The Cilician Kingdom, the Crusades, and the Invasions from the East

Abstract

Cilicia (Kilikia or Giligia in Armenian), located on the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, first appeared in the Egyptian annals of the thirteenth century B.C. as Kedi (or Kode), and in the records of the Assyrian empire in the eighth century B.C. Waves of migration and invasions from the ages of the Hittites and Homer led to the emergence of communities inhabited by Aegean peoples mixed with local tribes such as the Cetae (Cietae), the Cannatae, and the Lalasseis. The name Cilicia refers to two regions with different physical attributes. Cilicia Pedias (Dashtayin Kilikia), as labeled by the Greeks, refers to the plains rich in agriculture, producing cereals, vines, and flax that stimulated the linen industry in the region. Cilicia Tracheia (Lernayin Kilikia) refers to the mountainous (also called “rough”) region of Cilicia that, isolated from main commercial routes, lacked major towns and economic centers, except for ports and timber depots.¹