The primary focus of the investigation was the relatively unresearched cities visited by the Apostle Paul in
Lykaonia: Lystra, Derbe, Ikonion and surrounding areas. Kolossai was also studied, but still needs to be researched in greater detail. Careful effort was made to avoid repeating work done by other experts on the topic. The research methodology follows the standard schema: ancient sources - literature - prior research - historical genesis -
topography - inscriptions - coins - small finds - index and illustrations. Following the methodology of ancient history, all available historical sources of political history, Roman colonisation, province names, borders, roman military strategy and the construction of cities were all taken into consideration. These factors indicate a complex historical genesis to the above mentioned cities. In addition, it was discovered that the differing geographic statements of antic authors took political, but also cultural differences between landscapes and cities of Central Anatolia into account. While the colonies founded by Augustus, Ikonion and Lystra, belonged to Galatia, Ikonium was traditionally a phrygian city. The Derbe of the New Testament was located in Lykaonia Antiochiana. Initially it was a fortress of the tyrant Antipatros, but after a short period the Romans left it to the sphere of influence of Antiochos of Kommagene. These political and cultural differences also become evident in the Acts of the Apostles.
According to inscriptions and small finds (including ceramics, tomb sculptures, sarcophagi, building remains and architectural fragments), Lystra experienced extensive colonisation during Roman antiquity and in the Byzantine age. In particular here are sporadic founds of chalkolithic, hettite (city of Lushna), phrygian and seldchuk potteries.
In March 2004, the first exact measurings of the hill and the relics were carried out with a laser gauge, compass and GPS (global positioning system). The results reveal an acropolis, city wall and city gate ("pylones" in Acts 14, 13), a Byzantine basilica (30 x 8 m) with apsis, baptistery, narthex and a large parvis (32 x 23m) partly constructed with the remains of an antic temple (probably "Zeus temple" in Acts 14, 13) and Ayasma/Hagiasma-well. East of the settlement hill tombs raiders excavated simple stone sarcophagi as well as Greek and Latin inscriptions. This burial place is most probably a vast imperial necropolis (300 x 400 m). Another necropolis was found near the old cemetery north of Hatunsaray. West of the city hill there is a quarry. Newly found inscriptions (6 Latin and 4 Greek inscriptions from Hatunsaray, 2 Latin and 8 Greek from the surroundings) complement the 51 previously known inscriptions of the Colonia Lystra. Another monumental Greek tombstone which had been stored in the lapidarium of the archaeological museum in Konya has recently been published. Inscriptions give information about
nomenclature, religion, social and ethnical structure of the population in Colonia Iulia Felix Gemina Lystra.
Expositions on the apocryphal Royal Road based on critical research of the acts of St. Paul as well as on milestone finds of Via Sebaste and traces of ancient roads in the Lystra area, broaden our knowledge of the road system of Lykaonia. In 2004 a round fortress was discovered on hilltop of Kerti Hüyük (Derbe).
