The Localization of Olympos and Korykos in Eastern Lycia

• Main Author: Mustafa Adak
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Akdeniz University 2004-05-01
• Series: Gephyra
• Subjects: lycia; olympos; korykos; piracy; lykia; korsanlık; -
• Online Access: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/gephyra/issue/18369/193935?publisher=nalan-eda-akyurek-sahin

The Localization of Olympos and Korykos in Eastern Lycia On the basis of a prolonged study of the Stadiasmus of Patara and an in-depth inspection of the remnants of a hitherto largely unknown Hellenistic city on Mount Musa Dağı, the author presents a fresh attempt at localising the cities of Olympos and Korykos, starting with the fact that Olympos, one of the six metropolises of the Lycian League and a major maritime stopping point, is missing from both the Stadiasmus of Patara and the Stadiasmus Maris Magni. Instead, little known Korykos near mount Olympos is mentioned on both of these monuments. Literary evidence is adduced to show that Korykos was a naval port and trading post of some importance, whereas proof for Olympos as a maritime city cannot be found in the sources. A field exploration conducted to localise Korykos, which according to Strabo was situated between Olympos and Phaselis, proved fruitless. The author therefore suggests that Korykos was situated in the place which later became Olympos, whose name as a coastal town is first attested in the 2nd century AD. Founded in middle Hellenistic times, probably under Antiochos III, Olympos, in its early history, is closely connected with Mount Olympos. Adak quotes Strabo's history of Zenicetes, the pirate king who resided in a fortress on Mount Olympos where he was defeated by P. Servilius Isauricus, to suggest that in its early days the city of Olympos lay on the homonymous mountain which contrary to previous scholarly opinion he identifies with Mount Musa Dağı, citing numerous ancient sources and adducing topographical evidence to support his view. According to him, the urban remnants on this mountain belong to the city of Olympos, which was a major regional power before it was destroyed by P. Servilius Vatia. After the Roman annexation of Lycia in 43 AD the political situation in the country stabilised, which, so the author argues, may have prompted part of the inhabitants of Olympos to leave their city for Korykos, which as a sea port offered better economic prospects. As the mountain city declined further, Korykos saw urbanistic development under Roman provincial administration. The change in name, says Adak, may have taken place during Hadrian's visit to Lycia in 131 AD, probably at the population's request.