On Herodotus 5.121: Where Did the Karians Defeat the Persians in 497/6 BCE, at Lelegian Pedasa/Gökçeler, at Her Colony Pidasa-on-Grion, or at Karian Pidasos/Pidason Near Stratonikeia? And Where Does the ‘Karian Highway’ Run?

Authors : Alexander Herda

Pages : 113-192

Doi:10.36891/anatolia.1717114

View : 189 | Download : 1003

Publication Date : 2025-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :According to Herodotos (5.117‒121), in 497/6 BCE in the beginning of the Ionian Revolt, the freedom-loving Karians fought the invading Persian army three times. After two devastating defeats in open battles in the northern Marsyas/Çine Çayı valley, a third nighttime ambush was victorious and resulted in the total annihilation of the Persians, leading to a stalemate which lasted until 494 BCE. The place of this battle is contested to date. As argued here, it is neither on the road at Lelegian Pedasa/Gökçeler near Halikarnassos, nor at her colony Pidasa-on-Grion near today’s Danişment, but at Karian Pedasos/Pedason on the ‘Karian Highway’ north of Atriya-Idrias-Stratonikeia. The site is once mentioned by Strabo (13.1.59 [C611]) as a ‘very little city’ (polychnion). It is likely to be identified with today’s Börükçü, where rescue excavations in an open lignite mining area have revealed a small settlement dating from Geometric until the early Byzantine Period (8th century BCE‒ 7th century CE). In the course of this article, the historical topography of central Karia since the Late Bronze Age is critically reviewed by reconstructing the main north-south running ‘Karian Highway’ with the help of Hittite and later ancient Greek texts and the archaeological evidence.
Keywords : Karia Yolu, Karkisa-Karia, , Pedasa/Gökçeler, , Grion`daki Pidasa, , Pidasos/Pidason, , Lelegler,

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