SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE

In the social life of Lycians, women were very dominant. In comparison with fertile land, the fertility of motherhood had a religious significance which resulted in the prominence of women in the community. We observe that the office of "Likiarkhes", which was one of the mojor ranks' in the Lycian state organization, was occupied by women. It is known that the women enjoyed their prerogatives for a long time (until the Roman period). However, the Lycian matriarchal-system is not reflected in the inscriptions, In the Lycian and Greek inscriptions, a man introduces himself in the traditional way, naming his father. For a man mentioning only. the name of his father is in contradiction with the matriarchal system and so far this has not been resolved.

It is a fact that in the Lycian community the man has a prominent position as a warrior. In social life the outfits for men and women are differentiated. The outfits and weaapons of the warriors, however, are made of materials to meet their daily requirements. Herodotus informs Us that the soldiers wore breast-plates and knee-guards. They covered their shoulders with goat-skin and on their hats had felt caps decorated with feathers. Their weapons consisted Of bows made of red dogwood, reed arrows and spears., as well as swords and daggers. Needless to say, these weapons were altered in time. Their household utensil were copperware, ground earthenware and pieces made of bronze and iron. During the excavations At Letoon, cermaic pieces dating back to the seventh century B.C. have been unearthed. The ceramics discovered at Xanthos from the period eighth and seventh century B.C. clearly reflect oriental designs which indicates that until the reign of Alexander the Great, life-style was influenced by the oriental rather than the Greek art. It has been ascertained that in Lycian cities various fairgrounds and festivities were organized. Theatres were builf for such activities. At first everyone participating in the festivities joined the dances; but later the stage was surrounded by a row of stones and spectators watched the dances outside this boundary. At the theatres, sellers of various foodstuffs and drinks wandered among the audience, marketing their goods, similar to present-day practices.

As part of daily lifestyle, in cities which were centers of oracles, .the.public sought the prophets to solve their problems. In this aspect the prophets ptayed a prominent role in the community Temessos, 'for one, was famous for-lts prophets," Same as in, (he antique period, Lycians essenflotly respected their ancestors almost to thee-point of worships. Likewise, due to respect addressed to tombs, the incribtions on the tombstones consist of curses or financial penalty for vandalism in cemeteries. For the economic aspect of life, documents of ugarit, Egypt and Hitites provide ample information in connection with the activities of the regional population. It is clerarly incicated that the Lycians (Lucians) entered into a liances with the purpose of commercial and financial gains. As sea-faring people, Lycians were terrible pirates at times. Probably, [ycions resorted to piracy when they were unable to meet their total requirements, or signed alliances to profit from other nations' spoils. During o famine period, they bought grain from Egypt and exported their products such as olives, olive oil and wine. In Lycian times the coins were minted in accordance with the requirement of each city. Currencies from other countries were also utilized in Lycia. During the rule of other countries, coins were minted in the name of the governing force with the purpose of illustrating the wide-range of sovereignty. Lycians were ardent lovers of freedom and independence, a ways resisting the dominance of outsiders. They are the people who invented democracy. Based on a delegation system, every city had a number of votes in according to its actual size, and as they were very loyal to their traditions, the delegates reached decisions guided by and in line with the public opinion. Doubtless, there is no other site in Anatolia where local culture carries so much weight as in the case of Lycia.