Myra
Μύρα (in Ancient Greek) | |
The theater of Myra, with the rock-cut tombs of the ancient Lycian necropolis on the cliff in the background. | |
Myra Shown within Turkey | |
| Location | Demre, Antalya Province, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Region | Lycia |
| Coordinates | 36°15′33″N 29°59′07″E / 36.25917°N 29.98528°E |
| Type | Settlement |
Myra (/ˈmaɪrə/; Ancient Greek: Μύρα, romanized: Mýra) was a city in Lycia in what is today Turkey. The city was probably founded by Lycians, and was located on the river Myros (Ancient Greek: Μύρος; Turkish: Demre Çay), in the fertile alluvial plain between, the Massikytos range (Ancient Greek: Μασσικυτός; Turkish: Alaca Dağ) and the Aegean Sea. By the 3rd century BC, the city was Hellenized. Following the wars of the diadochi the area came under the loose control of the Ptolemies, the Seleucids, and finally the Romans.
The region remained under Roman control until it was conquered by the Seljuks and later the Ottomans. During the Ottoman rule the small Turkish town of Kale was established in the area of Myra in the present-day Antalya Province of Turkey. Kale was renamed to Demre in 2005.