A short history of Kas

The roots of Kas go back to the bronze age. At this time Kas was called Habesus or Habesa. According to Herodotus, Lycians came from Minoan Crete, following a dispute between two royal sons, Sarpedon and Minos. It was Sarpedon and his followers that settled the area of Anatolia sometime before 1200 BCE. The region fought in the Trojan War and is mentioned as an ally of King Priam in Homer’s Iliad.

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According to http://www.bodrum-museum.com/uluburun-ship-wreck-hall/, the extraordinary Uluburun shipwreck dating back to this period was found in 1982, six miles from Kas, its cargo of goods, jewellery and valuable metals speaking of the thriving commerce in the region.

The Hellenistic Period

At this time, the town was only a small habitation on the outskirts of the port of Phellus (the Greek for “stony”). During the Hellenistic period, it became part of the Lycian League which stood in resistance to the island of Rhodes. Situated opposite Phellus, it became known as Antiphellus. Hillside tombs, the King’s tomb near the centre of Kas and a beautifully preserved Hellenistic theatre can still be seen, which date from this time. By the time of the Roman Empire, Antiphellus had grown to become the chief city in the area, with its harbour and wealth derived in part from the export of high-quality sponges.

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Middle Ages

The city remained as part of the Roman and then Byzantine Empires until the beginning of the second millennium when the Turkish Seljuk Empire expanded to include the region. The city of Antiphellus, now under the name of Andifli, came under the rule of the Sultanate of Rum, which was in turn displaced at the end of the 13th Century during the establishment of the Ottoman Empire.

Rebirth and Tourism

By the early 19th Century, the site was more or less abandoned, but following the discovery of ancient ruins by the hydrographer, Francis Beaufort, it started to gain a reputation among travellers as a place of beauty, and so the town began to grow. Today there are many reasons tourists come to Kas villa rental, trekking, sailing and exploring its history being just a few. There are many beautiful villas and Kas Villa Rental is both easy and affordable.

The picturesque present-day fishing town of Kas is an excellent base for these activities but its history is always near.