Ly̆cia

, a country of Asia Minor, bounded by the Mediterranean on the south, Caria on the west, Pamphylia on the east, and Phrygia on the north. It was anciently called Milyas and Tremile , from the Milyæ or Solymi, a people of Crete, who came to settle there. The country received the name of Lycia, from Lycus the son of Pandion, who established himself there. The inhabitants have been greatly commended by all the ancients, not only for their sobriety and justice, but their great dexterity in the management of the bow. They were conquered by Crœsus king of Lydia, and afterwards by Cyrus. Though they were subject to the power of Persia, yet they were governed by their own kings, and only paid a yearly tribute to the Persian monarch. They became part of the Maced on i an empire when Alexander came into the east, and afterwards were ceded to the house of the Seleucidæ. The country was reduced into a Roman province by the emperor Claudius. Apollo had there his celebrated oracle at Patara, and the epithet hiberna is applied to the country, because the god was said to pa the winter in his temple. Virgil , Æneid , bk. 4 , lis. 143 & 446; bk. 7 , li. 816 .— Statius , Thebiad , bk. 6 , li. 686 .— Hero dot us , bk. 1 , ch. 173 .— Strabo , bk. 13 .— Livy , bk. 37 , ch. 16 ; bk. 38 , ch. 39 .