a country of Asia Minor, having Phrygia on the north, Pamphylia on the east, the Mediterranean on the south, and Caria on the west. The greatest part of the country, however, is a peninsula projecting into the Mediterranean. Lycia derived its name from Lycus, the son of Pandion, who settled here. It was conquered by Croesus, king of Lydia, and passed with his kingdom into the hands of the Persians. It afterward, in common with the neighbouring countries of Asia Minor, formed part of the Macedonian empire, under Alexander; then of that of the Seleucidae, his successors in those countries; and, at the time of the Apostles, was reduced to the state of a Roman province.

A wolf, a province in the south-west of Asia Minor, opposite the island of Rhodes. It forms part of the region now called Tekeh. It was a province of the Roman empire when visited by Paul (Acts 21:1 ; 27:5 ). Two of its towns are mentioned, Patara (21:1,2) and Myra (27:5).

A province in S.W. of Asia Minor opposite Rhodes. Pamphylia is on E., Carla W., Phrygia N., the Mediterranean S. The Taurus range here descends to the sea, with the river Xanthus flowing between its heights Cragus and Anticragus. Its two chief towns Patara and Myra Paul visited, during the period when Lycia and Pamphylia in Claudius' reign were combined under one proconsul (Acts 21:1; Acts 27:5). Previously it was allowed to form all independent state, its golden period. Sir C. Fellows brought to the British Museum interesting specimens of its coins and ancient architecture.

LYCIA was a mountainous country in the S.W. of Asia Minor, which played very little part in the early history of Christianity. In it were situated many great cities, such as Patara ( Acts 21:1 ) and Myra ( Acts 27:5 ; cf. Acts 21:1 ). The former was a celebrated seat of the worship of Apollo, the latter an important harbour, between which and Alexandria there was constant traffic in ancient times. Lycia was ruled by the Persians, and conquered by Alexander the Great. After his death it belonged to the Seleucid Empire, was then taken from Antiochus by the Romans in b.c. 188, and given to Rhodes at first, but afterwards freed in b.c. 168. It was one of the self-governing states, to which the Romans sent letters in favour of the Jews in b.c. 138 7 ( 1Ma 15:22 ); see Caria, Delos. This proves that there were Jews there. Lycia was made a Roman province by Claudius in a.d. 43 on account of dissensions between its cities, and in a.d. 74 was formed into a double province along with Pamphylia.

A. Souter.

(lihc' ih uh) Geographical name indicating the projection on the southern coast of Asia Minor between Caria and Pamphylia. See Acts 27:5 .

(Λυκία, Eth. Λύκιος)

Lycia was a secluded mountain-land in the S.W, of Asia Minor, bounded on the W. by Caria, on the N. by Phrygia and Pisidia, on the N.E. by Pamphilia, and on the S. by the Lycian Sea. It was ‘beyond the Taurus’ (ἐκτὸς τοῦ Ταύρου). The ribs of that huge backbone of the country extended from N. to S. (in some places over 10,000 ft. in height), and between them were well-watered and fertile valleys, the homes of a highly civilized race, who in their love of peace and freedom resembled the Swiss. They were not Greek by race, but they were early hellenized. They had many overlords-Persians, Seleucids, Ptolemys, Romans-but for the most part their autonomy was undisturbed, and they had one of the finest constitutions in ancient times.

As the Lycians were suspected of favouring the Imperial party in the Civil Wars of Rome, Brutus and Cassius almost annihilated the beautiful city of Xanthus (43 b.c.), and the country never recovered its old prosperity. Pliny says that in his time the cities of Lycia, formerly 70 in number, had been reduced to 36 (Historia Naturalis (Pliny) v. 28). In a.d. 43 it was made a Roman province, and in a.d. 74 Vespasian formed the united province of Lycia-Pamphylia. Lycia is named in 1 Maccabees 15:23 as one of the Free States to which the Romans sent letters in favour of the Jewish settlers. Two of its principal seaports-Patara and Myra-are mentioned in Acts (Acts 21:1; Acts 27:5). But it appears to have been one of the last parts of Asia Minor to accept Christianity. Among the provinces addressed in 1 Peter 1:1 as having been partly evangelized, neither Lycia nor Pamphylia-both south of the Taurus-finds a place.

Literature.-C. Fellows, Discoveries in Lycia during 2nd Excursion in Asia Minor, 1841; T. A. B. Spratt and E. Forbes, Travels in Lycia, Milyas, and the Cibyratis, 1847; Benndorf-Niemann, Reisen in südwestl. Kleinasien, i.: ‘Reisen in Lykien und Karien,’ 1884.

James Strahan.

A province of Asia Minor. Paul landed here in his way to Rome. (Acts 27:5)

District in the S.W. of Asia Minor. It was formerly a part of Pamphylia, but increased in importance and became a separate district, with Myra for its capital. Acts 27:5 .

Lycia (lĭsh'i-ah), a region of Asia Minor, on the Mediterranean, between Caria and Pamphylia. It acquired some political importance, as shown by 1 Maccabees 15:23. In the reign of Claudius it became a Roman province. Paul visited it, and preached the gospel in its two largest cities, Patara, Acts 21:1, and Myra, Acts 27:5.

A province in the southwest of Asia Minor bounded west by Caria, east by Pamphylia, north by Phrygia and Pisidia, and south by the Mediterranean. The country is somewhat mountainous, though not barren. Of its cities, only Patara and Myra are mentioned in the New Testament, Acts 21:1,2 ; 27:5 .

The small province of Lycia in south-west Asia Minor was important mainly for its two ports, Myra and Patara. From these ports ships sailed east to Phoenicia, south to Egypt and west to Greece and Italy. The Bible records two occasions when ships on which Paul travelled called at the ports of Lycia (Acts 21:1-2; Acts 27:5-6).

Myra - A town of Lycia, where Paul embarked for Rome, on board a ship of Alexandria, Acts 27:5