Caria

Caria, in ancient geography, the south-westernmost country of Asia Minor, bounded N. by Lydia, E. by Phrygia, SE. by Lycia, and W. and SW. by the Mediterranean. A large portion of what was Caria is mountainous, with forests of oak and pine, where large herds were anciently pastured. The most important river was the Mæander, famous for its windings. Among the chief towns were Cnidus, Halicarnassus, and Miletus. The early inhabitants, who seem to have been a people of Indo-European stock, akin to the Lydians, were a warlike race, and formidable as pirates, but gradually sank into a dependent state; their princes became satraps of the Persian empire. Very early there were extensive Greek colonies, Dorian and Ionian, on the coast; and the country subsequently passed into the hands of Alexander's successors and of the Romans. It was taken by the Osmanlis in 1336, and now belongs to the province of Aidin.