Patara’s harbour: new evidence and indications with an overview of the sequence of harbour-related defence systems

Abstract

The sheltered natural bay was crucial to the settlement at Patara, in Lycia, as it became animportant harbour city. Alluvial infilling of the harbour and the sacking of the town in 1362led to Patara’s abandonment. Recent studies show the harbour became a limen kleistos in the late 4th century BCE when it was enclosed by a seawall, and there is evidence of militaryshipsheds of the same date on the western shore of the inner harbour. The promontory tothe west of the inner harbour had a medieval castrum, while Tepecik settlement was the siteof the earliest harbour-related defensive structure.