Page 31 - Sarpedon’dan Keykubad’a Bir Zamanlar Antalya

Pataros, Son of Apollon
Patara, a paradise for caretta carettas, is a city with a unique
beauty, a sea that embraces it, and a city hidden in part beneath
the shining sands that are part of this beauty. Three different
foundation myths relate to this city, the name of which we know
as Patar from the Hittite written texts dating from the 13th centu-
ry BC have been circulating for centuries and have reached the
present day through ancient transmissions. The common point
for these three different myths is the Lycian archer god Apol-
lo. Because there are important claims that Apollo was actually
born by his mother, the Goddess Leto, in the Leto palm grove
in Patara (Işık 2020). However, we can be sure that even if Apollo
was not born in Patara, this was his city. Because Patara be-
longs to Apollo’s son Pataros. Along with Delos, Apollo’s most
famous oracle was located here.

Fig.17: Patara View from North to South (İşkan 2019, 48-49).

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