Patara
There are a number of stories connected with the founding of Patara, one of Lycia’s principal harbours. Some ancient sources relate the legend that the city was established by Patarus, the son of Apollo and Lycia, a nymph of the river Xanthos. Strabo describes the city as a large port, also explaining that it was founded by Patarus. In reality however, Lycians founded the city and its name, as seen on inscriptions and coins, was Patar in the Lycian language.
Patara derived its fame in ancient times from the oracle of Apollo situated there. Oracles in the temple, which was kept open only in the winter months, sought answers to questions concerning the future.
Patara which passed into the hands of Alexander the Great in 334BC retained its importance as a commercial centre and a naval base throughout the Hellenistic period. In the course of Egyptian domination, Ptolemaios II who reigned from 285-246 BC, changed the city’s name to Arsinoe in honour of his wife. The name however apparently did not catch on, and before long its original name was in use.
In the year 42BC, Patara was besieged by Brutus following his capture of Xanthos. By surrounding Patara, Brutus, holding up the tragic fate of Xanthos as an example, hoped the Patarans would surrender without bloodshed. When his proposal was turned down, Brutus began to auction people he had captured at nearby Xanthos, to the Patarans as slaves. These citizens were related to the Patarans but his initiative failed to produce results. As a consequence he put his forces into action the following morning. When the Patarans grasped the seriousness of their situation they sent word of their surrender. Brutus killed no-one after entering the city, but wanted people to turn over their valuable possessions to him. They obeyed. Then a slave informed Brutus that his master had hidden gold. In the trial the slave’s owner said nothing but his mother, in tears, announced that her son was innocent and that it was she who had concealed the gold. Brutus must have been moved by the silence of the young man and the suffering of his mother, for he let them go free and punished the slave for informing against his master.
Under Roman domination, Patara again became one of Lycia’s leading ports and received the title of metropolis. The Roman provincial governor resided in Patara and the official archives of the region were kept there. During this period St Paul passed through Patara on his way to Rome in 60AD. It is also known that the Emperor Hadrian and his wife stayed for a time in the city. In addition, it undoubtedly won special honour during the Christian era as the birthplace of St Nicholas.
When one enters the ruins the first monumental structure to catch the eye is the city gate. According to the inscription on it, it was erected in the name of Mettius Modestus (the Roman governor of Lycia around 100 AD) and his family. Busts of the governor and his family were supported by consoles on either side of the triple arched gate which is in the form of a typical Roman triumphal arch.
The remains of several buildings are visible on the side nearest the sea along the plain at the foot of the hills. Even though it is not possible to name these buildings with certainty, one can partly distinguish, hidden amongst the undergrowth, a bath and a Byzantine basilica with a nave and side aisles. The most important and best preserved structure in this area is a small temple in the Corinthian order. Measuring 13 x 16 metres and rising above a small podium, the Temple of Inantis is highly decorated especially its 6 metre high door. It has been dated as belonging to the second century AD.
The ruins of a large bath are located to the south of the temple. From its inscription it is apparent that the bath, dedicated to the Emperor Vespasian who reigned from 69-79AD and who made monetary contributions to the public works of the region, was comprised of five main intercommunicating compartments each having its own specific function. The small chambers in the eastern part of the bath made up the boiler section. Small holes visible in the stone walls of the building were made by nails that held marble panels in place.
On the north-east slope of the hill is a well preserved theatre. The cavea, which leans into the slope, is divided in two by a diazoma entered by two galleries on the east and west. Because the cavea and the orchestra are completely covered by sand from the sea, it is impossible to be certain about the state of the seats. On the lower floor of the two storey stage building are the five doors standard to Roman theatre architecture. On the outer face of the stage building is a long inscription in Greek according to which, a Pataran woman named Vilia Procula had the building constructed in 147 AD and had it dedicated to Emperor Antonius Pius, however the theatre must be older than this. Similarly another inscription mentions a priestess of Apollo in connection with certain repairs carried out during the reign of the Emperor Tiberius (reigned 14-37 AD)
On the western side of the ancient harbour which is now a marsh, is a granary where a Latin inscription informs us that it was erected in the name of the Emperor Hadrian. This enormous structure completely intact except for the roof contains eight long grain bins. Eight separate along the front of the building give entry to these storage areas. A building in the form of a temple is situated to the north of the granary. The colonnaded façade approached by steps on its harbour side and the half columns on the outer face of the one wall still standing, indicate that the tomb was probably a pseudoperipteral temple or a monumental tomb.
