HISTORY OF PATARA
Patara flourished during the Roman period; it was the seat of the Roman governor to Lycia. The once famous port city noted for its beauty and for the oracle of Apollo there, which was productive only during the winter months, is now a marsh, silted up with the erosion of centuries. Once during the heyday of Patara, the city was visited by the Emperor Hadrian and his wife Sabina.
Some fine Roman ruins await the visitor to the site of this ancient city. Among them are the Roman Baths, the monumental gateway to the city, a Corinthian temple, in an excellent state of preservation, a Byzantine basilica, and an amphitheater. The gateway, also very well preserved, was erected in 100 A.D. Near this area are numerous Roman sarcophagi. Another interesting structure at the site is the Granary, which was built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian.