KremnaGirme
Colonial Status
Roman colony (Colonia) founded by Augustus, c. 25 BCE
Famous Siege
Rebel Lydius held city against Rome, c. 278 CE
Position
Fortified mountain plateau in the western Taurus
Preservation
Forum, colonnaded street, baths, library survive
“Kremna exemplifies Rome's strategic colonization of troublesome mountain regions, using veteran settlements to project power into areas that resisted central authority.”
Kremna was a Roman colony in Pisidia, perched on a mountain plateau, famous for the siege of the rebel Lydius in the late 3rd century CE.
read_wikipedia →overview
Kremna occupies one of the most dramatic natural positions of any ancient city in Turkey — a flat-topped mountain plateau rising steeply above pine-forested valleys in the western Taurus range. The site's near-impregnability made it a natural fortress throughout antiquity. Originally a Pisidian settlement, Kremna was established as a Roman colony (Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Cremna) by Augustus around 25 BCE as part of Rome's strategy to control the notoriously independent Pisidian highlanders. The colony received veteran soldiers and was given full Roman colonial status with Latin rights. The city's most famous historical episode is the siege of Lydius, a local bandit chief who seized Kremna around 278 CE during the instability of the late 3rd century. Lydius held the mountain-top city against Roman forces for an extended siege, using ingenious defensive measures. The Romans eventually took the city by exploiting the aqueduct system to cut off its water supply. Visible remains include a well-preserved forum, a colonnaded street, a monumental arch, a large bath complex, a library, and sections of the city walls. The site also preserves a remarkably intact Roman road leading up the mountain, complete with wheel ruts carved into the rock. The remote location means the site receives few visitors despite its exceptional preservation.
why_it_matters
evidence
evidence_desc
confirmed
3- Colonial inscriptions identify Kremna as Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Cremna, confirming its Augustan foundation as a veteran colony.
- The historian Zosimus (New History 1.69-70) provides a detailed account of the siege of Lydius at Kremna around 278 CE.
- Archaeological evidence of siege works, including the Roman circumvallation and assault ramp, corroborates the literary account of the siege.
inferred
2- The Roman road with wheel ruts carved into bedrock suggests significant cart traffic, indicating Kremna served as a regional market center despite its mountain location.
- The presence of a library building suggests a higher level of cultural aspiration than expected for a remote mountain colony.
debated
1- Whether Lydius was a simple bandit or a local resistance leader with political motivations against Roman authority remains debated.
excavation
British excavations
led_by Stephen Mitchell
Stephen Mitchell led excavations that uncovered the forum, identified the colonial layout, and documented the siege evidence.
Continued British-Turkish excavations
Further work revealed the bath complex, library, and sections of the colonnaded street with detailed architectural documentation.
Survey and conservation
Comprehensive site survey and conservation assessment documenting the current state of the ruins and planning future preservation.
more_photos
artifacts
Community Photos
Share your experience
Have you visited this site? Upload your photos to help others discover it.
location
related_sites
sources
- Cremna in Pisidia: An Ancient City in Peace and in War — Stephen Mitchell (1995)
- The Roman Colonies of Pisidia — Barbara Levick (1967)
- Wikipedia — Kremnalink