The Lycians are a fascinating and little known ancient culture that lived in south west Turkey during the Classical and Hellenistic ages.
They were a distinct culture, but they were heavily influenced by the ancient Greeks, who were their neighbors and the more dominant culture in the area.
The Lycians do have their own unique cultural heritage however. They are most famous for the rock cut tombs that they carved out of the cliffs of their rugged landscape.
They were also well known in the ancient world for their coins, and they had their own alphabet, which they adopted from the Greeks and modified it for themselves.
If you haven’t been to Turkey, you probably haven’t heard of them before, but they have surprising connections to the present. Their political system under the Lycian League partly inspired the founding fathers of the United States when they were drafting their constitution and deciding how Congress would work.
One of their largest cities, Myra, was the home of the original Santa Claus, called Saint Nicholas, who was the bishop of that city in the early 4th century AD.
This video provides a big picture look at this long lost culture that didn’t quite make it into the history books. It covers their tombs, architecture, language, writing, and their place in the larger mediterranean context, such as the Greek world, the Persian Empire, the conquests of Alexander the Great, Roman expansion, and the spread of Christianity.
Credits:
Research Assistant: Anisa Mara
Ancient reconstruction drawings by Balage Balogh. Archaeologyillustrated.com https://archaeologyillustrated.com
Footage by: BlackBoxGuild, VideoKot, Pro-Stock, Yucelozel, Oleg Reulets
Image of scaffolding on cliff tomb by Ilyada Karabulut
Santa Claus the Lycian, by “Mim”
Public Domain Images:
Saint Nicholas Icon Sinai 13th century, unknown artist, is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain
Alexander Mosaic, House of the Faun, Pompey, is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain
The Letoon Stele in Fethiye Museum, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Extent of the empire of Alexander the Great, created by Generic Mapping Tools, is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Myra Saint Nicholas church interior another alternative sarcophagus of the saint, by Dosseman, is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
Pope Urban II, engraving by unknown artist, is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain
Saint Nicholas Providing Dowries, by Bicci di Lorenzo (1373-1452), is licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain
Hellenistic Kingdoms c. 301 BCE, After The Death of Alexander The Great, by Simeon Netchev, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Ptolemaic Egypt c. 240 BCE, by Simeon Netchev, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Xanthos Obelisk, by Dosseman, is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
Xanthian Obelisk, by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
The Provinces of the Roman Empire, by Simeon Netchev, is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Patara Assembly Hall of The Lycian League, by Dick Osseman, is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0
The Harpy Tomb Reliefs, by Carole Raddato, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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14 Comments
It's sad to see how much land Europeans have lost over the centuries.
I curiously decided to watch your documentary. I was amazed at how similar the Lycians are to our Phoenician ancestry that I could provide you with so much more information. I had to interrupt to send you my substantiated commentary. They are certainly one of the offshoots of the Phoenicians. The alphabet, the mountain-carved structures (Petra), the rising Phoenix, Aramaic & Syriac, seafarers, relentless warriors (Tyre against Alexander & Hannibal against Rome), well-organized, traditional, & the list goes on…we were not conquerors, we were traders-explorers. We discovered Spain to mine silver & mint the 1st coins for our trade. We discovered the alphabet & wrote it on scrolls (ordered from Egypt), but we never wrote our history. We are the most influential yet silent civilization! Thank you for an inspiring video.
Rome soon be down
Thanks
To bad Anatolia today is just Arab cultural/religious colony with people calling themselves Turks while have little to do with actual Turks.
Your presentation style is beautiful. Your videos are very informative and captivating, while the personal touch makes them stand out from the crowd. Please keep them coming !
Love it! ❤
Lycia predates Ancient Greece by many centuries.
Mostly Christian’s living in Turkey , there is a 7 churches stablished there, till the Muslims from Mongolei immigrate and take the land of there own. They killed Christian’s the survivors walk barefooted to the mountains to other countrys.
This is fantastic. Super compelling narrative and I learned a lot!
Great video! 😊
Very interesting historical information that i never heard about! Great editing and a straight to the point video. And good that the tempo is not to fast video as many youtubevideos are today. Yes keep more videos coming!)
Incredibly interesting video! Let alone I wasn't even aware of this extinct culture and its history.
Your videos are so appreciated for the information you impart, and also the wonderful videography, so that we may go along with you! Blessings and thanks!