|
|
| |
Miletos |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The remains of the city of Miletus
is approximately 40 km to the south
of Soke (a towncenter of Aydin City).
Infact Miletus was a port city 2,000
years ago. The aluvions caried into
the bay by Buyuk Menderes river over
a very long period of time filled
the bay and the nearby coast and
caused the city to loose touch with
the sea. This brought the inevitable
end of the city.
It is the most prominent of all Ionian cities. The original founders of
the city is not known exactly.
According to Homer, as he mentioned
in IIliad, Miletus was founded by
Carians. On the other hand, the
famous geographer Strabon claimed
that the founder of the city were
Cretans. There are signs which
indicate that the history of the
settlement into the city goes back
to the neolithic ages.
The great historian Herodotus was saying that the Ionians under the
leadership of Neilos, conquered
Miletus , whose inhabitants were
Carians and Cretans, in the 11th
century. This event points to the
beginning of the recorded history of
the city. In a short time Miletus
became prosperous. As a port,
commercial importance of the city
growed immediately. The city people
established 70 colonies around the
various regions of Anatolia.
The city became an important Ionian center of arts, science and culture.
The historians Anaximander,
Aneximenes, the philosopher of the
nature Thales ( mathematician,
physicist and also a merchant), the
geographers Kadmos and Hecataeus all
lived in Miletus at the same time.
This first phase of the Miletan civilization was ended by Persians at 494
B.C. In 474 B.C. and onward it was
reconstructed according to the plans
of famous architect Hippodamos. In a
short time Miletus became a
prosperous place again.
Persians invaded Ionia and naturally Miletus once more in the 5th century.
The destruction ruined the city
until Alexander the Great claimed
all Anatolia from Persians in the
4th century B.C. Miletus was
reconstructed once more.
The city reached to another peak after 2nd century B.C. as it became an
integral part of the Roman Empire.
Emperors Augustus and Hadrian filled
the city with monuments and statues.
St. Paul gave sermons here and
sailed to Jerusalem later.
During Byzantine age Miletus became a residence to archbishops. The small
Byzantine castle called Castro
Palation which is on the hill,
beside the city was built at this
time.
Seljuk Turks settled into the city in the 12th century A.D. and used
Miletos as a port to trade with
Venice.
Finally, Ottomans utilized the city as an harbour during their rule in
Anatolia for a while. As the harbour
became silted up, the city was
abandoned. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
