Founded by the Lycians, Antiphellos was the port of Phellos, a mountain town 17 km away. The original name of the city was Habesos or Habesa. The first written mention under the name Antiphellos is a bilingual tomb inscription from the 4th century BC.

Only a few testimonies of the city's eventful past have survived. To the west of today's harbour are the remains of the former sea wall, to the north of which are the remains of a Hellenistic temple. It was already built in Lycian times and was restored and rebuilt several times in the following centuries. It is thought to have been dedicated to Poseidon, the protector of sailors.

Circumnavigating the Acropolis Hill in a westerly direction, one comes across a Doric tomb completely hewn from a rock. (photo) Except for small damages in the upper area the tomb is completely preserved. A few meters below this tomb there is a Lycian rock tomb with an inscription in Lycian script above the door opening.

Antiphellos was incorporated into the Lycian Confederation in the 6th century BC and minted its first coins in the 3rd century BC. Some artifacts from this time have survived the times.

Lycian sarcophagus opposite the harbour entrance

Taken by pirates in the 1st century B.C., the city developed into modest prosperity after its expulsion by the Romans as part of the Roman province of Lykia at Pamphilia. However, larger remains from Roman times are not preserved.