In the light of ancient evidence historical geography, administration, sociocultural structure of Milyas and Kabalia

The territory of the Milyans (Milyeis/Milyadeis) extends from the Elmalı plain to the Kestel basin (as the southern part of the Milyas district was assigned to Lycia by Romans, especially this part/ Elmalı basin is the subject of this study) to the north through the Bozova/Zivint. To the west of Milyas lays the region called Kabalia (or Kabalis) inhabited by the Kabalians. This region extends from the Seki plain to the Lake of Söğüt basin, including the valleys of the Karaçulha Çay and Küçüklü Çay. The districts of Milyas and Kabalia situated on the northern Lycia, occupy a significant position in political and cultural history as these two highland districts lay between the regions of Caria, Lycia, Pamphylia, Pisidia and Phrygia. Herodotos lists Milyans in the first nomos and Kabalians in the second nomos among the peoples of Western Anatolia belonging to the Persian Empire in the last quarter of the sixth century (Ἱστορίαι, 3.90). He also mentions the people of these two highland regions recruited in Xerxes' army in 480 BC (7.77). Although these regions are described as "Northern Lycia" by modern scholars, as seen in Herodotos' passages, the people of these highland areas, i. e. Milyas and Kabalia, distinct from Lycians, and also from Phrygians, Pisidians and from each other politically and culturally. This situation continued until the regions became a part of the new province of Lycia in AD 43. This study is based upon the epigraphical evidence from the regions of Milyas (Elmalı Ovası) and Kabalia (consisted of the cities of Balboura, Boubon, Oinoanda) and is focused upon the political history of the regions in the context of the political relations and territorial disputes with the Lycian Confederacy. Also, the religious, administrative and socio-economic history of the regions are also discussed employing the information deduced from inscriptions. Epigraphical materials from the cities located in the region of Kabalia outnumber those of Milyas, so provide much more historical information in comparison to inscriptions from the basin of Elmalı. Apart from the inscriptions, literary sources and numismatic data are included in the study, so all the materials, which contain significant information on the political history and the historical geography, are assessed. Keywords: Milyas, Elmalı Plain, Kabalia, Northern Lycia.