Isinda (Lycia)

For other places with the same name, see Isinda.

Isinda (Turkish: İsinda, Ancient Greek: Ἴσινδα) was a town of ancient Lycia. Isinda was part of a sympoliteia (a treaty for political organization used in Ancient Greece) with Aperlae, Apollonia and Simena.

Isinda

İsinda Ancient Greek: Ἴσινδα
Ruins at Isinda
Location	Belenli, Antalya Province, Turkey
Region	Lycia
Type	settlement
Site notes
Condition	Ruined
Public access	Yes

The city's ruins are located on a hill above the modern Turkish village of Belenli. At the site, the remains of a city wall and other buildings are preserved, as well as some Lycian pillars and rock tombs.

History

The ancient Lycian city of Isinda was inhabited before the first half of the 4th century BC.^[1] From inscriptions it is known that Isinda was a minor member of a sympoliteia (a type of treaty for political organization) that was dominated by the city of Aperlae, but which also included Apollonia and Simena.^[2][3] Isinda is not mentioned by early historians.^[4]

The citizens of Isinda migrated to the nearby city of Antiphellos during the Pax-Romana, and the settlement became abandoned.^[1]

Description

Isinda is an archaeological site in Lycia, located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the modern Turkish town of Kaş,^[2] and situated on a hilltop 90 metres (300 ft) above the modern village of Belenli.^[5][6]

The ruined defensive wall is made of poor quality rectangular limestone blocks, and show signs of continual repair.^[7][1] Within the walls at Isinda are wells and cisterns for collecting rain water. The most important remaining feature of the site is a house-tomb with an inscription wriiten in the ancient Lycian on the pediment.^[1]

At the top of the hill are buildings, including steps that lead to a stoa (covered walkway) and projecting wingsleading off the main building.^[2]

The tombs include three rock tombs with inscriptions written in Lycian and a pillar tomb carved with reliefs.^[2] On the slope towards the village are inscribed Gothic sarcophagi.^[7]