Gephyra (May 2006)
Olbia in Pamphylia - The Epigraphic Evidence
Abstract
Olbia in Pamphylia - The Epigraphic EvidenceConstruction work in the old part o f Antalya brought to light a proxeny decree by the Pamphylian city of Olbia for a citizen of Cyzicus, which gives us the first piece of epigraphic evidence for the existence of this small coastal town. The inscription, which is to be dated to the fourth century BC, reveals that in the Classical period Olbia was an autonomous polis with the typical city organs such as the ecclesia and boule. As the names of the two citizens (Pastorides und Pantaleon) mentioned in the inscription show, at least the upper class of Olbia was of Greek provenance. The author assumes that the city was founded by settlers from western Asia Minor in the course of the Great Colonisation and was, like Phaselis and the neighbouring Aeolian settlements of Thebe, Lyrnessos and Tenedos, probably Greek in character right from the beginning. In addition, Olbia is likely to have played an important mediating role in the lengthy Hellenisation process in the indigenous cities in the Pamphylian plain. Although situated directly on the coast and endowed with a good harbour, Olbia never acquired cross-regional importance throughout its history. The reasons for this are probably to be sought not only in the fact that the city was possessed of only a small territory, but also and principally in the rivalry with the city of Phaselis only a few kilometres to the south. Several suggestions are proferred which refute previous attempts to locate the city near Hurma or Arapsuyu on the western edge of the great Pamphylian plain. Olbia was situated further to the south, near Kemer. In the Middle Ages the stone was probably carried as construction material from the port of Olbia to Antalya by sea, which in the case of the important neighbouring rival city of Phaselis is attested by a number of inscriptions.
