Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζονος Ελληνισμού, Μ. Ασία

1. Geographical Location – History

Cyllandus (or Cylandus) was a city of south Caria in the region of the Ceramic Gulf. The exact location of the city remains unknown. At first it was proposed that ancient Cyllandus could be identified with the ruins found near modern Yeniçe (Ienige), in the plain to the north of Idyma.¹ Later on, the ancient city was searched near the modern settlement of Elmalı, 11 km to the east of the cove of the Ceramic Gulf.² The first identification near Yeniçe has prevailed in recent bibliography, although the lack of documentation is accepted.³ The ethnic name is reported either as Cyllandius or as Cyllandieus.⁴

The existence of the city in the 6^th c. BC is evidenced by Hecataeus and handed down by Stephanus Byzantius.⁵ Cyllandus was a member of the Athenian League and contributed the significant amount of 2 talents.⁶ According to a 2^nd c. BC inscription,⁷ the “chora of Cyllandus” together with Idyma and Pisye were included in the Rhodian territories occupied by Phillip V (late 3^rd c. BC) and recaptured by the Rhodian general Nicagoras.⁸ As a result, the city was rather a possession of Rhodian Peraia possibly before 200 BC, and was located near Idyma and Pisye. Due to the lack of additional written sources reporting Cyllandus, it was assumed that the city was refounded in the 4^th c. BC under the name Callipolis on a different site. However, this assumption remains ungrounded.⁹

2. Architectural Remains

The remains of a theatre and tombs carved into the rock were found at Yeniçe.¹⁰ At Elmalı, 2 km to the west of the modern settlement, ruins of an acropolis with a tower and a fortification wall, foundations of houses and Classical pottery were found on a hill 11 m high. A necropolis with tombs of similar architecture as those found in Idyma was discovered to the east of the settlement of Elmalı. They were tombs carved into the rock, with arched burial chambers and monumental facades, dating to the 4^th c. BC.¹¹

1. Kiepert, H., Formae orbis Antiqui IX (Berlin 1910), p. 5, n. 68. Kiepert considers Cyllandus was on the site of Sarniç (Sarindj, Saridj), without effectively documenting his opinion. See as above, p. 8.

2. Bean, G.E. – Cook, J.M., “The Carian Coast III”, BSA 52 (1957), pp. 73-74, 84-85.

3. Blümel, W., Die Inschriften der Rhodischen Peraia (IK 38, Bonn 1991), pp. 160-161.

4. Meritt, B.D. – Wade-Gery, H.T. – McGregor, M.F., The Athenian Tribute Lists 1 (Cambridge – Massachusetts 1939), p. 508; Stephanus Byzantius, see entry “Κύλλανδος”.

5. Stephanus Byzantius, see entry “Κύλλανδος”.

6. Meritt, B.D. – Wade-Gery and H.T. – McGregor, M.F., The Athenian Tribute Lists 1 (Cambridge – Massachusetts 1939), p. 508, assume that the two cities were probably located very close to each other and sent their contributions on the same ship because Cyllandus is often reported together with Cyrbessus in the Athenian tribute lists.

7. The inscription was found in two copies, one in Karpathos Island and the other in Lindos, Rhodes; see Blümel, W., Die Inschriften der Rhodischen Peraia (ΙΚ 38, Bonn 1991), pp. 181-182.

8. Nicagoras was a Rhodian general. He was born into a notable family and was son of Pamphylidas. He served as a general in the second Macedonian war (200-197 BC) against Phillip V. His name often appears in numerous inscriptions dated to circa 200 BC, which evidence that he recaptured the cities of Peraia Pisye, Cyllandus and Idyma, which had been subordinated to Phillip V.

9. Bean, G.E. – Cook, J.M., “The Carian Coast III”, BSA 52 (1957), pp. 84-85.

10. Paton, W.R. – Myres, J.L., “Karian Sites and Inscriptions”, JHS 16 (1896), pp. 197-198; Guidi, G., “Vaggio di Esplorazione in Caria”, ASAA 4-5 (1921-1922), pp. 374-375.

11. Bean, G.E. – Cook, J.M., “The Carian Coast III”, BSA 52 (1957), pp. 73-74, 84-85; PECS, pp. 300-301, see entry “Elmali” (“Kyllandos”) (G.E. Bean).