Xanthos

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Xanthos-Letoon


State Party = TUR
Type = Cultural
Criteria = ii, iii
ID = 484
Region = Europe and North America
Year = 1988
Session = 12th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/484

Xanthos (Lycian: "Arñna", Greek: Ξάνθος) was the name of a city in ancient Lycia, the site of present day Kınık, Turkey, and of the river on which the city is situated. In early sources, "Xanthos" is used synonymously for Lycia as a whole.

The site has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1988.

The City

Xanthos is the Greek appellation of the name of the city of Arñna, of Lycian origin. The Hittite and Luwian name of the city is given as Arinna. The Romans called the city Xanthus, as all the Greek -os suffixes were changed to -us in Latin. Xanthos was a center of culture and commerce for the Lycians, and later for the Persians, Macedonians, Greeks, and Romans who in turn conquered the city and occupied the adjacent territory.

Xanthos is mentioned by numerous ancient Greek and Roman writers. Strabo notes Xanthos as the largest city in Lycia. Both Herodotus and Appian describe the conquest of the city by Harpagus on behalf of the Persian Empire, in approximately 540 BC. According to Heredotus, the Persians met and defeated a small Lycian army in the flatlands to the north of the city. After the encounter, the Lycians retreated into the city which was besieged by Hapargus. The Lycians destroyed their own Xanthos acropolis, killed their wives, children, and slaves, then proceeded on a suicidal attack against the superior Persian troops. Thus, the entire population of Xanthos perished but for 80 families who were absent during the fighting.

During the Persian occupation, a local leadership was installed at Xanthos, which by 520 BC was already minting its own coins. By 516 BC, Xanthos was included in the first nomos of Darius I in the tribute list. Xanthos' fortunes were tied to Lycia's as Lycia changed sides during the Greco-Persian Wars, archeological digs demonstrate that Xanthos was destroyed in approximately 475 BC-470 BC, whether by the Athenian Kimon or by the Persians is open to debate. As we have no reference to this destruction in either Persian or Greek sources, some scholars attribute the destruction to natural or accidental causes.

In the final decades of the 5th century BC, Xanthos conquered nearby Telmessos and incorporated it into Lycia.

Reports on the city's surrender to Alexander the Great differ: Arrian reports a peaceful surrender, but Appian claims that the city was sacked. After Alexander's death, the city changed hands among his rival heirs; Diodorus notes the capture of Xanthos by Ptolemy I Soter from Antigonos. Appian, Dio Cassius, and Plutarch each report that city was once again destroyed in the Roman Civil Wars, circa 42 BC, by Brutus, but Appian notes that it was rebuilt under Mark Antony. Remains of a Roman amphitheater remain on the site. Marinos reports that there was a school of grammarians at Xanthos in late antiquity.

The archeological excavations at Xanthos have yielded many texts in Lycian and Greek, including several bilingual texts that are useful in the decipherment of Lycian.

The River Xanthos

Strabo reports the original name of the river as Sibros or Sirbis. During the Persian invasion the river is called Sirbe which means "yellow" like the Greek word "xanthos", which also means yellow. The river usually has a yellow hue because of the soil in the alluvial base of the valley. Today the site of Xanthos overlooks the modern Turkish village of Kınık.

A Greek legend is that the river was created by the birth pangs of Leto, whose temple, at the Letoon, is on the west bank of the river a few kilometers south of Xanthos. The Letoon has been excavated in the 20th century, and has yielded numerous Lycian, Greek, and Aramaic texts. A notable trilingual text, known as the Letoon trilingual, in all three languages was found and has been found to contain a reference to king Artaxerxes. The Letoon has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Xanthos of the Iliad

Xanthos is the name given to the river God, (known as Scamander or Skamandros to mortals) who attempts to drown Achilles in book XXI of the Iliad.

Also in the Iliad, Xanthos is the name of one of Achilles' semi-divine horses who, when rebuked for the death of Patroklos, reminds Achilles of his pre-destined demise.

In the Troy series by recently deceased best selling author David Gemmel, the "Xanthos" was a large war galley, said to be blessed by the sea god Poseidon as it could withstand harsh weather conditions and was the largest ship to sail the Mediterranean (or the "Great Green") not to sink, owned by King Aeneas (also known as Helikaon) after Aeneas had paid Khalkeus, or "The mad man from Miletos", to build it. The Xanthos was originally meant to be a cargo ship, and also to offer aid by way of allowing passengers aboard. It is sometimes referred to as the Golden Ship, which is a reference to the golden gleam it takes when sunlight hits its red oak. Upon its sail is a painted black rearing horse, the symbol of King Aeneas' land, Dardania. It is also known as "The Death Ship". At first, this was because it was believed to be too big to sail, and thus those that sailed upon it were deemed to die. Later, it retains this name when it assumes the reputation of the most feared pirate ship fighter, bringing death to all those that face it in battle.

External links

* [http://www.hst.ulaval.ca/xanthos/eng/index_eng.html Canadian Epigraphic Mission at Xanthos-Letoon] , website of the research project on Xanthos by Université du Québec à Montréal and Université Laval, including downloadable published works
* [http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/actions-france_830/archeologie_1058/les-carnets-archeologie_5064/orient-ancien_5067/turquie-xanthos-letoon_5577/index.html French Archaeological Mission of Xanthos-Letoon] , general information on the archaeological work conducted on the site (French)
* [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/484 UNESCO: Xanthos-Letoon]
* [http://www.thegocek.com Gocek Informations Centre (www.thegocek.com)]
* [http://www.turkeyodyssey.com/articles/xanthos.html Information about Xanthos]

ources

* Trevor R. Bryce, The Lycians, vol. I, pp. 12-27
* Stabo, 14.3.6
* Herodotus, 1.176
* Appian, bell. civ., 4.10.76-80, 5.1.7
* Arrian, anab. 1.24.4
* Diodorus 20.27.1
* Dio Cassius, 47, 34.1-3
* Plutarch, Brutus 30-31
* Marinos, vita Procli 6-8
* Quintus Smyrn. 11.22-26