What is it? Why is it worth seeing?
Rodiapolis is an ancient Lycian city, perhaps the least known and rarely visited, but no less interesting. In the VIII or VII century BC, colonists from Rhodes founded a settlement and named it Rodiapolis, which means "Rhodes city." According to another version, the name of the city is associated with the Luwian (or Lycian) language and can be translated as "the city of roses."
At the end of the 6th century, Rodiapolis fell under the control of the Persians but continued to develop. There were stone and wooden residential buildings, a town square, a small fortified acropolis, and necropolises in the city.
People discovered large cisterns for the accumulation of rainwater in Rodiapolis. There were none of them in any other Lycian cities.
In 334-333, Rodiapolis becomes a part of the rapidly growing state of Alexander the Great. At the beginning of the II century, the city was a part of the Roman Republic. Moreover, the active construction began that time there, under the Romans. Baths, agoras, theaters, and a bridge across the river on the way from Rodiapolis to Limyra, have survived to this day.
In 141, Rodiapolis was badly damaged by an earthquake, but it was quickly recovered thanks to the donations of the wealthy magnate Opramoas. It was a period of real prosperity. Today you can see the remains of pagan temples, a theater, an odeon from the time of Opramoas, as well as a mausoleum built in his honor.
In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire began to decline. In Rodiapolis, almost no construction was carried out, the existing buildings were dilapidated. Only fragments of the basilica of this period have survived to this day. In the 5th century, the city became a part of the Eastern Roman Empire. Roman cisterns were rebuilt, fortifications were erected, but the population was still declining. At the end of the 11th century, the Selçuk Turks came to the region, soon Rodiapolis was completely abandoned; all its inhabitants moved to Kumluca.
Who will like it?
Connoisseurs of history, everyone who loves antiquity, and everyone who wants to walk around the ancient city without crowds of tourists will enjoy this place.
How to get there?
It takes 28 km from the hotel to the city. It is better to go there by car.