Kaş
The name Habesos, proven by archaeological findings, is the oldest name of the ancient city. The ancient city was known as Antiphellos in history. Antiphellos, located at the intersection of the roads connecting the Caria and Lycia Regions, is also a trade port. It came under the sovereignty of the Kingdom during the Anatolian campaign of Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia. After Alexander's death at a young age, the region changed hands between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies.
The ancient city gained importance during the Roman Period and became a Episcopal center during the Byzantine Period. During this period, it was subjected to Arab raids and later joined the Anatolian Seljuk lands and took the name Andifli. Following the collapse of the Anatolian Seljuk State, the Tekeoğulları Principality took over and the Ottoman Empire annexed the district to its territory during the time of Yıldırım Beyazıt.
In ancient times, the Lycians, who settled on the peninsula between the Antalya and Fethiye gulfs, known today as the "Teke Peninsula", were called Lukkans in the Hittite texts and dated back to B.C. It is known that they had a strong national consciousness as early as the 2nd millennium BC. The concept of "Unity" among these Anatolian people, who are related to the Luwis, dates back to B.C. It exists with the entry of the Assuwa Confederation, which was established by the Anatolian people against the Hittites in the late 15th century. The fact that they sided with the Hittites against the Egyptians in Kadesh, and that they came to the aid of the Trojans against the Achaean Hellenes in Homer's Iliad, are concrete indicators of this consciousness expanding to the "integrity of Anatolia". B.C. It is read from Herodotus that around 540, seeing that they could not resist the Persians, they gathered the people who could not hold their weapons in the Xanthos Castle and set it on fire, and the soldiers fought to the last man and wrote a unique heroic epic for the sake of freedom. The transformation of this into a consciousness of national solidarity that brought them to unity, B.C. It continued in the 5th century with the inability to accept the domination of Persia and Athens and the unification of some cities among themselves. Socrates of Athens B.C. This is why he said in the early 4th century, "No one has ever been a lord to the Lycians."
This national consciousness, which the Lycians demonstrated by uniting with the Anatolian people and among themselves in the early dates, dates back to B.C. It was officially institutionalized in the first half of the 2nd century. And as a result, the 'Lycian Union' was established, which is essentially based on the governance of Lycian cities and citizens through voting-based elections within the framework of a democratic law. Because B.C. In the period between 187 and 168, the spirit of unity and solidarity that surrounded the whole country reached its peak in the rebellions and rebellions aiming for independence against Rhodes. B.C. This historical decision was reached after the freedom gained in 168/67. This "union" constitution, which is an example for contemporary western governments, is unique in the ancient world. B.C. It is different from the selective and privileged Athenian Democracy, which was founded in 507 BC and was the first democratic movement of the western world, as well as being the first truly implemented democracy with its pluralist structure and equitable form of government. For this reason, it greatly influenced Montesquieu, and in his book "De L'Esprit des Lois" published in 1748, the famous French historian and philosopher praised this law in the context of democracy, with the words "the most perfect of the ancient world". And in 1787, a contemporary model was a major factor in the formation of the United States Constitution, particularly through the speeches of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.
The Lycian Union is not the first and only union known in ancient times, it was preceded by B.C. In the 8th century, the "Ionian Union" was established in Anatolia, and then many local unions were established in Greece. In most of these, different ethnic groups came together and formed a union, such as the Akha, Thessaly and Macedonian unions. The most important and decisive difference that distinguishes the Lycian Union from these is that it is "national"; because the cities that make up the union have a common historical past and culture as people of the same lineage. It should be perceived as a "Republic" established as a result of a war of independence won against Rhodes for the sake of freedom, which it has embraced uncompromisingly throughout history. The state structure is the most democratic among the ancient unions; because the deputies and council presidents of the Greek unions were generally of military origin, while the Lycian unions were of military origin. In ancient times, administrators and deputies consisted mostly of civilians. While in the Athenian democracy the presidents had the right to remain in that position "for life", in Lycia the presidents were elected for a year and from a different city each time. And while there were no female members in any of the ancient unions, the Lycian Union In 1990, women could possibly be elected as the president of the parliament.
