Hacımusalar Höyük, located in the Elmalı Plain of Antalya, is an important ancient settlement that witnessed continuous occupation for approximately three millennia, from the Early Bronze Age to the Byzantine period. Known as Choma by ancient Greek and Roman writers, this mound played a central role in the cultural and commercial history of the region thanks to its fertile lands and strategic location.

History

The establishment of the settlement at Hacımusalar Höyük, according to archaeological findings, dates back to the early phases of the Early Bronze Age, approximately the beginning of the 3rd millennium BCE. From this period onwards, the höyük, situated in the north of the Lycian region but close to the Pisidian border, became one of the significant centers of local cultures in the area. Witnessing the cultural and political changes observed throughout Anatolia during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, Hacımusalar had strong interactions with Lycian culture in the Iron Age and came under the dominion of the Persian Empire from the 6th century BCE. Following Alexander the Great's conquests and the advent of the Hellenistic period, the city successively fell within the sphere of influence of major Hellenistic states such as the Seleucid, Ptolemaic, and Pergamene Kingdoms. With the arrival of the Roman Empire in the region, Hacımusalar was incorporated into the Roman province of Asia from the 1st century BCE and began to be referred to as Choma in ancient sources. The settlement maintained its importance throughout the Roman and Late Antique periods and continued to be inhabited during the Byzantine era. Excavations at the höyük reveal a layered cultural accumulation and traces of different civilizations throughout this long history.

Geographic Location

Hacımusalar Höyük is situated within the borders of the Elmalı district, part of Antalya province in modern-day Turkey, in the central section of the fertile Elmalı Plain, at a strategically highly advantageous point. This central location provided the city with easy access to the rich agricultural lands and water resources in its vicinity, and also allowed it to be situated on important trade and transportation routes connecting the Lycian and Pisidian regions. The plains where the höyük is located offered favorable conditions for intensive agricultural activities in antiquity, while nearby rivers and natural water sources played a vital role in the sustainability of the settlement. Its proximity to important ancient cities of Lycia and Pisidia, such as Balbura, Oinoanda, Arykanda, and Termessos, ensured Hacımusalar's role as a critical junction in regional interactions and trade networks. This geographic location was a decisive factor in the city's long-lasting existence as a settlement.

Significance in Antiquity

Hacımusalar Höyük was an important center throughout antiquity, controlling the fertile lands of the Elmalı Plain and playing a central role in the economic life of the region. The city's economy was based on the production of cereals and other crops cultivated in the extensive agricultural lands surrounding it, with animal husbandry also making significant contributions to this prosperity. Thanks to its strategic geographic location at the crossroads of trade routes between the Lycian and Pisidian regions, Hacımusalar became a regional trade and market center. Politically, especially during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, this settlement, known by its ancient name Choma, likely served as the administrative and governmental center for the surrounding rural areas and smaller villages. The mention of Choma in ancient sources indicates that the city was regionally recognized and held a certain significance. From a religious perspective, while findings from excavations point to the existence of cult practices and belief systems from different periods, precise and detailed information about a specific main deity or temple is still limited. However, the long-term occupation suggests that religious activities also held an important place in the city's cultural and social life.

Coinage

Specifically regarding Hacımusalar Höyük (ancient Choma), there is no surviving evidence or archaeological confirmation of coinage issued in the city's name. This situation indicates that the city either did not possess the authority to strike its own independent coinage directly or did not exercise this right. In antiquity, coinage in smaller or regional centers like Hacımusalar was typically under the authority of neighboring major cities or the dominant powers of the era (e.g., the Lycian League, the Roman Empire). Therefore, it is believed that the coins circulating in the region were most likely those struck by these larger and politically more powerful centers.

Archaeological Remains

Extensive archaeological excavations conducted at Hacımusalar Höyük have meticulously revealed the layered structure of the mound, documenting a continuous settlement history of approximately three millennia, extending from the Early Bronze Age to the Byzantine period. During the excavations, architectural remains from different periods, particularly residential structures, various ceramic finds, and other artifacts used in daily life, have been brought to light. This rich inventory of finds illustrates the cultural evolution of the region and H