The distance from the Anatolian plateau to the Cilician plain is about . In ancient times, this was a journey of nearly five days. Saint Paul spoke, according to the Bible, about being in dangers from rivers and dangers from robbers (2 Cor. 11:26). This may explain why one of the world's oldest fortresses was built at the southeastern end of the Cilician Gates around 4500 BCE. The Army of the Ten Thousand, Alexander the Great before the Battle of Issus, Paul of Tarsus on his way to the Galatians, and part of the army of the First Crusade all passed through the Cilician Gates. The Crusaders allied themselves with the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.