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,
eat at any riverside restuarant at evening and the rock tombs are lite up ,what a fantastic sight while you have an evening meal
the history and beauty, u are in awe as to how they carved them,45 feet from the ground a feat in itsself, only spoiler im afraid is the continuous view of the riverside resturants, kind of takes from the surrounding beauty,dont want to end up like the pyramids lads. all in all beautful
The tombs can clearly be seen from the boat taxi that takes You to the beach from town…I was surprised they weren't buildings but carvings ..apparently the dead were put on a stone table outside the tomb and thr birds took them piece by piece to heaven
Rock tombs that can be seen from many streets in Dalyan and boat tours look very majestic and amazing! Even better is the fact that they are lit up at night so you can see them at any time of day/night. Beautiful architecture!
Brilliant, check out the history of these, worth seeing lit up at night from one..
frustrating that you can't get up close to these. we passed these tombs everyday on the boat to the beach. I got some amazing shots especially at sunset.
These can be seen as Dalyan is enjoyed by day, but a restaurant meal in the evening with them illuminated across the water creates a wonderful ambiance to the experience and with the right company, very romantic.
i could see these tombs from my hotel balcony, they look quite astounding but i couldnt help wondering how on earth they built them
We took a day trip along the river, saw these amazing tombs along the way, we stopped and were told the history of them which is fascinating. A definite must whilst in Dalyan.
For a great slice of ancient history i recommend the Dalyan river cruise where you will visit the spectacular rock tombs, along with a sulpher mud bath (good for your skin but smells pretty bad) and the best beach in the area, Turtle beach. The cost is only around £20pp for the whole day including lunch. Bargain