Herodotus, the father of history, mentions that the native people of Kaunos were the Carians. The old generations of inhabitants believed that the early people came from Crete, where the same Carian language was spoken. According to one legend, Miletos had twins—a son and a daughter; the son was named Kaunos and the daughter Byblis. When the children grew up, Byblis fell in love with Kaunos. She decided to write a letter to him expressing her love. After she did, Kaunos felt only hatred, anger, and loathing, because her love was unnatural. Kaunos decided to leave Caria; he traveled to this region and built a city, which was named after him. Byblis tried to commit suicide, jumping from a high rock, but nymphs pitied her and turned her into a spring. Her tears became a river.
Another legend contradicts this one: Kaunos was expelled from Miletos because of his unnatural love for Byblis. He arrived in this coastal region and built his city.
As they did elsewhere in Ionia in the middle of the 6th century B.C., the Persians controlled Kaunos. The city later became a member of the Attica-Delos confederation. The inhabitants of Kaunos fought for independence until the victory over the Persians under Emperor Xerxes.
Kaunos was an important harbor and trading center, located right by the sea. The city continued to function as a major maritime hub until it was threatened by the silting of the harbor, and was eventually abandoned because of mosquitoes, which brought deadly diseases.
The theatre at Kaunos still commands attention today, with its remarkable construction and architectural style. It overlooks the ancient harbor and the city. The baths are among the best-preserved Roman bath ruins in Anatolia from the Carian period.
Kaunos was famous for trading salt, saltwater fish, and figs. It also played an important role in the slave trade. This ancient harbor city in Dalyan Gulf holds a significant place in maritime history.