Tyana's history is as deep as its springs. As Tuwanuwa, it was a major power center in the Neo-Hittite period. By the Roman period, it was a strategic stop on the road to the Cilician Gates and the Mediterranean. Its location at the crossroads of trade ensured its wealth, which was poured into monumental projects like the aqueducts.
The Roman Pool was the source of this wealth. The spring water collected here was channeled via the aqueducts to the city center, powering fountains, baths, and private homes. The precision of the masonry at the pool is so high that the blocks still hold water today without modern mortar.
During the Byzantine era, Tyana remained a vital religious center before eventually declining in the middle ages. Today, the modern town of Kemerhisar is built literally on top of the ancient city, with ancient columns and inscriptions often found integrated into the walls of local garden homes.