Knidos is a polis of Caria, in Asia Minor, now in Turkish territory. Frequently mentioned in ancient texts, it was an influential city, especially in the Archaic period. Situated on the Knidian peninsula, the exact location of the Archaic city is still somewhat disputed, given the scarcity of archaeological remains. The most widely accepted view today is that there were two urban centres on the peninsula: present-day Burgaz was the political centre until the end of the 4th century BC, when this was moved to present-day Tekir. Some indications in ancient texts refer to the domination of Knidos by Rhodes.
According to Herodotus (1.17.2), the Knidians originally came from Lacedaemon, and Strabo (14.2.6) says they came from Megara. Knidos was part of the Dorian community and was present at the foundation of Naukratis. According to the texts, the famous Dorian sanctuary of Triopion lay in the territory of this polis, but this sanctuary has not yet been found. It was also a member of the Delian League in the mid-5th century BC. (Hansen, 2004, p. 1124)
At Tekir, remains of walls dating from the 4th century BC enclosing an area of 20 ha on an acropolis have been found. It should be remembered, however, that Thucydides refers to Knidos as an unwalled city (8.35.3).
The remains of the Archaic and Classical periods are concentrated at present-day Burgaz, with dates going back to the 8th century BC. Paved streets and buildings have been found at this site, as has the harbour. An important city in the Archaic period, it took part not only in the foundation of Naukratis but also in Greek settlements on the Lipari islands, near Sicily.