A region of S. *Asia Minor. The name was applied variously to regions at different periods but came ultimately to designate the eastern half of the south coast. The western portion (Cilicia Tracheia, Rugged Cilicia) is wild and mountainous, the eastern (Cilicia Pedias, Plain Cilicia) is rich plainland. Greek settlers brought with them the name of the Cilices, who were located by Homer in the northern Troad (Il. 6. 397), see troas. Their leader was *Mopsus the seer, whose name survived in the place-names Mopsuhestia and Mopsucrene and occurs as a personal name in later inscriptions. Identified partly or wholly with the Hilakku of Assyrian records and with the Egyptian Kelekesh, the Cilicians were subjects of the Assyrians in the 8th cent. bce. They were then ruled by a line of kings, at first independent then subject to the Persians, called Syennesis, whose palace was probably at *Tarsus.
