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OLYMPOS - OLYMPUS
 Olympos
is a valley at the south coast of Turkey, 90 km
southwest of Antalya city near the Town of Kemer.
The city was founded in the Hellenistic period,
sharing its name with nearby Mount Olympos (Mt.
Tahtali). Its coins date back to the 2nd century BC.
The city became one of the six leading cities of the
Lycian federation. In the 1st century BC, Olympos
was invaded and settled by Cilician pirates. This
ended in 78 BC, when the Roman commander Servilius
Isaurieus added the city to the Roman Empire. The
emperor Hadrian visited the city after which it took
the name of Hadrianopolis for a period, in his
honour. Near Olympos, about 200 meters above sea
level, some eternal flames called the Chimaera may
be seen issuing from the ground. The fuel source for
the flames is natural gas, largely methane, seeping
through cracks in the earth. The mythical Chimaera -
or Chimera - was a savage beast who sprouted fire
from its mouth. In the Middle Ages, Venetians,
Genoese and Rhodians built two fortresses along the
coast, but by the 15th century Olympos had been
abandoned. Today the site attracts tourists, not
only for the artifacts that can still be found
(though fragmentary and widely scattered), but also
for its scenic landscapes supporting wild
grapevines, flowering oleander, bay trees, figs and
pines. |
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