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APERLAI (Siçak Iskelesi, formerly Avasari) Turkey.

Town in Lycia 14.4 km E-SE of Kaş mentioned first by Pliny, then by Ptolemy, Hierokles, in the Stadiasmus and in inscriptions. Some 5th c. silver coins inscribed APR or PRL in Lycian are probably to be ascribed to Aperlai, as are coins of League type inscribed ΑΠ. In Imperial times (but probably not earlier, see Apollonia) Aperlai was at the head of a sympolity including Simena, Isinda, and Apollonia, and citizens of those cities are described, for example, as Aperlite from Simena. There is also a scanty coinage of Gordian III. In the bishopric lists the city's name appears as Aprillae.

The ruins are on a low hill by the shore at the head of a deep bay. The hill is surrounded by a wall of fairly regular ashlar still standing to a considerable height, with a small gate surmounted by a blind arch. One or two buildings of late appearance are still to be seen, and a great number of Lycian sarcophagi with so-called Gothic lids, mostly of Roman date.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

F. Beaufort, Karamania (1818) 22; G. Hirschfeld, AEM 9 (1885) 192ff; R. Heberdey & E. Kalinka, Bericht über zwei Reisen (1896) 17.

G. E. Bean

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