Euromos was a significant city in ancient Caria, located about 12 km northwest of Mylasa (modern Milas). It sits on flat ground surrounded by hills, positioned along a north-south ancient road axis that parallels the modern Milas-Söke highway. The city overlooks the Yaşyer Plain that may have been connected to the sea in earlier periods, … Read more
Hyllarima is an ancient inland city located in the northeastern region of Caria, within the modern Kavaklıdere district of Muğla Province, Turkey, near the village of Derebağ (formerly Mesevle). Situated strategically, the city connected Inner Caria to the Meander Valley, lying on the route between Stratoniceia and Aphrodisias. The name Hyllarima (Carian: yλarmi-) is believed … Read more
Iasos is situated on a rocky peninsula within the Gulf of Mandalya (ancient Sinus Iasicus) about 20 km west of Mylasa (Milas). The settlement features a steep western profile and terraced eastern slopes rising to an 80-meter high acropolis, flanked by two harbors that facilitated a maritime economy centered on fishing and the export of … Read more
Kedreai, also known as Cedrae, is an ancient Carian city located in the Gulf of Gökova (ancient Gulf of Keramos), situated primarily on what is today known as Sedir Island (“Cedar Island”). The city’s name is derived from kedros (cedar tree), suggesting that the region was historically abundant in cedar forests, though today the vegetation … Read more
The early settlement of the ancient city of Idyma is situated near Gökova in Muğla. The city was established on the slopes of Küçük Asar Tepe (acropolis), controlling a route connecting the coastline to the interior hinterland. The settlement is historically associated with the river Idymos (modern Çaydere), which flows near the city. In the … Read more
The ancient city of Keramos / Ceramus (modern Ören) is located on the northern coast of the Gulf of Keramos (modern Gökova Gulf) in the region of Caria, situated between Halicarnassus and Idyma. The city’s name, Keramos, is identical to the Greek word Κέραμος for “pottery” or “tile,” a linguistic coincidence likely unrelated to its … Read more
Lagina (modern day town of Turgut in Muğla province) was an ancient religious sanctuary in Caria, dedicated to the goddess Hekate. Administratively connected to the city of Stratoniceia by a 9-kilometer sacred road, Lagina has the only known monumental temple dedicated to Hekate in the ancient world. While Hekate was typically a minor or liminal … Read more
Myndos (modern Gümüşlük) was a significant coastal city in the region of Caria, located on the western tip of the Bodrum Peninsula. While historically overshadowed by its neighbor Halicarnassus, Myndos holds strategic importance due to its sheltered harbors and defensive positioning. The site is characterized by a “tombolo” formation, where the small Asar Island (Tavşan … Read more
Pedasa, located in the Gökçeler locality of modern Bodrum, was one of the eight principal Lelegian cities established on the Halicarnassus Peninsula. Ancient literary sources identify the Lelegians as ancestors of the Carians; however, archaeological evidence suggests they possessed a distinct cultural identity characterized by unique architectural forms and traditions. Historically, Pedasa is notable as … Read more
Heracleia Salbace was situated on the slopes of Mount Salbacos (Babadağ) at the northwestern edge of the Tavas Plateau (modern Vakıf, Denizli). Geographically positioned at the border of Caria and Phrygia, the city was separated from its western neighbor, Aphrodisias, by the Timeles River (Yenidere), a natural boundary revered by both cities. The epithet “Salbace” … Read more
