"The PEARL of TURKEY" a Izmir Travel Page by KIZGINdamdakiKedi

HISTORY OF IZMIR

Ancient Smyrna was founded on an island that takes place at the northeast of the bay. During the recent centuries, Bornova Plain had been formed with the silt that was brought by torrents of River Meles from Mount Yamanlar (Sipylos) and the peninsula finally transformed into a hill.

A sample wine yard of İzmir Wine and Beer Factory of TEKEL Management is located on this hill called s Tepekule.

Although the first habitation of İzmir known to be dated from long before 3000 B.C., excavations could only go back to 3000 B.C. In the light of the excavations, it is known that the first settlements were founded at the top of the hill at 3-5m high from sea level. This first settlement was dated from Ancient Bronze Age.

Hittites were using the writing (in 1800-1200 B.C.) in Anatolia, which helped to reach the historic ages. However, in 1200s B.C., the tribes coming from Balkans demolished Troy VII and Hattusas, the capital of Hittites. With this, a Dark Age called Iron Age restarted in Middle and West Anatolia. The Iron Age continued until writing was rediscovered in 730 B.C. in Phrygian Kingdom and in 650 B.C. in the rest of the Middle and West Anatolia.

During the Iron Age the houses were huge, small, one roomed buildings. The oldest house that has been finally brought to daylight is dated at 925-900 B.C. The walls of this well-preserved one roomed house (2, 45 x 4m) were all made of sun-dried bricks and the roof of the house was made of reeds.

People started to protect their hometown with thick ramparts made of sun-dried bricks. From now on İzmir achieved an identity of city-state. A man called Baseleus was most probably in charge of the city. Migrants and bigwigs constituted the noble class. The population living inside the city walls were approximately a thousand people. The public of city-state was living in near-by villages. The fields, olive trees, wine yards, and the workshops of potters and stonecutters of ancient İzmir were all located in those villages. People made their living on agriculture and fishing.

The richness of the city impressed the Lydians and caused them to battle with İzmir. Lydian army captured the city in 610-600 B.C and they fired and destroyed İzmir. However, the people managed to re-build their city again.

The fall of Ancient İzmir is the result of the Persian invasion. Persian emperor required the towns of Aegean coast to prop himself against Lydians while their army was going forward in Anatolia. In order to punish the towns, which refuse to support him, the Persian Emperor attacked İzmir with the other towns after conquering Sardis, the capital of Lydia. As a result of the attacks of Persian army, İzmir was destroyed in 545 B.C. After this great destruction, no city type settlement was observed in Bayraklı.

Alexander the Great defeated Darius in Issus in 333 B.C. and captured the whole East. The cities witnessed a great increase in population. During this period, Alexandria, Rhodes, Pergamon, and Ephesus reached a population over 100.000. A few thousand people could live in the city walls of ancient İzmir founded on a small hill. Therefore, a new larger city was established on the skirts of Kadifekale in 300 B.C.

Becoming a Roman territory in 133 B.C., İzmir started to live a golden period for the second time. Due to the importance that the city achieved, the Roman Emperors who came to Anatolia also visited İzmir. Emperor Hadrianus also visited İzmir in his journey in 121-125 AD.

After the Roman Empire had been separated, İzmir became a territory of the East Roman Empire known as Byzantium. İzmir had become a religious center since the early times of Byzantines. However, the city did not display much progress. Although the Hun Emperor Attilla took the control of the city, this sovereignty could not last long and the city was taken back by the Byzantines.

Turks first captured İzmir under the command of Kutalmışoğlu Süleyman Şah in 1076. Çakabey conquered Klazomenai, Foça, Chios, Samos and İstankoy Islands. After the death of Çakabey, the town and its vicinity was conquered by the Byzantines in 1098. İzmir was captured by the Knights of Rhodes when Istanbul was conquered by crusaders.

Smyrna became a Turkish land when the Turkish sailor Umur Bey took the city back from Catholic Knights in 1320. During the period of principalities, some part of the city and its surroundings was taken under the sovereignty of both Aydınogulları and Saruhanogulları Principalities.

Murat II occupied İzmir in 1422 and İzmir became an Ottoman territory. After some privileges were given to foreigners in 1620, İzmir became one of the most important trade centers of Ottomans. Consulates of foreign countries increased because of the capitulations given to Europe by the Ottomans. It is known that these consulates dealt with trade. Each consulate had its own quay and their ships were anchoring there. The fire İzmir witnessed after the devastating earthquake happened in 1688, demolished the whole city. However, after the fire and the earthquake the city was rapidly reconstructed. In 18th and 19th centuries, İzmir became popular among the French, English, Dutch and Italian merchants. Being a multinational trade center in Ottoman Empire, İzmir was occupied by Greek Army on 15 May 1919 . This occupation came to an end on September 9, 1922. However, on September 13, İzmir could not escape from experiencing probably the greatest disaster of its history. The fire, which started in Basmane Quarter, destroyed more than 20.000 buildings in an area of 2.600.000 m². This fire unfortunately destroyed ¾ of the city. However, the city rose again like a Phoenix from its ashes after the proclamation of the Turkish Republic in 1923.

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i used to live in Izmir for 2yrs thats why maybe,that city is very special for me with precious memories.