Phaselis – Olympos – Chimera (Everyday)

·Departure at 08:30 from Antalya is advised. Kemer moonlight park and the nomad tent, Phaselis antique site, Lunch at Ulupinar. Olympos antique site, Swimming stop at the world famous Olympos beach, Yanartas (Bellerophontes - Chimera Myth) and return to Antalya.(Add.Person+ 40 € )

 

PHASELIS


 The city is established upon a peninsula with three small bays. The maquis, Mediterranean flowers, eucalyptus and oleander trees are noticeable in the ancient city covered with pine forests all around. The beach of the northern port of the city is a natural egg-laying site of caretta caretta turtles and is under protection. It is reckoned that the name of the city was “Phasala/Paassala” meaning “Sea Urbanism” in the Luwian language. As a matter of fact, the Phoenicians who were engaged in maritime trade defined the city as a “seaside city spared by God”. It is said that liquid products such as wine and olive oil flowed in the canals carved into rocky slopes along the mountain sides of which the traces are still distinguishable to Phasala from Termessos established at an elevation of 900 m on the mountains. The liquid products were poured into amphoras and pitchers and shipped to the Mediterranean countries. Moreover, the fame of the numerous Mediterranean flowers growing in the area where the city lay spread throughout the ancient world. The city, which produced and exported perfumes and flower oil, matched the Paris city of today. The myth says that Phaselis was purchased by the Rhodian colonists from a shepherd against dried fish. Phaselisians were historically notorious for their stinginess. In fact it was an important trade center in the antiquity The famous Phaselisian thinker of the ancient times is the philosopher Teodectes. Alexander the Great spent the winter of 233 BC here. Phaselis which was later seen within the Lycian Union, was exposed to the pirates attacts during the 1st century B.C. until the protection of the Roman Empire. It was abandoned when the area turned into a swamp and was occupied with mosquitoes and wasps. There are three natural bays on the north, south and east of the peninsula which were used as ports. The Colonnaded Street links the northern and southern ports. The circular agora was in the middle and the Bouleterion, thought to have been a two-story building was at the western end. To the east end of the square are the remains of the Roman Bath with cold and hot water pools. The theatre on the acropolis from the 4th century B.C. with a seating capacity of 3 thousand people, has a total of 3 actors’ doors, one of which is small. The theatre, was transformed into an arena during the late Roman era, cages were built in the lower chambers of the stage building in order to protect the spectators from wild animals. On the hillside east of the acropolis the remains of two temples belonging to Athena, the chief god of Phaselis, and Hermes, God of Trade, are visible. The gate, in the form of a triumphal arch, was built to commemorate the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the city. The water canals immediately adjacent to this door carried water to the city from Mount Tahtali at a distance of 25 km. Various sarcophagi, sarcophagus covers and the figures of eros and lions worked on them are striking. The remains unearthed objects are on display in the Antalya Museum.

OLYMPOS

It is located on the slope of Mount Musa and within “Olympos-Beydaglari National Park” where the creek of the same name joins the sea. The name of the city is derived from “Aluamapa/Oluamapa/Olyamapa” in the Luwian/Etruscan language. In the Luwian language, “Olu”, which is a variation of “Alu”, means light/sun and in the Luwian and Hittite languages the word “Ama” means “mother”. We know that the word “Pa” means water/creek/lake. It is understood from this that the name of the city was “sacred water spring of the supreme mother of light/mother of sky”. Indeed, the spring of the Olympos creek is today called “Gökpinar” with the same association. Furthermore, in the Luwian language the word “olyntos” meant wild fig. The road monument Stadiasmus, in Patara, depicts the city of Olympos on the slope of the Mount Musa. Today’s seaside remains are found at a place named Korykos. In fact, the name Olympos has been given to all high mountains and acropolises throughout antiquity. The people of the city of Olympos on the mountain, which was within the Lycian Federation and was ruined in 75 B.C., descended to the shore and, after the final defeat of pirates by the Roman Isauricus in 78 B.C., joined the Roman lands. Maritime commerce thrived during the Roman epoch. It became the episcopal centre during the Byzantine era. The city lost its character during the Ottoman era and, owing to the floods, the people abandoned the area. South of the port, a part of the cavea and the entrance of the theatre for 8 thousand people still stand today. The theatre was used as an outdoor Orthodox basilica during the Byzantine era. Remains of the Roman Bath and the Byzantine Church with wide arched windows on the south bank of the river can be seen,. In the main necropolis to the south of the river are more than 200 inscribed tombs. As a result of recent excavations 2 sarcophagi, named Port Monumental Tombs, have been unearthed. Today the area is a favourite tourist spot, with its beach of outstanding beauty and small guest houses, restaurants, yörük style bungalows and gazebo tree houses, in character with the natural surroundings.
BELLEROPHONTES & CHIMERA

According to the Myth this is where Bellerophon kills Chimaera with his flying horse, but cannot extinguish the fire coming out of its mouth. Thus, this is the place where the Olympic torch is fired. People organized festivities and celebrations which also lay the foundations of the Olympic games in commemoration of this event. In reality it is an inflammable gas, which consists of a 46% hydrogen and 34% methane compound, issuing from the cracks formed as a result of the tectonic earthquakes. The noteworthy ancient ruin in the area is the Byzantine Orthodox Basilica Complex, which contains the residential quarters of priests, and churches. The ceremonial and reception area in the south being made of large, single piece block stones confirms the existence of the Temple of the God of Fire here. Bellerophontes BELLEROPHON, or BELLEROPHONTES, in Greek legend, son of Glaucus or Poseidon, grandson of Sisyphus and local hero of Corinth. Having slain by accident the Corinthian hero Bellerus (or, according to others, his own brother) he fled to Tiryns, where his kinsman Proetus, king of Argos, received him hospitably anc~ purged him of his guilt. But Anteia (or Sthcneboea), wife of Proetus, became enamoured of Bellerophon, and, when he refusbd her advances, charged him with an attempt upon her virtue. Proetus thereupon sent him to Iobates, his wifes father, king of Lycia, with a letter or sealed tablet, in which were instructions, apparently given by means of signs, to take the life of the bearer. Arriving in Lycia, he was received as a guest and entertained for nine days. On the tenth, being asked the object of his visit, he handed the letter to the king, whose first plan for complying with it was to send him to slay the Chimaera, a monster which was devastating the country. Bellerophon,moun.ted on Pegasus(q.v.) ,kept up in the air out of the way of the Chithaera, but yet near enough to kill it with his spear, or, as he is at other times represented,with his sword or with a bow. He was next ordered out against the Solymi, a hostile tribe, and afterwards against the Amazons, from both of which expeditions he not only returned victorious, but also on his way back slew an ambush of chosen warriors whom lobates had placed to intercept him. His divine origin was now proved; the king gave him his daughter in marriage; and the Lycians presented him with a large and fertile estate on which he lived (Apollodorus, j. 3; Homer, Iliad, Vi. 155). Bellerophon is said to have returned to Tiryns and avenged himself on Anteia: he persuaded her to fly with him on his winged horse, and then flung her into the sea near the island of Melos (Schol. Aristoph., Fax, 140). His ambitious attempt to ascend to the heavens on Pegasus brought upon him the wrath of the gods. His son was smitten by Ares in battle; his daughter Laodameia was slain by Artemis; he himself, flung from his horse, lamed or blinded, became a wanderer over the face of the earth until his death SARPEDON Grand son of Bellerophon, son of Zeus and Laodameia, a Lycian prince and hero of the Trojan war. He fought on the side of the Trojans, and after greatly distinguishing himself by his bravery, was slain by Patroclus.