History of Izmir and Tantalos Mythology
Tantalos, the son of Zeus was the only mortal that can dine with gods. He was so proud that he started to look down on the gods. In order to show the gods as cannibals, he sacrificed his son Pelops and served him in the dinner. However, the gods realized that it was human meat and left the table and sent Tantalos to hell. Tantalos stands in knee-deep clean water, but anytime he bends over to drink, the water is sucked up by the ground.
Whenever he wants to reach the most delicious fruits hanging above him, they rise up. In abundance of food and water, King Tantalos suffered from hunger and thirst since then it is called Tantalos Torture.
The English word ‘tantalize’which means ‘‘desiring something but inability of getting’’ comes from this mythological story.
The richness of the city impressed the Lydians and caused them to battle with Izmir. 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 Izmir 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 Izmir with the other towns after conquering Sardis, the capital of Lydia. As a result of the attacks of Persian army, Izmir 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., Izmir started to live a golden period for the second time. Due to the importance that the city achieved, the Roman Empirors who came to Anatolia also visited Izmir. Emperor Hadrianus also visited Izmir in his journey in 121-125 AD.
The most important event that İzmir witnessed in 178 AD was the devastating earthquake. Considered to be one of the severest disasters happened in the city, the earthquake razed the town to the ground in 178 AD. 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 İzmir 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, Izmir became a territory of the East Roman Empire known as Byzantium. Izmir 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 Izmir under the command of Kutalmısoglu Süleyman Sah in 1076. Cakabey conquered Klazomenai, Foca, Chios, Samos and Istankoy Islands. After the death of Cakabey, the town and its vicinity was conquered by the Byzantines in 1098. Izmir 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 Izmir in 1422 and Izmir became an Ottoman territory. After some privileges were given to foreigners in 1620, Izmir 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 Izmir 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, Izmir became popular among the French, English, Dutch and Italian merchants. Being a multinational trade center in Ottoman Empire, Izmir was occupied by Greek Army on 15 May 1919 . This occupation came to an end on September 9, 1922. However, on September 13, Izmir 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.
Izmir daily tour comprises briefly Roman Agora, Archaeological Museum which houses mosaics, sarcophagi and statues of Hellenistic and Roman periods found in and around Izmir, Mount Pagos locally known as Kadifekale (the old fortress), the historic Elevator and finally a stop at one of the cafes. Izmir tour is normally organised within the itineraries prepared for the antique city Ephesus and its vicinity. map of location
Izmir (smyrna) is a city where can feel the Aegean ambience of a large vibrant city, if not rushed drive up to Kadifekale to see the setting of the city around the huge bay of Izmir, wander in the bazaar, spend some time at the pleasant waterfront cafes or dine at the restaurants in the mild breeze of the Aegean evenings. Izmir is very convenient as base to visit such regional sights as Bergama ( 2hrs), Ephesus (one hr), Kusadasi, Aphrodisias and Pamukkale (Cotton Fortresses). see map Turkey.
Izmir is the provincial capital and the third largest city (estimated 3.8 million 2007 census). It is the westernmost city located on the Aegean Sea in the immediate vicinity of the Gulf of Izmir. Due to its advantages location it serves as the base for the second largest port after Istanbul. The old city Symrna was burnt to ground by a disastrous fire at the war of independence 1922. The new city was built to have modern amenities; boulevards, hotels, cafes and restaurants around the Gulf.
Izmir is easy to reach by air, daily flights from Istanbul ( about one hr) and Ankara, or public transports buses, trains and cruises. Most travelers prefer arriving Izmir from Istanbul (565 km) by road as this gives them the opportunity to see famous antique cities, Troy, Assos and Pergamon.
