Biblical World Ilker Mimiroglu - Ancient Lystra
Sep 22, 2026
Prof. Ilker Mimiroglu, a Turkish archaeologist specializing in early Christian and Byzantine art, leads the new excavations at ancient Lystra. He discusses the city’s 7,000-year history, strategic trade routes, churches, mausoleums, and Christian burials. The conversation also explores the search for Paul’s Lystra, discoveries beneath the mound, and plans to welcome visitors and researchers.
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How Ilker Mimiroglu Chose Archaeology
- Ilker Mimiroglu dreamed of excavating ancient cities as a child despite his parents warning that archaeology paid poorly.
- He chose Christian-period art history, which in Turkey begins where archaeology’s prehistoric-to-Christian focus ends.
Wetlands Made Lystra A Strategic Crossroads
- Lystra’s importance came from geography, not just monuments, because wetlands restricted travel across the Konya plain.
- The city connected routes between Iconium, Derbe, and Laranda, making it a long-term trading center.
Lystra Was Settled Seven Thousand Years Ago
- Excavations now push Lystra’s first settlement back to the Neolithic period, around 5000 BC.
- Hittite-period ceramics and possible Cyprus connections suggest the site already served important regional and maritime trade networks.
