Seleucia Pieria Administrative Seat

Seleucia Pieria is an ancient coastal city and harbour in modern Hatay Province, Turkey, established as the port for nearby Antioch during the Hellenistic era. The site retains visible ruins of its harbour works, tombs and urban remains.

Archaeological features include remnants of harbour structures and breakwaters, rock-cut funerary monuments along the coastline and traces of Hellenistic and Roman urban fabric. The harbour ultimately suffered from silting and seismic activity that diminished its function.

The city was founded by Seleucus I Nicator in the early Hellenistic period as part of the Seleucid imperial network and later continued under Roman and Byzantine administration before decline in late antiquity.

Seleucia Pieria sits on the Mediterranean coast near the modern town of Samanda or along the Hatay coastal strip west of Antakya, forming the ancient maritime gateway to Antioch.

• Founding: Founded by the Seleucid ruler Seleucus I Nicator around the early Hellenistic period, it served as the principal maritime outlet for ancient Antioch.

What to See#

• Harbour remains: The exposed remains of the harbour infrastructure and breakwaters that linked the city to the Mediterranean coast during Hellenistic and Roman periods.
• Necropolis and tombs: Clusters of tombs and funerary monuments carved into the coastal slopes, documenting the city’s role as a regional port with long-term occupation.
• City ruins and public architecture: Hellenistic and Roman architectural fragments and street remains that reflect the city’s origin and development as the port of nearby Antioch.

Seleucia Pieria is near modern-day Çevlik in Hatay Province. From Antakya (Antioch), it’s about a 40-60 minute drive south toward the Mediterranean coast; local roads lead down to the site near Çevlik.

• Visit early morning to see the scattered ruins before they bake in noon sun; mosaics and carved stones are easier to photograph in low light.
• Bring a hat and plenty of water - the site is exposed with little shade.
• Combine a trip with nearby ancient Seleucia Pieria's evidence of Roman engineering: the city's waterworks and port constructions are particularly interesting.