Pamphylia (; Ancient Greek: Παμφυλία, Pamphylía) was a region in the south of Asia Minor, between Lycia and Cilicia, extending from the Mediterranean to Mount Taurus (all in modern-day Antalya province, Turkey). It was bounded on the north by Pisidia and was therefore a country of small extent, having a coast-line of only about 120 km (75 miles) with a breadth of about 50 km (30 miles). Under the Roman administration the term Pamphylia was extended so as to include Pisidia and the whole tract up to the frontiers of Phrygia and Lycaonia, and in this wider sense it is employed by Ptolemy.[1]
The name Pamphylia comes from the Greek Παμφυλία,[2] itself from Ancient Greek: πάμφυλος (pamphylos), literally "of mingled tribes or races",[3] a compound of πᾶν (pan), neuter of πᾶς (pas) "all"[4] + φυλή (phylē), "race, tribe".[5] Herodotus derived its etymology from a Dorian tribe, the Pamphyloi (Πάμφυλοι), who were said to have colonized the region.[6] The tribe, in turn, was said to be named after Pamphylos (Greek: Πάμφυλος), son of Aigimios.[7][8]
According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the Pamphylians were “a mixture of aboriginal inhabitants, immigrant Cilicians (Greek: Κίλικες) and Greeks”.[9] However, Herodotus and Strabo record that the Pamphylians were descended from Greeks who came with Calchas and Amphilochos after the Trojan War.[10] Additionally, Pausanias states that they were a Greek race.[11] Theopompus, as well, informs us that Pamphylia was inhabited by Greeks.[12] Some modern scholars suggest that they migrated to Pamphylia from Arcadia and generally the Peloponnese in the 12th century BC.[13] The significance of the Greek contribution to the origin of the Pamphylians can be attested alike by tradition and archaeology,[14] and Pamphylia can be considered a Greek country from the early Iron Age until the early Middle Ages.[15]
