List of Lycian place names

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Map of Lycia showing significant ancient cities and some major mountains and rivers. Red dots are mountain peaks, white dots are ancient cities.

List of Lycian place names that have survived from ancient Lycia in Anatolia are mentioned here. This article does not address the task of defining Lycia. Over a thousand or more years, the borders of the historical territory, called Lycia in English, are not likely to have remained invariant. This list includes places named by some source at some time as "Lycian", and also any settlement with a Lycian language name, even though located in some other city-state. "Lycia" therefore represents a maximum territory, to which any historical Lycia was never exactly identical.Names of settlements and geomorphic features are known from ancient literary sources.

Ancient literary sources

Ptolemy's Geography lists places in Asia Minor and specifically Lycia. Strabo's Geography has a section on Lycia as well, as does Pliny's Natural History. Stephanus of Byzantium includes a large number of Lycian places in Ethnica. Hierocles in Synecdemus lists the cities in the eparchy of Lycia. William Martin Leake's Journal of his own trips through Anatolia, as well as of those of many other travellers, with analyses of sources, mainly Ptolemy, is still a valuable source of information on the locations and appearances of the Lycian sites.

Lycian language inscriptions

In addition, numerous inscriptions in the Lycian language state some place names in their Lycian forms. The topographical information comes from the Aydin thesis, and was developed from Turkish military maps.

Aydin studied 44 out of 78 known ancient settlements. Many more archaeological sites are not identifiable with ancient settlements. Aydin also collected information on 870 Turkish settlements over the same region. The moderns, certainly, populate the region much more densely than the ancients.

Note on Reading Turkish Names

Some of the modern place names at various places are given in Turkish language. For the most part, the equivalent English, French or German pronunciations are good approximations, but Turkish has some letters not present in those languages. Ğ or ğ is not pronounced, but lengthens the preceding vowel. For example, dağ, "mountain", is pronounced daa. Substitution of an English G or g is false. Ç or ç is a ch as in child, Ş or ş is an sh as in shore. What appear to be an English C or c is a J as in John, while the J or j is pronounced as the z in azure. The vowels have a short rather than a long pronunciation. As Turkish is an agglutinative language, the endings do not have the same meanings; e.g., daği is not the plural of dağ, which is daĝlar (daalar).

Alphabetical list

Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Acalessus		Greek Akalessos	Stephanus, Hierocles, who has Akalisos.
Acarassus		Greek Akarassos	Stephanus
Aedesa River		Turkish Ak Çay.	Pliny the Elder
Agathe Island		Greek Agathe.	Stephanus
Alimala		Greek Alimala	Stephanus
Alina Island		Greek Alina.	Stephanus, an island belonging to Crya.
Amelas			Pliny the Elder
Andriaca		Greek Andriake, 2.543km from Tugluc, elevation 0.	Ptolemy, Pliny.
Mount Cragus		Greek Antikragos, Turkish Buba Dağ.	Strabo.
Antiphellus		Greek Antiphellos, Turkish Kaş	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, who says it was formerly Habessus, Stephanus, Hierocles.
Aperlae	Apr and prl	Greek Aperlai, a former port of Lycia, Turkish Siçak Iskelesi, the docks on Aperlai Bay, 4.11|km from Kiliçli.	Lycian name from coins. Listed in Ptolemy as Aperroe, in Pliny as Aperræ. Hierocles has Aperlai.
Apollonia Island		Greek Apollonia, Turkish Sıçak.	Stephanus
Aptera		Greek Aptera	Stephanus
Araxa	Araththi	Greek Araksa, located at Turkish Ören on the Xanthus River.	Ptolemy, Stephanus, Hierocles. The Lycian name is from coins.
Argais Island		Greek Argais	Stephanus
Arna			See Xanthus
Arneae		Greek Arneiai.	Stephanus, who calls it a "small city" and says that Homer called it Orneiai.
Arsinoe		Greek Arsinoe	Stephanus
Artymnesus		Greek Artumnesos	Stephanus
Arycanda	Arykawanda	Greek Arukanda, located at Aykiriçay in Antalya Province.	Stephanus, Hierocles.
Arycandus River		Greek Arukandos, Turkish Karasu Çay.	Pliny, who says it is a tributary of the Xanthus.
Ascandalis			Pliny the Elder
Aspalathis Island		Greek Aspalathis	Stephanus
Aspis Island		Greek Aspis	Stephanus
Aulae		Greek Aulai	Stephanus

B

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Balbura		Greek Balboura, Turkish Çölkayaği or Çölkayiği	Ptolemy, Pliny, Stephanus
Balura		Greek Baloura.	Hierocles
Bubon		Greek Boubon, Turkish Ibecik.	Ptolemy, Pliny, Stephanus, who says it is Homer's Boudeion, Hierocles.

