Aspendus

Aspendos

Ἄσπενδος (Ancient Greek)
The Roman theatre in Aspendos has been preserved remarkably well.
Shown within Turkey
Alternate name	Aspendus
Location	Serik, Antalya Province, Turkey
Region	Pamphylia
Coordinates	36°56′20″N 31°10′20″E / 36.93889°N 31.17222°E / 36.93889; 31.17222Coordinates: 36°56′20″N 31°10′20″E / 36.93889°N 31.17222°E / 36.93889; 31.17222
Type	Settlement

Aspendos or Aspendus (Pamphylian: ΕΣΤϜΕΔΥΣ; Attic: Ἄσπενδος) was an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya province of Turkey. The site is located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) northeast of central Serik.

Aspendos was an ancient city in Pamphylia, Asia Minor, located about 40 km east of the modern city of Antalya, Turkey. It was situated on the Eurymedon River about 16 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea; it shared a border with, and was hostile to, Side.

Some scholars associate the city's name with "Azatiwadaya". The known city of that name was founded by Azatiwada of Quwê on his eastern frontier, at Karatepe. According to later tradition, Aspendos was founded rather earlier by Greeks who may have come from Argos.

The wide range of its coinage throughout the ancient world indicates that, in the 5th century BC, Aspendos had become the most important city in Pamphylia. At that time the Eurymedon River was navigable as far as Aspendos, and the city derived great wealth from a trade in salt, oil and wool.

Aspendos did not play an important role in antiquity as a political force. Its political history during the colonisation period corresponded to the currents of the Pamphylian region. Within this trend, after the colonial period, it remained for a time under Lycian hegemony. In 546 BC it came under Persian domination. The fact that the city continued to mint coins in its own name, however, indicates that it had a great deal of freedom even under the Persians.

Circa 465 BCE Cimon led an Athenian navy against a Persian navy in the Battle of the Eurymedon, and destroyed it. Aspendos then became a member of the Delian League.