The area now designated the Antalya province is the general center of classical Lycia. Milas was included by some writers in the district, but the more important cities seem to have been Patara (Gelemls) in the Xanthus Valley, Telmessus (Fethiye), and Myra (Demre). Perhaps it is Lycians who are mentioned in an Egyptian account of the Hittite battle at Kadesh. They may also be the Luqqa of fourteenth and thirteenth century Hittite documents.
Lycia was a geopolitical region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey, and Burdur Province inland. Known to history since the records of ancient Egypt and the Hittite Empire in the Late Bronze Age, it was populated by speakers of the Luwian language group. Written records began to be inscribed in stone in the Lycian language (a later form of Luwian) after Lycia’s involuntary incorporation into the Achaemenid Empire in the Iron Age. At that time (546 BC) the Luwian speakers were decimated, and Lycia received an influx of Iranian speakers.
Lycia fought for the Persians in the Persian Wars, but on the defeat of the Achaemenid Empire by the Greeks, it became intermittently a free agent. After a brief membership in the Athenian Empire, it seceded and became independent (its treaty with Athens had omitted the usual non-secession clause), was under the Persians again, revolted again, was conquered by Mausolus of Caria, returned to the Persians, and went under Macedonian hegemony at the defeat of the Persians by Alexander the Great. Due to the influx of Greek speakers and the sparsity of the remaining Lycian speakers, Lycia was totally Hellenized under the Macedonians. The Lycian language disappeared from inscriptions and coinage.
On defeating Antiochus III in 188 the Romans gave Lycia to Rhodes for 20 years, taking it back in 168 BC. In these latter stages of the Roman republic Lycia came to enjoy freedom as part of the Roman protectorate. The Romans validated home rule officially under the Lycian League in 168 BC. This native government was an early federation with democratic principles; these later came to the attention of the framers of the United States Constitution, influencing their thoughts.
Despite home rule under democratic principles Lycia was not a sovereign state and had not been since its defeat by the Carians. In 43 AD the Roman emperor, Claudius, dissolved the league. Lycia was incorporated into the Roman Empire with a provincial status. It became an eparchy of the Eastern, or Byzantine Empire, continuing to speak Greek even after being joined by communities of Turkish language speakers in the early 2nd millennium. After the fall of the Byzantine Empire in the 15th century, Lycia was under the Ottoman Empire, and was inherited by the Turkish Republic on the fall of that empire. The Greeks were withdrawn when the border between Greece and Turkey was negotiated in 1923.
Lycia today is a substantial component of the Turquoise Coast. It is of interest not only for recreation and sport, but as a location of antiquities going back as early as the Bronze Age. The ruins of ancient Lycia are seemingly everywhere. For reasons unknown, perhaps isolation, recycling of the building stone was minimal compared to other regions.
Lycia,
You just have to see it for yourself, night time is best when they are lit up!
amazing would combine this with the trip to mud baths or turtle beach as a fair distance from marmaris
When you visit Daylan in Turkey be sure to take a boat trip down the Daylan Cayy River to marvel at the Lycian Rock Tombs that are hewn out of the rock high above the river. There is said to be hundreds of these tombs in the nearby cliffs. An amazing site that reminds me of Petra.
what a nice time here beginning with the mud baths and then a boat trip along the lycian tombs onto turtle beach
I love the views of the Rock Tombs from the villas that we stay in and from our most favourite restaurant,
These rock tombs are really amazing and easily seen without crossing the river but we took a row boat over and got a closer view! It was lovely to see some real history. When they are lit up at night you can sit and look at them from several of the restaurants along the river.
Stayed in Dalyan, and could see the rock tombs from my balcony. Never tired of looking at them, lit by the early morning or late afternoon sun, or tastefully lit up at night, these tombs dominate and define Dalyan. Don't go on a tour, get rowed across the river by Dada and friends 4TL return, and walk 5 minutes to…
These remains must be seen from the numerous small boats which sail up and down this river. You can get close enough to get a decent view. The boats then take you onto to Turtle beach which is a must!
Brilliant and very interesting trip, Tour guide was very helpful , stopped and had traditional food. The mud bath stay was a good expwerience and well worth a go.
Wont give too many details as would spoil your trip but can tell you to make sure your camera is charged!