Olba Kingdom was an ancient kingdom in south Anatolia. It was a vassal of the Seleucid and Roman Empires.

Geography

The kingdom was a small state situated in Cilicia Trachea (present Mersin Province, Turkey). It was bounded by the Toros Mountains to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Lamos River to the east and the river Calycadnus (Göksu) to the west. Archaeologists today refer to this area as ''Olba Territorium''. Its capital was on a plateau named Uğuralanı, a settlement to the northeast of Uzuncaburç (Diokaisareia).

History

Its kings were also priests and the kingdom was an example of "temple state". Although a minor political power it was a prosperous state. The origin of its wealth was olive oil and grapes. It flourished during the Hellenistic Age. During the time of severe Cilician piracy, it lost its ports and its economy suffered. Ksenophanes was one of the pirates. After he was killed, his daughter

Aba ABA may refer to: Businesses and organizations Broadcasting * Alabama Broadcasters Association, United States * Asahi Broadcasting Aomori, Japanese television station * Australian Broadcasting Authority Education * Académie des Beaux- ...

(who was raised as a priestess) married the king and became the de facto ruler of Olba state between 43 BC to 39 BC. Aba paid obeisance to

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...

of Egypt and

Marcus Antonius Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...

of the Roman Republic. Olba once again flourished under Roman rule.Şahin Özkan's essay in Yumuktepe page
/ref> However, after Cappadocian king Archelaus was appointed as the governor of Cilicia in 25 BC, Olba lost its semi-independence and thereafter was incorporated into the

Isauria Isauria ( or ; grc, Ἰσαυρία), in ancient geography, is a rugged, isolated, district in the interior of Asia Minor, of very different extent at different periods, but generally covering what is now the district of Bozkır and its surrou ...

province of the Roman Empire.

Archaeology of Olba

Below is the list of archaeological remains in Olba Territorium (including later additions) *

Adamkayalar Adamkayalar (literally "man-rocks") is a location in Mersin Province, Turkey famous for rock carved figures. Geography Adamkayalar is on the southern slopes of the Toros Mountains only several kilometers north of the Kızkalesi and Mediterrane ...

* Akkale * Athena relief * Canbazlı ruins *

Corycus Corycus ( el, Κώρυκος; also transliterated Corycos or Korykos; hy, Կոռիկոս, translit=Koṙikos; tr, Kız Kalesi, lit. "maiden castle") was an ancient city in Cilicia Trachaea, Anatolia, located at the mouth of the valley called ...

Çanakçı rock tombs Çanakçı is a town and a district of Giresun Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Çanakçı is a small town of 1,848 people in a district of forest and scattered villages inland from the Black Sea coastal town of Görele. It was foun ...

* Çatıören * Elaiussa Sebaste * Emirzeli * Gömeç * Hisarin Castle * Imbriogon (Demircili) *

Işıkkale Işıkkale (meaning the "castle of light") is an ancient settlement in Turkey. Işıkkale is located at in the rural area of Silifke ilçe (district) of Mersin Province. Işıkkale was established in the Taurus Mountains. Its distance from ...

* Kabaçam *

Karakabaklı Karakabaklı is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey. Geography Karakabaklı is situated next to Karadedeli village (now a remote neighborhood of Atakent) in the rural area of Silifke district at . In the antiquity this region was ...

* Lamas Aqueduct *

Mancınık Castle Mancınık Castle ( tr, Mancınık Kale) is a Hellenistic castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey. Its original name is unknown. Geography The castle is situated in Silifke district of Mersin Province, at , about bird's flight to Mediterranean ...

* Meydan Castle *

Mezgitkale Mezgitkale is a 2nd- or 3rd-century mausoleum in Mersin Province of Turkey. Geography Mezgitkale (also known as ''Korkusuz Kral Mezarı'' “Mausoleum of fearless king” ) is a small mousoleum near Öztürkmenli village in Silifke district. ...

Olba Aqueduct Olba Aqueduct is a ruined Roman aqueduct in Mersin Province, southern Turkey. The aqueduct is in Silifke ilçe (district) of Mersin Province at . It is about east of the sacred place of Diokaesareia (now called Uzuncaburç town) and close to ...

* Öküzlü ruins * Pasha's Tomb *

Sinekkale Sinekkale (literally "The castle of flies") is the archaeological remains of a big villa rustica in Turkey. The original name is unknown. Location Sinekkale is at in the rural area of Silifke ilçe (district) of Mersin Province. Its distanc ...

* Tapureli ruins *

Taşgeçit Bridge Taşgeçit Bridge ( tr, Taşgeçit Köprüsü, literally ''Stone gate bridge'') is a Roman bridge in Mersin Province, Turkey. The bridge is about south west of Yeniyurt village of Erdemli ilçe (district) at . Its distance to Erdemli is an ...

* Uzuncaburç (Diokaesareia) *

Üçayaklı ruins The Üçayaklı ruins are a Byzantine-era archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey. Geography Üçayaklı ruins are on the plateau at the south of Toros Mountains with an altitude of between two Turkmen villages named Küstülü an ...

Veyselli rock reliefs Veyselli rock reliefs are a series of four rock reliefs in Erdemli district of Mersin Province, Turkey. The reliefs are in the rural area between the villages of Yeniyurt and Veyselli at about 36°38'06.7"N 34°06'36.5"E. The distance to Erd ...

Yanıkhan Yanıkhan is an archaeological site in Mersin Province, Turkey. It is about northwest of Limonlu town. It is to the east of Limonlu-Esenpınar road and west of Limonlu River at about . Its distance to Erdemli is and to Mersin is . History The ...

Yeniyurt Castle Yeniyurt Castle ( tr, Yeniyurt Kalesi) is a castle ruin in Mersin Province, Turkey. The ancient name of the castle is not known. Yeniyurt is the name of a nearby village. Geography The castle is situated on a hill in the peneplane area at the ...

Gallery

File:Çatıören Hermes temple.JPG, Hermes temple in Çatıören File:Mancınık Castle, Mersin province, Turkey.jpg, Mancınık Castle File:Meydankale, Mersin, Turkey.JPG, Castle walls of Meydankale File:tapureli.jpg, Tapureli File:UzuncaburcTychetempel.jpg, Tyche temple in Diokaesareia

References

{{reflist History of Mersin Province Ancient Anatolia Silifke District Olba territorium Former kingdoms Former theocracies