Roman historian Livius described Patara as the "center of the Lycian League". In the first year of the Patara excavations, which started in 1988, it was claimed that the magnificent ruins, opposite the Theater to the north and facing the Agora in the east, could only be a Union Assembly; It is thought that this view is confirmed by the theater-like architecture revealed during the excavations that started in 2000 and the numerous pedestal inscriptions written for the statues of Lyciarchs from different cities unearthed in the portico in front of it.
LYCIANS
According to the narratives, from the Lycians; "Lycians come from Crete. Barbarians used to live in Crete. Europe's sons Sarpedon (the heroic King of Lycia) and Minos fought for the Kingdom of Crete. When Minos won the war, he expelled Sarpedon from Crete with his supporters. They came to Asia." They came to Milyas. The name of the land where the Lycians live today was Milyas. The Milyas people were called Solyms. When the Lycians came to Milyas, they had the name Termil. Today, their neighbors call them Termil (Termilai). Also, the Hittites referred to Lycia as the "Land of Light". they say.
Pandian's son Lykos (Lycos means Wolf in Greek) was exiled by his brother Aigeus and came to Lycia to Sarpedon. It is mentioned as follows: "This Lykos (Lycos) was referred to as Lycians."
Although the belief that people continue their lives after death and therefore have a house suitable for their lives after death exists in many cultures, it is nowhere as widespread as in Anatolia. The custom of burying the dead in a house-like grave dates back to 3000 BC in Anatolia. It continued uninterruptedly, starting from the 2nd half of the 3rd millennium BC, until the end of the Roman Imperial period, and as a result, many architectural tomb structures were created. One of the different grave types seen in Anatolia is the sarcophagus. The main works that have survived from the Lycians to the present day are the tombs carved into the rocks in some of the Lycian Cities and the Sarcophagi scattered all around. The most magnificent of these sarcophagi is the Lycian Inscribed Mausoleum, which is located on Uzun Çarşı Street in Kaş (Andifli) today and is popularly called the King's Tomb. (4th century B.C.) The work consists of a single block and has eight lines written in Lycian language (Some It is mentioned in Lycian sources.) There is an inscription.
This sarcophagus, which has survived to the present day in a good position and is made of a single block, is 1.5 m. There are bead motifs and an eight-line Lycian inscription at the bottom of the length. B.C. IV. Since the inscription of this tomb, which dates back to the 11th century, cannot be read, it is not clear to whom it belongs. The sarcophagus of the rectangular prism-shaped monument was placed on this base. On the north-west pediment of the cover, a sad-looking man and a woman figure are depicted, leaning on a stick and crossing their right leg over their left.
On the south-east pediment, there is a standing female figure wearing a long coat. Additionally, lion reliefs are engraved on both sides of the sarcophagus lid. The west side of the cover is in the form of a window.
TURKISH PERIOD IN KAŞ
The ancient city gained importance during the Roman Period and became a Episcopal center during the Byzantine Period. During this period, it was subjected to Arab raids. Turks XII. They came to the region in the first half of the century and began to be influential in the region. II in 1148. Crusade writers wrote that the Turks came close to the city and that the people could not cultivate fertile fields for this reason. After the war of 1176, the Turks showed that they were determined to settle in the Land of Rum.
II. Kılıçaslan besieged Antalya in 1182 but could not take the city. III. During the reign of Kılıçaslan, the movement to sail again began. The most important proof of this is the conquest of the Sparta region in 1205. It is said that the Sparta mentioned here is today's Isparta or Patara to the west of Antalya. Later, Kaş and its surroundings joined the Anatolian Seljuk lands and took the name Andifli.
During the period when the Anatolian Seljuk State was weakened, XIII. End of the century XIV. At the beginning of the century, this region was taken over by the Antalya branch of the Hamidoğulları, that is, the Tekeoğulları. During the Tekeoğulları period, construction and cultural activities in this region increased compared to the Seljuk period. Although Antalya and its surroundings fell into the hands of the Kingdom of Cyprus for a while during the Tekeoğulları period, Mehmet Bey (Teke Bey) managed to take it back.
This region was taken over by the Ottoman Empire during the time of Yıldırım Beyazıt. Although it was attacked by the Karamanids and some European states from time to time, it was connected to the Anatolian state and continued this situation in the following periods.