C

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Cabalia		A region	Ptolemy, Strabo, who calls it Cabalis, and says it contains Oenianda, Balbura, Bubon. The Solymi lived there and the Lydians of Cibyra settled there. Part was in Milyas, part in Pisidia, and part in Rhodian territory, as well as in Lycia.
Cabessus		Greek Kabessos	Stephanus
Cadianda	Khadawãti	Greek Kaduanda, near Üzümlü.
Cadrema			Stephanus
Calbius Spring		Greek Kalbios Krene.	Stephanus says that some say it is Kalainon.
Callatebus		Greek Kallatebos	Stephanus
Calynda (Calinda)		Greek Kalunda, Turkish Kozpınar.	Listed in Ptolemy in coastal Lycia
Canas			Pliny the Elder
Kandyba(Candyba)	Khãkba	Greek Kanduba, close to Gendive.	Ptolemy, Pliny. Possibly the same as Hittite Hinduwa. Named for the son of Deucalion, according to Stephanus. Hierocles.
Cannus			Listed by Ptolemy as a coastal town
Carbana		Greek Karbana	Stephanus
Carmylessus		adjacent to Kaya	Strabo says it is a settlement on a ravine of Anticragus Mountain.
Carya			Listed by Ptolemy as a coastal town
Carysis Island		Greek Karusis.	Stephanus, island belonging to Crya.
Kaunos (Caunus)	Khbide	Greek Kaunos, a major city and seaport near Dalyan	Ptolemy lists the city as part of Doris, meaning Dorian Anatolia, near the Lycian border. Hierocles.
Beşadalar (Chelidoniae Islands)		Greek Chelidoniai, Turkish Beş Adalar.	Strabo says there are three off the promontory, one with a landing for vessels.
Cape Gelidonya (Chelidonia Promontory)		Greek Hiera Akra, "Sacred promontory," Turkish Gelidonya Burnu.	Ptolemy, who calls it cliffs, and Strabo, who says the continuous chain of the Taurus Mountains start here.
Cherrhonesus Promontory		Greek Cherrhonesos Akra	Stephanus
Chimaera Ravine		Avlan valley.	Strabo says it is a ravine "extending up from the shore."
Mount Chimaera (Chimaera Mountain)		Turkish Yanartaş.	Pliny speaks of an eternal flame, which turns out to be a steady stream of inflammable gas.
Chlyda			Listed by Ptolemy as a coastal town
Choma		Near Sarılar.	Ptolemy, Pliny, who says it is on the Aedesa, Hierocles.
Chrysaor		Greek Chrysaoris.	Stephanus says this is a Carian city with substantial Lycian residents.
Cibyra		Greek Kibura, abandoned site north of Gölhisar.	Strabo. An independent city, ruler of the Tetrapolis, never politically part of Lycia, but housing a population element speaking the language of the Solymi. The state was called the Cibyratis.
Cisthene island and town			Strabo
Climax Mountain		Greek Klimaks	Strabo
Cochliousa Island		Greek Kochliousa	Stephanus
Comba		Greek Kombe	Ptolemy, Hierocles has Kombe.
Comistaraus		Greek Komistaraos.	Hierocles
Corycus		Greek Korukos	Described by Strabo as a stretch of coast.
Corydala (Corydalla)		Greek Korudalla, 424m from Kumluca. Elevation 30m, not a mountain village.	Ptolemy, a mountain village of Pliny.
Cragus (KP)		Greek Kragos, a monetary district of Lycia	It had its own coinage. Implied by Ptolemy's "near the Cragus mountains."
Mount Cragus (Cragus Mountain)		Greek Kragos, Turkish Avdancık or Sandak Dağ.	Pliny, Ptolemy, Strabo, who says it has eight promontories.
Cragus		Greek Kragos.	Strabo mentions a city of the same name as the mountain.
Crambusa			Strabo
Crya		Greek Krua	Stephanus
Cyaneae		elevation 653m, Greek Kuaneai, 350m from Turkish Yavı.	Pliny the Elder
Cydna			Ptolemy

