Cilicia
Cilicia is the fertile plain and mountain coast of Adana and Mersin, separated from the plateau by the Taurus passes. In the Bronze Age it was Kizzuwatna, a Hurrian-speaking kingdom tied to the Hittites; later it was a Persian, Hellenistic and Roman province. Tarsus was a major city and the birthplace of Saint Paul; Soli-Pompeiopolis and Anemurium show the coastal network. In the Middle Ages the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia ruled the region, building castles and monasteries and trading with Genoa and Venice. The landscape is a sequence of fortresses, caravan routes and harbours that connected Anatolia to Syria and the Mediterranean. Cilicia's layered identity makes it a bridge between Anatolian, Levantine and Armenian histories.
Where to see it
Related civilizations
Opening hours, prices and transport change. Confirm details with the official venue before you go.