Antalya

The History of Antalya goes back to the Stone Age. The evidence for this is the ruins of Paleolithic Age found in Karain Cave nearby Yagca Village.

A great deal of ruins belonging to the old Bronze Age was discovered in the excavations of Karataş Semahöyük. It was stated by the historians that the country Ahiyava or Arzova written on the tablets of Hittites would have been Pamphylia (Antalya). However, no finding was met here evidencing their survival except for a few ruins found in Side Township. On the other side, it was written in the Greek legends that some Aka groups had reached to Pamphylia with the leadership of Kalkhas after the War of Troy. The origins of the Lydia civilization settled in Antalya region are not known exactly. A tribe called Lukki or Lukka referred in the Hittite and Egyptian sources in 2000 BC would, most probably, be the Lydia. This tribe was firstly referred in the period of Croesus, the King of Lydia.

Antalya region belonged to the Kingdom of Lydia in the first times. After the defeat of King Croesus by the Persian King Kyros in 546 BC, the region was ruled by Persians until the time of Alexander. Macedonian King Alexander, marched to Pamphylia over Lydia, and conquered the cities here, except Sylion. The Termessos city in Pisidia withstood against Alexander.

After the peace of Apameia in 188 BC, the Romans left this region to the King of Bergama. Attalos II, the King of Bergama founded the city of Antalya as a port town in 159-138 BC.

When a state called Klycia was founded in Anatolia in 102 BC, it was joined here, and Anteunus gave Pamphylia to Amyntas, the King of Galatia in 36 BC. The Emperor Cladius turned Pamphylia and Lydia into states in 43 BC. Antalya region lived its most splendid periods from 2nd Century AD to the midst of 3rd Century.

Antalya region was conquered by Süleyman Shah in the period of Anatolian Seljuks, but it was left to Byzantine with the Agreement made in 1117. The second settlement to Antalya was held at the time of Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev I. in 1206, and Ertokuş Bey was appointed as a ruler. In the period of this Ruler (1204-1215), Trabzon - Iznik Greek Empire and the settlers of Antalya were closed to the Seljuks. When Giyaseddin I. was killed, the Christians united with Cyprus, and took Antalya back. However, after three days, it was conquered by Izzettin Keyhüsrev I. and joined to the Seljuks. After the withdrawal of Mongols in 1336, the period of Principalities started in Anatolia. Antalya was ruled by Tekeliogullari which was a group of Hamitogullari. In the time of Sultan Yildirim Beyazit, Antalya was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, and it was ruled by Firuz Bey in 1391. From now on, Antalya started to be called as Teke State.Antalya remained as an Ottoman State until the World War I. When the War of Independence started, it was invaded by Italians. The invasion of Italians ended in 9 July 1921, and it became a province of Turkish Republic after that time.