D

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Daedala		Greek Daidala. A known archaeological site at Inlice Asari on an uninhabited hill in the countryside about 2.5 mi. to the northeast of Göcek.	A coastal town in Ptolemy, under Rhodes in Strabo and Stephanus, who says it was named after Daedalus (Dedalus).
Daedala Mountain		Kizildağ.	A mountain within Lycia on the western border, in Strabo, Stephanus.
Daphne			Stephanus
Dias (Lycia) (Dias)			Stephanus
Kekova (Dolchiste island)		Greek Dolchiste, Turkish Kekova.	Ptolemy, Stephanus.
Doliche Island		Greek Doliche.	Stephanus, who relates that Alexandros says it is the same as Dolchiste Island, but Callimachus does not.
Drepana			Stephanus

E

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Edebessus (Idebessos)		Greek Edebessos	Stephanus
Elaiou Teichos			Stephanus
Elebesus		Greek Elebesos.	Hierocles
Eleutherai			Stephanus
Ereuates			Stephanus
Eudocia		Greek Eudokia	Hierocles

G

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Gagae		elevation 34m. Greek Gagai, located at Yali, within Mavikent, within Kumluca. This is not, however, a mountain community. Opinions vary.	A mountain village in Pliny, an old fort in Stephanus. Hierocles has Gaga.
Glaukou demos			Stephanus says it was named after the hero, Glaucus.

H

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources-
Henoanda		Greek Henoanda.	Hierocles
Hiera			See Chelidonia Promontory
Hephæstium			City located by Pliny below Chimaera Mountain
Hippou Kome		Turkish İtasar.	Stephanus
Hoauapus		Greek Hoauapos.	Hierocles
Hylami		Greek Hulamoi.	Stephanus
Hytenna		Greek Hutenna	Stephanus

I

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Ilaris			Stephanus
Isinda	Isñta	Located at Belenli, or, at another period, Alaettin Mahalle, Korkuteli.	Strabo

L

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Lamyra		Greek Lamura	Stephanus
Lamyrus River		Greek Lamuros	Stephanus
Limyra	Zẽmuri	Greek Limura, a coastal city	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, Stephanus, Hierocles.
Limyrus river		The Alakır Çay.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny.
Lycia	Trm̃mis	Greek Lukia, the ancient region now in Turkey.	Listed in Ptolemy and numerous classical texts and inscriptions, as well as being the Lukka lands of Late Bronze Age Hittite and Egyptian inscriptions.
Lycian Promontory			Pliny. See Chelidonia Promontory.

M

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Macra Island		Greek Makra, Turkish Meğri Ada.	Stephanus
Masicytus		A political unit of Lycia	It had its own coinage. Implied by Ptolemy's "near the Masicytus mountains."
Masicytus mountains		Greek Masikytos, Turkish Alaca Dağ.	Ptolemy lists without coordinates, Pliny has Masycites.
Megale Island		Greek Megale.	Stephanus
Megiste		Ancient Greek Megiste, modern Greek Kastellorizon.	Strabo, Stephanus, who place it on the island, same name.
Megiste Island		Ancient Greek Megiste, Modern Greek Megiste, belongs to Greece.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Stephanus.
Melaenae		Greek Melainai	Stephanus
Melanippion		Greek Melanippion, on Turkish Karaöz Limanı.	Stephanus
Menedemion			Stephanus
Meroe			Stephanus
Milyas (Milias)		Greek Miluas, Anglicised to Milyas. A district located on an alpine plain near Bay Dağ, identified by the Greek name on an inscription.	Ptolemy, Strabo.
Misai		Misae	Hierocles
Molydeia		Moludeia	Stephanus
Myra		Elevation 239m, Greek Mura, 295m from Sumeli in Demre.	Strabo, Pliny, Stephanus. Hierocles has Myra Metropolis.

N

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Nisa			Ptolemy
Noscopium			Pliny the Elder

O

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Octapolis			Listed in Ptolemy
Oenoanda	Hieroglyphic Luwian Wiyanawanda	Turkish İncealiler.	Ptolemy, Stephanus, Pliny as Oenianda
Olympus		Turkish Deliktaş. Also called Hadrianopolis.	Listed by Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny.
Olympus, Mountain		Tahtalı Dağ.	Strabo, who says it is also called Phoenicus.

