Acropolis, Medieval Castle

On the Acropolis of the ancient city of Simena, located at the highest point of the modern village of kalekoy, a Byzantine castle surrounded by medieval city walls, is situated. The ancient city of Simena was established in the 4th Century BC by the Lycian people. Some Lycian free-standing sarcophagi, dated to the 4th Century BC, were found there, some of which were used as granaries. On a slope southeast of a rock grave, the ruins of a small theater-odeon or bouleuterion carved out of the natural rock were found. This rock-cut theater, the smallest of its kind that was found throughout Lycia, had seven rows of seats and a diameter of 16 meters, accommodating about 300 spectators. This structure is probably a Roman building and it was probably connected to the medieval city walls by a stoa. Remains of both a stoa and a temple were found on site as well as a fragmented inscription. West of the theater, some more rock tombs were found scattered. Above the tombs, a Roman ashlar wall is situated; on it are late-period embrasures. To the north of the castle, on the northern summit of the hill, many more sarcophagi are found.