A PHALANX IN STONE

The independent kingdom of Lycia once lay on the south-western coast of modern day Turkey. It is possibly recorded as a Hittite ally, and it may be the Luqqa referred to in Egyptian records. Homer refers to Lycia as a Trojan ally, led by the warriors Sarpedon and Glaucus. In the late sixth century BC it was incorporated into the Achaemenid Persian Empire and became a satrapy ruled by Lycian royalty which served its Persian masters.

By Murray Dahm

The physical remains of Lycian culture are rich indeed and, perhaps unusually, have provided some of the most remarkable depictions of what look like hoplites and Greek warfare to survive in sculpture and fresco. These survivals include several tombs from the Lycian city of Xanthos such as the Nereid Monument, now housed in the British Museum. Others are the barrel-vaulted tomb of Payava, and the Heroon of Trysa. We shall explore these in later issues. Another, perhaps even more remarkable tomb is that of the last ruler of Lycia, Pericles (or Perikle in Lycian) from the city of Limyra. Pericles ruled Lycia from ca. 380-360 BC but revolted against the Persian King in the Satraps’ Revolt of the 360s and was replaced. Command of his satrapy was given to Mausolus…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XV.5

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