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Antioch in Pisidia – alternatively Antiochia in Pisidia or Pisidian
Antioch and in Roman Empire, Latin: Antiochia Caesareia or Antiochia
Caesaria – is a city in the Turkish Lake District, which is at the
crossroads of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Central Anatolian regions,
and formerly on the border of Pisidia and Phrygia, hence also known as
Antiochia in Phrygia. The site lies approximately 1 km northeast of
Yalvac, the modern town of Isparta Province. The city is on a hill with
its highest point of 1236 m in the north.
Geography
The city is surrounded by, on the east the deep ravine of the Anthius River which flows into Lake Egirdir, with the Sultan Mountains to the northeast, Mount Karakus to the north, Kızıldag (Red Mountain) to the southeast, Kirişli Mountain and the northern shore of Lake Egirdir to the southwest.
Although very close to Mediterranean on the map, the warm climate of the south cannot pass the height of the Taurus Mountains. Owing to the climate, there is no timberland but crop plants grow in areas provided with water from the Sultan Mountains, whose annual average rainfall is c. 1000 mm on the peaks and 500 mm on the slopes. This water feeds the plateau and Antioch. The other Pisidian cities Neapolis, Tyriacum, Laodiceia Katakekaumene and Philomelium founded on the slopes, benefited from this fertility.
The acropolis has an area of 460,000 square metres (115 acres) and is surrounded by fortified defence walls. The Territorium of the settlement can be seen from the Temple of Men in the sanctuary of Men Askaenos on a hill to the southeast. The Territorium of the city is estimated to have been approximately 1,400 km² in ancient times. According to the 1950 census, there were 40 villages with 50,000 people living in the area. The population during the Roman period must have been a little more than this.
The constantly irrigated fertile soil of the land is very suitable for growing fruits and for husbandry. For the veterans (retired Roman legionaries) who came from poorer parts of Italy during the Roman period, agriculture must have been the driving force for integration of the colonies into the area. The modern town of Yalvaç is the second biggest in Isparta province with an area of 14,000 km² The population in the centre is 35,000, the total is c. 100,000. The town is 230 km from Antalya, 180 km from Konya, 105 km from Isparta and 50 km from Akşehir, via the main road.
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