Olympos

Olympus or Olympos (Ancient Greek: Ὄλυμπος, Ólympos; Latin: Olympus) is an ancient city in Lycia. Although Olympus comprised an extensive territorium as identified by tomb inscriptions, it had a medium-sized city center. Buildings that constituted the urban texture spread out along both sides of the creek which extended through a deep valley that flows into the Mediterranean in the east. This structure in the urban texture of Olympus also reflects the means of transportation to the city, its connection with the Mediterranean and its relationship with trade, which is an important element for subsistence. In this respect, it takes its place among the well-known port cities such as Patara, Myra/Andriake and Phaselis in the Lycian Region. Olympus was also one of the six cities of the Lycian League that held three votes. Although the city lost its importance in the late Roman period, it flourished again in the 5th century as a bishopric. However, its redevelopment and prosperity as an early Byzantine city were short-lived, and like most Lycian port cities, it was abandoned during and/or after the Arab raids.

Hellenistic and Roman Periods

The earliest extant written reference to Lycian Olympus appears in the Geographica of the distinguished geographer Strabo. Citing Artemidorus of Ephesus, Strabo identifies Olympus as one of the prominent members of the Lycian League, possessing three votes within the federal assembly. This status appears to have continued until the second half of the second century BC. In the first century BC, however, the city began to be mentioned primarily in connection with piracy. The most significant event recorded in the written sources for this period is the conflict between Zeniketes and Rome. In response to the inadequacy of the Lycian League's naval forces and the potential threat posed to the commercial interests of Roman merchants in the region, Roman legions under the command of Publius Servilius Vatia launched a campaign against the eastern Lycian cities and Pamphylia. Servilius subsequently laid siege to Zeniketes’ fortress around Olympus. Realizing that continued resistance was futile, Zeniketes chose to immolate himself along with his family rather than be captured alive by the Roman commander. Following the fall of Olympus, Servilius Vatia proceeded to subdue the settlements that had previously belonged to Zeniketes or had participated in the uprising. Those who had supported him were punished, and their lands were confiscated and declared ager publicus. Olympus, as one of these settlements, was expelled from the Lycian League and was not readmitted until the first century AD.

The historical-geographical research of epigraphists on the Olympus excavation team has revealed more than 50 inscriptions, of which some were addendum and corrigendum. Nearly all the inscriptions identified in Olympus and its territory have the ethnicons of Ὀλυμπηνός, Ὀλυμπηνή and Ὀλυμπηνοί. However, only one inscription mentions Korykos.

Some funerary inscriptions and material evidence recovered from the city walls during archaeological investigations offer significant insights into the Hellenistic phase of the settlement. The earliest architectural remains identified at Olympus are the fortification walls, which enclose the area conventionally referred to as the South City. These defenses were constructed using polygonal masonry techniques. Excavations were undertaken at the point where the walls intersect with the Roman bridge. Furthermore, systematic investigations were carried out along the entire stretch known as Bridge Street, a thoroughfare understood to have been laid out during the Roman Imperial period. These studies yielded not only architectural observations concerning the masonry but also stratigraphic and material data crucial for dating the fortifications. The results demonstrated that the gate of the fortification wall in this sector had been partially destroyed during the construction of Bridge Street. This evidence clearly indicates that the city walls predate the Roman Imperial period. When considered in light of the interdicted status imposed on the city following the suppression of Zeniketes, the terminus post quem for the construction of the fortifications can be established as 76 BC.

Olympus was once again an elite member of the League in the 2 nd century AD, as is evident from the inscriptions on the tomb of Marcus Aurelius Archepolis who held the position of Lyciarch, the highest position in the League.

Archaeological evidence clearly demonstrates that Olympus emerged as a significant urban center during the Roman Imperial period. Under Roman administration, the city was reorganized according to a more regular and planned urban layout. Moreover, recent investigations have yielded substantial new data concerning several major public structures, most notably the baths, the temple, Bridge Street, and the bridge. The discussion of these monuments follows a broadly chronological framework, beginning with the baths in order to establish a contextual assessment.