At the Kadyanda stadium, experts disagree on whether it is just a boulevard, a processional street or a simple career path. However, the construction of the complex in the Roman epoch has been documented. What is immediately noticeable to the attentive visitor is the very small width of the arena for a stadium. The completely missing references to rows of seats on the side of the valley suggest that the arena was used as a running track or even as a processional street. The temples located above the stadium could point to the latter. In spite of the existing doubts about the determination of the complex, the proponents of the stadium theory seem to have prevailed, at least with regard to the signage. Perhaps also by the discovery of an inscription mentioning two sporting festivals.

Kadyanda was an ancient Lycian city in the mountains, within sight of the ancient city of Telmessos. (today Fethiye).
Little is known about the history of the city. The foundation itself lies in the darkness of history. The name is attributed to the Lycian "Kadawañti" and thus proves its old age. An inscription preserved in fragments from the 4th century BC tells of the participation of warriors from Kadyanda in a campaign of the Carian ruler Pixodaros against the city of Kaunos. In Hellenistic times the city was for the first time provided with a fortification wall, some parts of which are still preserved today.

In Roman times the city experienced an enormous boom. Most of the buildings preserved today were erected or, like the theatre, extended during this period. The lack of buildings from the Byzantine period is remarkable. Only some sections of the fortifications can be assigned to Byzantine times by the technique used. From the 4th century A.D. onwards, there are no finds that can be attributed to a later period. The town seems to have been abandoned at this time. The reasons for this are not known. A new settlement did not take place.