Izmir often spelled Izmir in English, is a metropolitan city in the western extremity of Anatolia. It is the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara, and the second-largest urban agglomeration on the Aegean Sea after Athens, Greece.
İzmir’s metropolitan area extends along the outlying waters of the Gulf of İzmir and inland to the north across the Gediz River delta; to the east along an alluvial plain created by several small streams; and to slightly more rugged terrain in the south.
How is Izmir city?
Izmir is the third-largest city in Turkey with a population of around 4 million, the second biggest port after Istanbul, and a very good transport hub. The fact that almost half of its population of 4 million are under the age of 30, makes İzmir a city full of life. The city hosts tens of thousands of university students, educates scientists, artists, business leaders, and academics. It is a rapidly growing city on the Central Aegean coast of Turkey.
Izmir which country?
Located in the west of Turkey and on the Aegean shores, İzmir, the pearl of the Aegean, is the third-largest city in Turkey.
The ancient name of the village of Ildırı, located 20 km northeast of Çeşme, is Erythrai. It is believed that Erythrai is used in the meaning of “Red City” because of the red color of the city soil derived from Erythros which means “Red” in Greek. According to another assumption, the city got its name from Erythro, the son of Rhadamanthus, the first founder of Cretan.
Findings uncovered in the city showed that there has been a settlement in this region since the Early Bronze Age. During the Second Colonization period, the city was under the control of Knops, a descendant of the king of Athens, Kadros. The city, which was originally ruled by the kingdom, was ruled by the Vasileus, who were the descendants of the king but chosen by the people. The Panionion, founded by the Ionian cities, joined the religious and political union. The city experienced a short-term tyranny period with Payhagoras and gained importance with the millstones it produced and sold during this period. Erythrai fell into the hands of Lydia and then Persians. The city, which participated in the uprising like the other Ion cities against the Persian yoke, gained its independence in 334 BC together with all the Ion cities. Erythrai, which changed many hands as a result of the turmoil that emerged after the death of Alexander, passed into the hands of the Kingdom of Pergamon (Bergama). In 133 BC, it gained a free city status within the Roman Empire. During this period, wine, goats, millstones, and female prophets became famous with Sibyl and Herophile. The region, which was destroyed by earthquakes, wars, and Roman commanders in the 1st century BC, lost its importance in the Byzantine period. After entering Turkish domination in 1366, the region, which took different names such as Erythre, Rhtyrai, Lythri; After the 16th century, it started to be called Ilderen and Ildırı.
Professor in the city between 1963-1966. Hakkı Gültekin and later Prof. Excavations were carried out by Ekrem Akurgal. The ancient theater on the northern slopes of the Acropolis, which was thought to have been built first in the 3rd century BC, was removed from the ground. In the researches carried out on the highest plain of the acropolis, the remains of the Athena temple were found. It was understood that the city was surrounded by a 5 km long wall. The theater was partially exposed. In the researches, figures from the 6th and 7th century BC pottery, pottery, stone, and earth were found in the acropolis.