About Idebessos
Near Karacaören in Kumluca, Idebessos is a small Lycian mountain city among cedar woods, with a theatre, baths, church and well-preserved sarcophagi. Its rural layout and funerary architecture offer a quieter perspective on ancient settlement.
History
Idebessos has a Lycian name and developed within regional road networks from the Classical period. Represented in the Lycian League, it expanded under Rome with baths, a theatre and public buildings. Farming, forestry and exchange with nearby cities supported its modest economy. A church was built in late antiquity, and use continued in Byzantine times. Its wooded setting helped preserve numerous sarcophagi and buildings within their surroundings.
Highlights and principal structures
- Theatre
- Roman bath
- Byzantine church
- Sarcophagus necropolis
- Rock-cut tombs
- Wall and house remains
Historical period
Lycian–Roman–Byzantine