LYCIA lĭsh’ ĭ ə (Λυκία, G3379). A mountainous country in SW Asia Minor.

This country of c. 3,500 square m. protrudes southward into the Mediterannean Sea bounded on the NW by Caria, on the N by Phrygia and Pisidia, and on the NE by Pamphylia. Lycia was shut in by rugged mountain ranges and since the land jutted out into the sea, it would not have any important trade routes. Its climate rapidly fluctuated between the extremes of temperature. Its mountainous slopes afforded much excellent timber for the building of houses and ships, and were also suitable for grazing and for vineyards and olive farms. The valleys provided space for the cultivated grains. Its main contact to the outside world was through its seaports, the main two being Patara and Myra. On the return of the third missionary journey, Paul’s ship stopped at Patara (Acts 21:1; some MSS also include another stop at Myra) and then sailed to Phoenicia. On his journey to Rome, Paul’s ship went along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia and at Myra Paul and the other prisoners were put on another ship which had come from Alexandria and was sailing for Italy. Due to prevailing W winds it was common for Alexandrian grain ships to travel N along the Syrian coast and then move slowly E along the coasts of Cilicia and Pamphylia. Myra was a natural place for the grain ships (cf. Acts 27:38) to harbor and to be serviced before their journey to Italy; and hence it would not be unusual for the centurion to find one here for Paul and the other prisoners.

The traditions on the origin of the Lycian population would seem to point to an immigration from Crete. In the 6th cent. they were the only people of western Asia Minor not subject to Croesus. However, they were not strong enough to withstand the Pers. invasion in 546 b.c. though they did retain their national unity under the Persians. Although they were temporarily in the Delian confederacy in 446 b.c., it was not until Alexander the Great’s arrival in Lycia in the winter of 334/33 b.c. that Lycia finally came under the Gr. influence. Upon the death of Alexander, Lycia became a part of Antigonus’ domain but it was invaded in 309 b.c. by Antigonus’ enemy, Ptolemy I of Egypt. Egyptian control over Lycia continued until it was conquered by Antiochus III in 197 b.c. Antiochus was defeated by the Romans in the battle of Magnesia and so in 189 b.c. the Romans placed Lycia under Rhodes. The Lycians bitterly resisted the Rhodian rule, and after several complaints to Rome the Senate finally granted freedom to Lycia in 167 b.c. (cf. Appian, The Syrian Wars 44). This freedom was not revoked until a.d. 43 by Claudius when he established the province of Lycia-Pamphylia under a praetorian legate (Dio Casius lx. 17. 3; Suetonius Claudius xxv. 3). In a.d. 69 Vespasian detached Pamphylia from Lycia and combined Pamphylia with the Galatian province and prob., although it is not certain, Lycia became a free country.

The existing Jewish community in many of the cities of Lycia is evident from a letter sent by the Romans c. 139 b.c. to the confederate cities that they should not harm the Jews (1 Macc. 15:23). Evidence for Christianity in the first two centuries is lacking.

Bibliography W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen, 14th ed. enlarged (1925), 297-300, 316-320; J. Keil, “The Greek Provinces,” CAH, XI (1936), 590-597; D. Magie, Roman Rule in Asia Minor (1950), L, 516-539; II, 1370-1396; L. Casson, “The Isis and Her Voyage,” Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, LXXXI (1950), 43-56; L. Casson, “Speed under Sail of Ancient Ships,” Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, LXXXII (1951), 136-148; F. F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of the Acts (1954), 420, 421, 502, 503; B. Levick, Roman Colonies in Southern Asia Minor (1967), passim; J. A. O. Larsen, Greek Federal States (1967), 240-263; G. E. Bean, Turkey’s Southern Shore: An Archeological Guide (1968), 151-173; G. E. Bean, “Lycia,” The Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2nd ed. (1970), 627; A. H. M. Jones, The Cities of the Eastern Roman Provinces, 2nd ed. (1971), 95-109.