On Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, the ancient people of Lycia once lived. Today this place is called the “Lycian Way”, famous for its ancient castles and tombs. The Lycians were independent and left a unique political system in history.
In the 2nd century BCE, the Lycian League was formed, uniting 23 cities. Large cities had three votes, medium ones two, and small ones one. The cities elected their leader and collected taxes.
In 1787, at the US Constitutional Convention, James Madison cited the Lycian League as an example. He said this system was based on fair representation, which later influenced the US Constitution.
Today the ruins of Xanthos and Patara reflect the life of Lycia. But their greatest legacy was an idea that influenced the democracy of the world.
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