The ancient city of Xanthos in the tourism hotspot of Antalya’s Kaş district, a UNESCO World Heritage site, draws attention with the story of its people who chose death over captivity and with its remarkably preserved remains.
Situated on two hills overlooking the plain along the Eşen Stream (the Xanthos River), excavations at the site began in 1950 under a French team and continue today under Associate Professor Hasan Kasapoğlu of Atatürk University’s Archaeology Department.
Xanthos was one of the six cities of the Lycian League that held three votes along with Patara, Myra, Pınara, Olympos and Tlos and is considered to have served as the league’s administrative center for a period when it acted as the capital.
The city stands out with its Lycian pillar tombs, ancient theater, main street, basilica, churches and rock-cut tombs. Along with its ruins, Xanthos invites visitors on an emotional historical journey through stories of battles and the tragic events that took place there.
According to historical sources and the account of Herodotus, the “father of history,” the people of Xanthos chose death over enslavement. Facing defeat during sieges, they decided to die for their freedom rather than surrender.
Kasapoğlu told state-run Anadolu Agency that Xanthos guides visitors through a powerful historical narrative.
He noted that Sarpedon, the Lycian prince of Xanthos, died in the Trojan War fighting for Anatolia. Kasapoğlu recalled Sarpedon’s famous lines to Hector: “I came from far away, from swirling Xanthos, from distant Lycia; I left my wife and child there, and all my wealth that the poor might envy. Yet I lead the Lycians into battle, and I stand at the front myself; look, here I am!”
The city’s identity as a place that refused captivity stands at its core, he said. “During two sieges, the people of Xanthos fought until the end. When they realized defeat was inevitable, the remaining women and children chose death collectively,” he noted.
Kasapoğlu emphasized the site’s strong cultural tourism potential. “According to last year’s figures, around 50,000 tourists visited the city. With the completion of the welcome center and ongoing renovation work, this number will at least triple,” he said.
Xanthos reflects the continuity of Lycian life over centuries, he added. “During both the Roman Empire and Eastern Roman periods, the monumental structures of the Lycian principalities were respected and preserved. Xanthos carries the cultural fabric of Lycia from its earliest phases to its final period, offering visitors a complete sense of the civilization. This is something you cannot find in many Lycian cities. Xanthos is a place where the Lycian civilization can be fully felt,” he said.
