Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for June 2016. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
The ancient site of Phaselis lies 58 km south of Antalya on an isthmus with three pleasant beaches. Phaselis is set in an attractive pine forest, within a national park, surrounded on three sides by the sea.
The ancient site of Olympos lies 73 km southwest of Antalya and is an ancient Lycian-Roman town along the beach, named for nearby Mount Olympos and encompassed within the Olympos National Park.
The ancient site of Rhodiapolis lies near the modern town of Kumluca. Rhodiapolis received its name from the Rhodians that colonised it. We learn of its name from Hekataios. Theopompos claimed it was named after Rhodos, the daughter of Mopsos. However, its name in Lycian is thought to have been Wedrei (Wedrennehi/Wedrenni). The name Wedrei is found together with that of Trbennimi on the Dynastic period coins of Lycia. This suggests that there existed a settlement here prior to the Rhodian colonisation.
In the period of Side's greatest prosperity, in the second century AD, two wide colonnaded streets led from the main gate to the city center. The road leading in the southern direction is not currently used and is overgrown by a long stretch of lush vegetation. The road leading to the west, to the city agora, still serves as a thoroughfare of the city. Along this street there are traces of ancient shops and residential buildings that give us an idea of how people lived in Side during antiquity.
