Xanthos Ancient City
As the capital of Lycia, Xanthos is a perfect example of the ways Lycian traditions and Hellenic influence blended. It won't take long before you understand why the vast city was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Climb to the top of the Roman theatre to see the symbols of Xanthos, the Harpy Tomb and Lycian Sarcophagus.
Xanthos was once a city during the Lycian period, found in the modern-day Antalya region. The famous writer Iliad described heroes and leaders as coming from the region of the Xanthos rivers. Following the defeat and conquer by the Persians a local leader was put into place, during this time the city prospered to the point where they were minting their own coins, a sign of great fortune at the time.
During history the settlement was tied to Xanthos, however, when Alexander the Great took the city there are two reports that differ. One states they surrendered peacefully while the other says the city was sacked. During the Roman period, it was considered to be important enough to become part of the metropolitan of the capital Myra. During this time, it was destroyed again with remains of the Roman rule being left behind.