Izmir History, Turkey

Today’s city of İzmir is considered to be one of the first few settlements of the Mediterranean basin. The history of İzmir has been discovered to date back to the years of 6500 B.C. Although initially there weren’t any proofs of İzmir being this old in terms of history but recently archeologists from the famous Ege University of İzmir discovered areas called as höyük of Yassıtepe and Yeşilova Höyük both of which are situated in each others proximity.

It was around 1500 B.C. when this region went under the control of Empire of Central Anatolian Hittite. Excavations and researches prove that the Hittites used to rule in many regions which are located around the city of İzmir thus proving the presence of İzmir during those days too. Also the point to note is that during those days this city was called by the name of Smyrna and İzmir is the latest name not a historical name.

Alongside the coastlines of various seas and the gulf region the signs of settlements of Old Smyrna have also been found. Also on the slopes of Yamanlar Mountain the same settlement used to reside. Some excavations prove that settlements in this region and its surroundings date back to as early as 3rd millennium B.C. This was also the time when the region was attached with the Amazon Smyrna ages. The rule of Troy was also during these years itself.

It was the 1200 BC when the Hattusas and Troy VII were taken down and control went into the hands of rulers from the Balkans Dynasty. During those days houses used to be as small as a room and this age was also called as the Iron Age. The oldest of all the houses that has been excavated in this region has been from 900 BC and is made up of bricks (dried in Sun) and reeds for the roof of this house.

Smyrna started to grow economically after Turks took control of this region somewhere in the year of 1076. After the death of Turk ruler the city and its neighboring areas were captured by Byzantine Empire but this never slowed the growth of this city. Various wars did destroy the city of İzmir totally but it was rebuilt again and again. The most recent of this being in the year 1923 once the Turkish Republic had proclaimed the region.

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