İzmir: Encyclopedia II - İzmir - From the eighth century BC

İzmir - From the eighth century BC

The most important sacred place of the town was the Temple of Athens. The oldest ruin preserved until today dates back to 725-700 BC

The period in which the city had reached its peak was between 650-545 BC. This period lasted hundred-years and was considered to be the most powerful period of the whole Ionian civilization. Under the leadership of Miletus, colonies were established in Egypt, Syria, west coasts of Lebanon, Marmara region, Black Sea and eastern Greece competed and replaced the place of Greece proper in various fields and subjects. In this period, it is apparent that Smyrna not only dealed with agriculture but also participated in Mediterranean trade.

One of the most important signs of that great period in ancient Smyrna is the spreading of writing out beginning with 650 BC There were many presentation inscriptions in the gifts that were dedicated to goddess Athena. Few people among the public were literate. The temple of Athens found in excavations dated back to 640-580 BC The oldest and the most beautiful capitals have been found in İzmir.

The oldest model of many-roomed-type house of this period was found in ancient Smyrna. Known to be the oldest house having so many rooms under its roof, this house was built in the second half of 7th century BC The house is two-floored and has five rooms with a courtyard. The houses before this type were composed of megarons standing adjacent to each other. Smyrna was built on the Hippodamian system in which streets intersect at right angles even in the second half of 7th century, the streets were lying from north to south, and from east to west directions and the houses all overlooked to the south.

This city plan, which would take the name of Hippodamus later in 5th century B.C., had already been known in Near East. Bayraklı city plan is the earliest model of this type in the West. The oldest parquetry road of Ionian civilization was brought to daylight in ancient Smyrna.

The oldest civil work of Greek architecture in ancient Smyrna is the beautiful stone fountain, built in the first half of 7th century. Standing on Mount Yamanlar, the Tomb of Tantalus is a beautiful sample of the tholos type monumental tombs. The grave room of Tantalus’ tumulus was in the plan of the mentioned fountain, displaying a style called isopata that means the construction has a rectangle plan, covered by vaults made with corbel technique. Known as Tomb of Tantalus this monumental work is thought to be the tomb of Basileus or Tyrant who ruled ancient Smyrna in 580-520 BC

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

The fall of ancient Smyrna is the result of the Persian invasion. The 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 Smyrna with the other towns after conquering Sardis, the capital of Lydia. As a result of the attacks of Persian army, Smyrna was destroyed in 545 BC. After this great destruction, no city type settlement was observed in Bayraklı.

Alexander the Great defeated Darius in Issus in 333 BC 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 Smyrna founded on a small hill. Therefore, a new larger city was established on the skirts of Kadifekale in 300 BC

Becoming a Roman territory in 133 BC, Smyrna 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 Smyrna. Emperor Hadrian also visited Smyrna in his journey in A.D. 121 to 125.

The most important event that Smyrna witnessed in A.D. 178 was the devastating earthquake. Considered to be one of the severest disasters happened in the city, the earthquake razed the town to the ground. The destruction was so big that the support of the Empire for re-building was inevitable. Emperor Marcus Aurelius had such a great contribution in the rebuilding activities that the city was even founded again.

Various works of art are thought to be made in the city during the period of Roman Empire. The streets were completely covered with stones and these stones became dominant in the general view of the city. Among the constructions that were built in Smyrna during the Roman era, few traces remained from the stadium at west and from the theatre in the northwest skirt of Mount Pagos. On the other hand, the Agora of the state is well preserved.

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

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "From the eighth century BC", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki