Geography
* Cilicia (Latin: Cilicia, Greek: Kilikia) is a historical region in southern Turkey on the way from Anatolia to Syria.
* Ancient boundaries of Cilicia were marked by Korakesion (Alanya) in the west, Alexandretta (Iskenderun) in the east, the Taurus Mountains in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south.
* c. 1650 BC - c. 1200 BC - the region (known as Kizzuwatna) is under influence of the Hittites; in this period the Hurrians migrate to the area from the east; the collapse of the Hittite Empire marks the end of the Bronze Age,
* c. 550 BC - the Persians found the Achaemenid Empire; the area becomes a satrapy (Klikiya),
* The region was divided into two main parts: mountainous western Kilikia Trachea (Rough Cilicia) and plain eastern Kilikia Pedias (Smooth Cilicia).
* According to Strabo (63 BC - AD 23), the border between Trachea and Pedias was set in the city of Soloi (14 km west of Mersin), though later administration reforms shifted it farther west to the Lamos river (Limonlu).
* Historically, the most important city of the region was Tarsus due to its location on the way from/to the Cilician Gates. In antiquity, it was the key pass through the Taurus Mountains connecting Cilicia to Anatolian plateau.
* Today, Cilicia consists of Hatay (partially), Osmaniye, Adana, Mersin and Antalya (partially) provinces of Turkey. Of these five, Mersin Province has the most ancient objects.
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| Roman Cilicia (Coin Project) N↑ * |
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| Landform (Google Earth) N↑ * |
History
* c. 2000 BC - inhabited by the Luwians; not in the Old Assyrian trade network; contacts with Cyprus and Egypt,
* c. 1200 BC - c. 550 BC - the Iron Age in which the Sea Peoples, Assyrians (Que and Hilikku), Phoenicians and Greeks come to the stage; this period is poorly documented hence dubbed the Dark Age,
* 333 BC - Alexander the Great's arrival triggers Hellenization (Kilikia); 10 years later he dies prematurely what leads to a long-term military conflict between his generals, and afterwards their successors; the region is destabilized giving the way to piracy (Trachea) and Armenian invasion (Pedias),
* 1st century BC - the Romans root out the notorious pirates (Vatia), defeat the Armenians (Lucullus), and take over the control establishing Cilicia Province in 64 BC (Pompeius) which becomes fully Roman in AD 72 (Vespasian),
* AD 395 - after the division of the Roman Empire, Cilicia falls within the Byzantine Empire,
* 7th century - the invasion of the Arabs turns the region into a battlefield for some 300 years as the Byzantines don't give up on Cilicia,
* 11th century - the Armenians, pushed out of their homeland by the Byzantines first, and the Seljuk Turks later, migrate into the region,
* 1198 - the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia emerges; it firmly controls the area thanks to the network of castles; the kingdom maintains good relations with the Crusaders and becomes an ally for the Mongols,
* 1375 - the Mamluks put an end to the kingdom, but a few decades later lose Cilicia to Turkic tribes.
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| Obverse of silver coin minted in Cilicia c. 323 BC; Tetradrachm; head of beardless Heracles * |