P

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Patara	Lycian Pttara, Hieroglyphic Luwian Patara, Hittite Patar.	Elevation 2m, Greek Patara, a port city, capital of the Lycian League, at Turkish Gelemiş. Also named Arsinoe.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Stephanus, Hierocles.
Perdicia		Greek Perdikia	Village and harbor in Stephanus
Phaselis		Elevation 9m. 3190m from Egelkoyu in Tekirova.	Ptolemy, Strab, who says it is a city with three harbors and a lake.
Phasydis		Greek Phasudis.	Hierocles
Phellos (Phellus)	Wehñta	Greek Phellos, at Turkish Çukurbağ.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, Stephanus, Hierocles.
Phoinkous Island			Stephanus, "an island against Lycia."
Phrixus		Greek Phriksos	Stephanus
Physcia		Greek Phuskia	Stephanus, a mountain city
Pinara	Lycian Pilleñni, Hieroglyphic Luwian Pinali	Near the village of Minara in the Xanthus Valley.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, Stephanus, who says it is a large city under Cragus. Hierocles.
Plateis Island		Greek Plateis.	Stephanus
Podalia		Greek Podalia, Turkish Söğle.	Ptolemy, Pliny, Stephanus, Hierocles.
Pyrra			Pliny the Elder

R

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Rhengcylias		Greek Rhegkulias	Hierocles
Rhax Island		Greek Rhaks	Stephanus
Rhoge Island		Greek Rhoge, Turkish Kara Ada.	Stephanus
Rhodiopolis (Rhodia)		Elevation 44m, not a mountain village. Greek Rhodia, near Kumluca.	Stephanus, Ptolemy, Pliny, who calls it Rhodiopolis, and a mountaian village.

S

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Sacred Promontory			See Chelidonia Promontory
Sagalassos (Sagalassus)		Greek Sagalassos	Ptolemy, Strabo.
Sebeda		Greek Sebeda, Turkish Bayındır Liman.	Stephanus, town and harbor.
Sidake		Greek Sidake.	Stephanus
Sidarous		Greek Sidarous, Turkish Ceneviz Limanı.	Stephanus, town and harbor
Sidene		Greek Sidene	Stephanus
Sidyma		Elevation 545m. Greek Siduma, Turkish Dodurga.	Ptolemy, Strabo, who says it was on a mountain. Stephanus, Hierocles.
Simena		Elevation 13m, 1.513km from Kaleüçağız.	Stephanus, Pliny.
Sindia		Greek Sindia	Stephanus, possibly the same as Strabo's Sinda near or in Cabalis.
Scari		Greek Skaroi	Stephanus
Sirbis River			See Xanthus River.
Solyma Mountain		Turkish Güllük Dağ.	Strabo. Elsewhere he calls it Solymus and says it is above Termessus.
Sura Oracle	Surezi	Greek Soura, Turkish Sura.	Stephanus
Syessa Sanctuary to Leto		Greek Suessa	Stephanus
Symbra			Ptolemy

T

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Taurus Mountains		Greek Tauros, Turkish Toros Dağları	Strabo, who says they start at Cape Chelidonia.
Telandrus		Turkish Tersane.	Pliny the Elder
Telephian Community		Greek Telephios Demos	Stephanus, a community at the spring.
Telephus Spring		Greek Telephou Krene.	Stephanus
Telmessis Promontory		Greek Telmessis akra, Turkish Çamlı Burun.	Strabo says it is a promontory with a harbor. Stephanus.
Telmessos (Telmessus)	Telebehi	Greek Telmessos, at Turkish Fethiye, elevation 6m	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny. Stephanus says it is a city of Caria, although expressing also the Lycian view. Hierocles has Telmisos.
Tenedos			Stephanus
Termera			Stephanus
Termessus	Trm̃mis	Greek Termēs(s)os	Described by Strabo as a city of Pisidia in the pass to Milyas. Same name as Lycia. Strabo says the Termessians are called the Solymus (Solymi). Kibura (Cibyra) is just below and near Termessus.
Thryanda		Greek Thruanda	Stephanus
Tlos	Lycian Tlãñna, Hieroglyphic Luwian Talawa	Elevation 370m. Greek Tlos, near Turkish Düğer.	Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny, Stephanus. Hierocles has Tlo.
Trauala		Greek Trauala.	Stephanus
Tymena		Greek Tumena	Stephanus says it is a village of Lycia.
Tymnessus	Tuminehi < *Tumine, * Tumini, or *Tumina	Greek Tumnessos.	Stephanus says it is a city of Caria but the citizens were Lycian at first.

X

English classical name	Inscriptional name	Description	Sources
Xanthus	Lycian Arñna, Hieroglyphic Luwian Awarna, and possibly Arinna	Greek Ksanthos, the largest city of Lycia, the site of present-day Kınık, Antalya Province, Turkey.	Listed in Ptolemy, Hierocles, Strabo, who says it was later called Arsinoe, and Pliny. Stephanus says it was called Arna before Xanthus.
Xanthus river	Hittite Siyanti	Turkish Esen Çay.	Listed by Ptolemy, Strabo, who says it was formerly the Sirbis, and Pliny.