with a horse-shoe shaped orchestra and modified by the Romans, had a seating capacity of 15,000 people. There still are beautiful reliefs depicting the life of Dyonisus or the river-god Cestrus, which adorn the stage building (2C BC). On the outer facade there was a nymphaeum, of which five fountain niches have survived.

The Stadium is a 2C AD Roman building and is, after Aphrodisias, the best preserved in Anatolia.The seating capacity was 12,000. 30 barrel-vaulted rooms placed under the rows of seats were used as shops, except one out of three that was used for access to the stadium.

The 4C AD Gate

The Baths Complex with a frigidarium, tepidarium and caldarium was all made of marble. Statues which decorated the place are exhibited in the Antalya Archaeoligical Museum .

The Main Gate of the Hellenistic walls, is flanked by two imposing round towers dating back to the 3C BC. Behind is a horseshoe-shaped courtyard that was transformed by Plancia Magna into a beautiful place covered with marble during the Roman period : inside the niches there were many statues including those of Plancia Magna who was chief priestess of Artemis and benefactress of the city.

The Colonnaded Street was 20m/ 65 feet wide and stretched from the Hellenistic Gate to the Nympheaum. In the middle, there was a water canal which was used to cool the atmosphere during the long-lasting hot summers. On both sides, the street was lined with shops fronted by a roofed colannade.

The Agora was built when the city was enlarged in the 4C AD.