Myra was an ancient town in Lycia where the small town of Demre is situated today. It was located on the river Myros, in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dağ, the Massikytos range, and the Aegean Sea. Saint Nicholas lived in Myra at a time when the region was Greek in its heritage, and politically part of the Roman diocese of Asia.
Turkish Archaeological News collects the most important, interesting and inspiring news from Turkish excavation sites. Here's the review for March 2016. Have we missed anything? Let us know by using Contact tab!
The ruins of a temple dedicated to Apollo, "Lord of Mice" Smintheus, are located in a quiet village of Gülpınar on Biga Peninsula. Why did one of the gods of the Greek pantheon earn the nickname associated with rodents, and why was his temple built in the Troad? There is no clear answer to these questions, but when searching for them it is necessary to start from the source, that is, from Homer.
The ancient site of Letoon lies 4 km south of Xanthos and was the leading Lycian religious center. The principal deities of ancient Lycia were Leto and her twin offspring, Artemis and Apollo. Letoon was a sacred cult center and venue for Lycian national festivals, administered by Xanthos rather than a city in its own right. It was also the assembly place for the Lycian League.
