The City of Antalya, placed on a cliff on the Mediterranean Sea, stretches on top of what was the ancient Pamphylia (east) and Lycia (west).

In year 150 BC the king of Pergamon - Attalos II, founded the settlement Attalia (nowadays Antalya) to host his powerful Mediterranean fleet. In year 133 BC, the city and Attalos the Third kingdom was willed to the Roman Republic, further developing being brought to it under Roman period.

Christianity was introduced in the region after 2nd century. Paul of Tarsus visited Antalya, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:25-26), (Antalya being referred to as Attalia). St. Paul and St. Barnabas came to Antalya and sailed traveled further to Antioch after spreading the word of their Christian god in Pisidia and Pamphylia. The city of Attalia became a naval base for the Christian Crusades, against the Muslims in the Levant and in Cyprus.

During the period of Byzantine Empire rule, Antalya became a major and important city. However, during the ascension of John II Comnenus in year 1118 it was just an isolated fortress against the Ottomans, which was accessible only by sea. In 1119, with the help of John Axuch, John II reconnected the city of Antalya with the rest of the empire, by getting rid of the Turkish pressure.

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