Description

First Photo to Olympos serie (Total 20+)

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History Of Olympos

Olympos is believed to be a pre-Greek word for 'mountain'; over 20 peaks bore the name and in many cases gave it the adjacent town or city. The most famous is the Thessalian peak in North East Greece, home of the Greek gods. The ancient city therefore takes its name from Tahtali dag (wooden mountain) an ancient Mt. Olympos situated 10 km to the north, with the eternal flames still burning in it's foothills.

Olympos was one of the main cities in the ancient region of Lycia, forming part of the Lycian confederacy. The foundations of the city date back to the early Hellenistic period (circa 300 BC). Alexandra the Great wintered in Phaselis, a neighbouring city in the early stages of his conquest of the ancient world.

Olympos was first mentioned in historical records in 78 BC when the Roman Governor in Cilcilia, Servilius Vatia defeated the chief pirate Zenicetes in a naval battle. Zenicetes had made Olympos his stronghold terrorizing the coastline from the hidden havens of Porto Cenoviz and Sazak. The city was then declared 'ager publicus'. Roman property to be given sold or leased to private individuals.

It was said the pirates used to make strange sacrifices and celebrate secret rites to the cult of Mithras. Mithras was the Persian god of pure spirit and light in the system of Zoroaster, which became immensely popular throughout the eastern world.

In 43 AD Lycia was brought into the Roman Empire and festivals were held in honour of the god Hephaistos, the principal deity of the city. Emperor Hadrian also visited the city in 130 AD.

Olympos became the seat of a bishop during the christianisation of the Roman Empire, but from the third century onwards renewed attacks from pirates brought the city into a slow decline and a gradual loss of the cities importance.

There was a brief revival in the11th and 12th Centuries by the Genoese, Venetians and the Knights of Rhodes who rebuilt the city for use as a trading post during the crusades. The city seems to have been abandoned some time during the 15th Century when the Ottoman Navy established its mastery over the Eastern Mediterranean.


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Place is in Antalya/Turkey

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