Lycia – Lykia
Lycia which means the “land of Lights” is an ancient region located between the Aksu and Dalaman rivers. It’s assumed that the lukas ( the pirates ) who terrified all seamen in mediterranean region are the ancestors of Lykians.
** Lycians supported Hittite empire and took part in the Kadesh battle against Egypt .
** Antique cities sitauted in the borders of region had created the Lycianunion in 8th century B.C.
** In sequence; Persians, Macedonians, Roman empire ruled the region.
** Romans consigned the ruling of the region to Rhodes.
** Pontus king Mithridates, conquered the Lycia region though Roman emperor Cladius made the Lycia again a roman state.
** Lycia was flourished and developed over centuries under the reign of Roman empire but countless earthquakes and pirates destroyed the Lycian cities.
** Lycia lost its importance especially after the Arab invasions.
** Lycian monuments and memorials are the most interesting and stunning samples of Anatolia’s architecture. Hellenistic and Roman structures , tombs and shrines are worth to see.
** Lycia is very well-known with its unique Lycian Type sarcophaguses .
Important sites of Lycia were ;
Ksantos (kinik) patara (kelemis)
Myra ( Kale) Olympos (cirali , yanartas , deliklitas)
Tlos Phaselis (Tekirova)