Arykanda
Arykanda was a city in Lycia (now Turkey ) that existed from the sixth century BC to the eleventh century AD. The ruins of the city, mostly from Roman times, are now a sight of the province of Antalya .
location
Arykanda is located on the road between Finike and Elmalı , 32 km north of Finike. The ruins of the ancient city lie on terraces on a steep slope between 710 and 820 meters above sea level. The complex offers a wide view of the surrounding mountains and the valley from all terraces. This topography, which is similar to ancient Delphi , gave the place the name "Delphi Lycia".
history
The first traces of settlement at the place are dated to 2000 BC. Dated. The ancient city was founded in the sixth century BC. Founded by Lycians (coin finds from the 5th century are the first evidence) and was one of the cities of the Lycian League . The city was already Graecized in Hellenism . From the 2nd century BC The name appears in Roman sources, the inhabitants of the city are described as dissolute and lavish. The city shared the rest of its history with the rest of Lycia. It is still unclear why the city, which was still a bishopric in Byzantine times, was abandoned. The excavations in the area of the city continue to this day.
investment
On the highest excavated terrace is the stadium , which at 170 m in length is significantly smaller than the usual Roman facilities. There are only seats for the spectators on the mountain side of the stadium. At the same height, about 300 m west of the stadium, are the ruins of the Buleuterion , a stoa , several shops and a cistern . Below the stadium, the 20 rows of seats of the well-preserved theater are carved directly into the mountain in the middle section, and only the side wings are built up. On a lower level is the Odeon, originally clad in marble, and in front of it, a little lower, the Agora . On the next lower level is the necropolis with tombs, some of which are built in the style of temples . The gymnasium and the thermal baths are located below the necropolis.
Necropolis above, gymnasium and thermal baths below.
theatre
Burial place with the head of Medusa
Mosaic floor from Roman times
Web links
- Description on www.reiseinfo-tuerkei.de with map and current information
- Description, pictures and plans of Arykanda in Lycia
- 200 pictures by Arykanda
literature
- Ilhan Akşit: The sunny land of Lycia . Akşil 2006, ISBN 975-7039-12-8 .
- Cevdet Bayburtluoğlu, Arykanda - an archaeological guide (Homer Archaeological Guides, 1), Homer Kitabevi, Istanbul 2005, ISBN 975-8293-92-3 .
- Gustav Hirschfeld : Arykanda . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume II, 2, Stuttgart 1896, Sp. 1497.
- Sencer Şahin (ed.): The inscriptions of Arykanda . (Inscriptions of Greek cities from Asia Minor, 48), Habelt, Bonn 1994, ISBN 3-7749-2652-2 .
Coordinates: 36 ° 30 ′ 50 ″ N , 30 ° 3 ′ 36 ″ E