Antiquity in Antalya: Ruins of Cities, Theaters and Memorials

The first empire in the region of Antalya is famous for batteling the Egyptian Pharao Rameses the Great at Kadesh. They founded cities like Perge. 

The Lycians ruled the western part of Antalya, which is today known as Lycian Coast. They are known as one of the first democratic structured states and founded cities like Patara, Myra and Xanthos.

The Persians conquered Antalya region from the Lydian Empire. Today there are no famous ramains of the Persian rule in the region.

Settlers from Greece founded cities like Phaselis. The city is famous for accomondating Alexander the Great during the winter on his way to conquer Persia. Alexanders reign in Antalya was followed by Ptolomaic Egypt and the Seleucid Empire. The city of Antalya was founded by King Attalos II of Pergamon, one of the succesor Kingdoms of Alexanders Empire.

Pompeus, the enemy of Julius Ceasar during the Roman Civil War, conquered cities like Alanya for the Roman Empire. The city was back then a famous pirate harbour with the name Korakesion. The following centuries where the hayday of the ancient cities in Antalya. Monuments like the huge Theaters, Temples and Aqueducts where built during the reign of the Romans. The most famous person from ancient Antalya was born in this time, Nicholas of Myra. 

Ruins of cathedrals, churches and monasterys date bake to the once glourious empire. 

The Seljuk Empire was a turkish tribe that conquered most parts of Antolia from the Byzantine Empire and Crusader States. The Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat made Alanya his winter residence. He commissioned also the expansion of the fortress of Alanya, the Red Tower at the harbpur and the Seljuk shipyard.