1. Identification

Sillyum was an ancient city in Pamphylia. It has been identified¹ with the remains of a settlement near the modern-day village of Asar Köyü, approximately 12 km east-northeast of Perge. This identification verifies Strabo’s information,² according to which Sillyum was located between Perge and Aspendus. The most prevalent name of the city, as mentioned in the imperial coinage issues, is “Sillyon”, whereas the ancient sources also mention the names Sylleum³ and Siluum.⁴

2. History

The early history of Sillyum enters the sphere of myth. According to tradition, seers Mopsus,⁵Calchas and Amphilochus arrived in Pamphylia following the wave of immigration after the end of the Trojan war and founded Sillyum and other new cities.⁶

The oldest historical reference to Sillyum is found in the work of a geographer of the 4^th cent. BC.⁷ The city comes to the historical forefront during Alexander’s time, a period when the entire region of Pamphylia was still under Persian rule. The Macedonian’s efforts to consolidate his power in Pamphylia and neighbouring Pisidia in circa 334/333 BC did not have the expected results. The historian Arrian⁸ mentions that the defence of Sillyum depended on “barbarian” natives and foreign mercenaries.⁹ When Alexander realized that he was not able to seize the city by direct assault despite his original hopes, he chose not to become involved in a time-consuming siege and turned towards Aspendus, which was an easier target. Thus, Sillyum and neighbouring Termessus in Pisidia passed into history as the only cities in the southern Asia Minor which managed to stand out against the Macedonian forces. Following Alexander’s attack, the city is sporadically mentioned by ancient and subsequent geographers.¹⁰

The lack of evidence regarding the political and social organization of Sillyum makes it necessary to rely to indirect sources, that is to say neighbouring cities and coinage. The city most probably came under the sphere of influence of the Seleucids, following the fate of the other large cities in Pamphylia. Moreover, it is almost certain that Sillyum enjoyed some degree of autonomy, at least during the 2^nd cent. BC, when it issued – not accidentally – its own coinage.¹¹ The use of inscriptions in the Pamphylian dialect on these early coinage issues suggests the prevalence of this dialect, at least during the Hellenistic period. There are few references to the situation in Sillyum during the 1^st cent. BC, a time when Roman interests in the region were manifested and gradually consolidated. In the coinage issues of the Imperial period, Sillyum proclaimed that it was an independent city, a friend and ally of Rome.

A special reference must be made to a prominent citizen of Sillyum named Menodora, daughter of Megacles,¹² who lived in Late Antiquity. The surviving inscriptions not only bring Menodora out of obscurity, but also reconstruct her broad public activity. This woman received several titles and honours throughout her life,¹³ after making a number of charitable benefactions to the city. She originally donated, on behalf of her son, 300,000 denarii to the poverty-stricken children of Sillyum and then contributed money to the construction of a temple devoted to Tyche.

3. Urban organization of the ancient settlement

The ruins of Sillyum are impressive. The ancient city, built on a hill of approximately 210 m in height, is still relatively inaccessible. This is the main reason why it has not been excavated yet.

It seems that the original habitation area was limited to the acropolis, on the flat summit of the hill. The location of the city was a natural fortress, necessitating the fortification of its western part only. Thus, the first wall of the city, constructed during the Hellenistic period (end of 2^nd – beginning of 1^st cent. BC), encompassed the original nucleus of the city only. The arrangement of the wall bears a great resemblance to the fortification of neighbouring Pednelissos.

Over the course of the years, the settlement expanded to the southeast, partly due to the need of its inhabitants to be close to their farms in the plain. During the Imperial period, the area was strengthened with a new fortification.¹⁴ A two-storied defensive tower with six windows survives intact.¹⁵ The subsequent wall was not strong enough to withstand a potential attack with siege machines, which suggests that the city enjoyed peaceful conditions during that period. However, the possibility that the Roman authorities imposed restrictions on the cities of the region, forbidding the construction of strong walls, cannot be ruled out. The same rule applies to neighbouring Pednelissos.

Entry to the city was possible through the main gate,¹⁶ at the lower part of the settlement. This gate was monumental, comparable to the gates of Perge and Side. An upward ramp,¹⁷ protected to the west by a wall of exquisite construction, led to the acropolis, where all the public buildings stood. Among them were the theatre of the city, which is in bad condition nowadays,¹⁸ and an Odeum. On the same rise, to the east, there was a residential zone built on subsequent terraces which were connected with steps carved on the rock. The ruins of these houses are impressive and the use of the available space is extremely successful. Some rooms were carved on the rock. The ruins of an unidentified Hellenistic temple were found near this area.

The administrative centre of the city must have stood in the area to the north of the theatre, where ruins of public buildings still survive. A large unidentified building of the Byzantine period is particularly impressive. Two Hellenistic buildings are also worth mentioning. The remaining part of the larger building is 6 m high and has 10 windows. The smaller building is characterized by the intricate decoration of its entrance and the inscription carved on one of the pilasters of its gate. It is the longest known text in the Pamphylian dialect,¹⁹ dating back to circa 200 BC. Among the ruins on the top of the hill, a small temple, a cistern and a round tower are also worth mentioning.

In the lower part of the city, there is a large building which has been identified with a palace, whereas the ruins of a stadium are found near the central gate. The necropolis of Sillyum, to the west of the city, was used from the 3^rd cent. BC until the 6^th cent. AD. Most of the surviving burial monuments are simple and lack any remarkable constructive distinctiveness.