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INFORMATION |
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PHASELIS;
On the way to Antalya, along the newly-opened coastal
highway, which allows the best view possible of the beauties
of the Mediterranean, a signpost lead us off to Phaselis 35
kms before
Antalya, and along a forestry track. Although a cave in the
vicinity - the Beldibi cave -shows signs of pre-historic
dwelling, we can trace the city of Phaselis no further back
than the 7th century B.C. It was founded as a colony of
Rhodes, possessed three natural harbors, and was close to a
richly forested region. However, as in other areas of the
coast of Anatolia, there were settlements here before the
arrival of the Rhodias colonists and therefore it was
probably founded first by force, or perhaps by gradual
integration with the local peoples after their initial
acceptance of the colonists.
Phaselis fell into Persian hands after they took Anatolia
and later into the hands of Alexander the Great after he
defeated the Persians. Phaselis opened its doors to
Alexander, admitting him as a guest.
It was here that Alexander accepted many of the envoys from the cities of
Pamphylia. Then taking each of the coastal cities in turn,
he advanced to Gordion. After the death of Alexander, the
city remained in Egyptian hands from 309 B.C. to 197 B.C.
under the of Ptokmaios. With the conclusion of the Apameia
treaty it was handed over to the kingdom of Rhodes, together
with the other cities of Lycia. From 190 B.C. to 160 B.C. it
remained under Rhodian hegemony, but after 160 B.C. it was
absorbed into the Lycian confederacy under Roman rule.
Phaselis like Olympos was under the constant threat of
pirates in the 1st century B.C., and the city was even taken
over by the pirate Zenekites for a period, but was freed
from the threat when he was defeated by the Romans. In 42
B.C. Brutus had the city linked to Rome. During the
Byzantine period, the city became a bishopric.
In the 3rd century AD., its convenient harbor had fallen
under the threat of pirates once again and it began to lose
importance, suffering further losses at the hands of Arab
vessels until totally impoverished in the 11th century AD.
When the Seljuks began to concentrate on Alanya and Antalya
their ports, Phaselis lost its importance.
Phaselis is a city of natural harbors, of which it has no
less than three, as we have said. Near the car park is the
northern harbor, next to this the naval base, and to the
south the southern harbor.
When the two small islets in the northern harbor were joined
to the mainland by a causeway, the harbor was enlarged and
shaped to accomodate a large number of ships. The military
harbour to the south of this was protected by a mole which
extended from the walls around the promontory. It is still
possible to see the remains of this mole and the walls.
Let us look at the other remains to be found in this
once-favored port of ancient times, situated at a
magnificent point between sea and forest that made it one of
the gems of the ancient world.
As we begin to look over the city of Phaselis, founded over
a peninsula that narrowed into bays to the north and south,
we first see the remains of the aqueduct.
Beyond these we see the naval harbor road, which is linked
to the northern harbor. On the road facing the southern
harbor is a portal leading to the harbor, built during the
reign of Hadrian. On the sides of the road are to be found
the remains of a large number of shops. Across the
tree-covered site to the south of this road can be seen the
commercial agora, the Domitian agora, and a later agora.
Returning along the same route we pass through the gate of
Hadrian, along the main road and come to the theater of
Phaselis on our right.
The acropolis was surrounded with walls and the theater was
situated on the north-western slopes. The auditorium and
skene of the theater are still identifiable and date from
the Roman period. After looking at the theater, we continue
to the small harbor area. After seeing the inner harbor we
can return to the car park. The necropolis was situated at
the end of the road, stretching beyond the aqueduct over the
steep slopes behind the harbor. There are still many graves
to be seen here.
On approaching the ruins, one passes the remains of one of
the temples of Phaselis on the left just before reaching the
northern harbor. It is a building of fine dressed stone,
massive in appearance.
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