Miletus Ancient City

Theatre, Miletus Ancient City

It is located in Didim district of Aydın Province of Turkey. It is approximately 130 km and 1,5 hours away from Adnan Menderes Airport in İzmir Province of Turkey, one of the twelve Ionians States on Aegean Sea Coast of Western Anatolia and one of the strongest in the ionian States. Carians and Lelegians people lived here before the Greek peoples settled in Miletus. Hittites called it as Millawanda. Miletus was a very advanced city state in maritime. They set up colonies close to a hundred from Egypt to the Black Sea.

It was on the seaside when it was first founded. But, today, it is 10 km away from the sea shore, as a result of filling the sea of the great meander river. Because of Miletus's being away from the sea, the city lost his former splendor, over time his population gradually decreased, eventually the city became a village.

Thales, Hippodamus, Hecataeus, Anaximander and Anaximenes are famous people who grew up in the city. The famous mathematician Thales has laid the foundations of scientific work, suggesting that nature itself should be sought instead of searching for the cause of every event in mythological beings. Thales and his students are referred to as the "school of physicists" in the history of science. Hippodomus is one of the first city planners in history. He has systematized the grid-type city planning, which allows the city-forming structures to be placed on the intersecting streets

The Fauistina (name of Marcus Aurelius's wife) Baths, one of the largest Roman baths in Anatolia, Ionic Stoa and its theatre are worth seeing. The Miletus Archaeological Museum is located a few hundred meters from the ancient city. In addition to the arifacts inside museum, I also recommend you to see the artifacts in the museum garden. The ancient cities of Myus and Priene are the neighboring cities of Miletus. You can also visit them without too much time for transportation.

Miletus has a oracle center like Delphi and Claros, its name is Didymeion which dedicated to Apollo. Temple of Apollo wahich called as Didymeion is 20 km away from Miletus Ancient City, in the center of Didim District of Aydın Province. It is known that the construction of this temple was not completed. If it had been completed, it could be evaluated as one of the seven wonders of the world.

Priene Ancient City

Temple of Athena, Priene Ancient City

Priene Ancient City is located in Söke District of Aydın Province of Turkey. The City is one of the twelve Ionian city states established on the coast of the aegean sea in western Anatolia. Güllübahçe is modern name of here. Priene is approximately 103 km and 1 hour-20 minutes away from Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir. Bias, one of the Seven Sages of antiquity, grew up here.

Despite being a sea-front city in the past, it is today a large plain viewing area as a result of the alluviums brought by the Meander river. According to Eflatun, the city is the city where the moonlight shines most beautifully. (Of course, when the view of the sea is not the view of the plain.)

Priene, one of the world's first known grid-planned (hippodamos) city. It is the most beautiful example of old city planning. The city was built with the grid system developed by the architect of Miletus hippodamos.The streets of the city, which is generally 3.5 meters wide, have stairs because of the slope of the grounds. All the streets cut each other upright.

Priene is a member of the Ion union of 12 cities.The place chosen for the Panionion (the community in which the 12 Ionian government decisions are taken) is located in the territory of Priene. This has given them political power. Since the Samos claim their rights on the coastal belt that this state has established, they have been in dispute with the Samos for centuries. 

The construction of today's city began with the meander river filling the settlement with alluvium. The construction of this new city came upon Alexander's arrival. He has paid the expenses of the Temple of Athena of Alexandria, and he has the right to dedicate himself. The architect of the Priene Athene Temple is Pythius, who designed the Halicarnassus Mozeles, one of the seven wonders of the world.

Multiple periods have been experienced in this city. It hosts the Byzantine Church, the Temple of Athena and a synagogue. The well preserved 5000-seat theater, water canals, fortification walls, agora, gymnasionu, 5-column standing athena temple, roman bath complex, parliament building, Alexander House and great Meander river delta view are worth seeing.

Teos Ancient City

Bouleuterion(Council House), Teos.

To Arrive Teos

Teos Ancient City is located in İzmir Province of Turkey. Teos Antique City is one of the twelve Ionian city states established on the coast of the aegean sea in western Anatolia. Sığacık is modern name of here.

The city is located in Sığacık neighbourhood of Seferihisar district of İzmir province. The town of Seferihisar is approximately 47 km away from İzmir city center and 1 hour away. Teos Antique City is approximately 63 km and 1 hour away from Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir. You can reach Seferihisar from İzmir by public transports (no: 985 ESHOT-Seferihisar&Üçkuyular Port) and private dolmushes. 

When you get to the center of Seferihisar district, you have to travel about 8 km to go to the ancient city of Teos. There are public transports (no:640 ESHOT-Sığacık&Seferihisar) and private dolmushes in Seferihisar town center for reach Teos. The entrance fee to the ancient city of Teos is 5 Turkish Liras. 

Buildings in Teos

Theater, Cistern, Acropolis, Temple of Dionysus(Ruins), Bouleuterion(Council House) and Southern Port of the ancient city are worth seeing. It is Council House that must be seen in them. From the city's acropolis you can see both the north and south ports of the city.

Theatre

Its theater has a wonderful sea landscape. There is an island on scenery. It is located on a hill. The view of phosphorescence would be very nice here on the full moon. It's scene is well-preserved but seating part has lost most of pieces. Dionysus is god of wine and theatre, so there should had been losts of entartainments about Dionysus in this theatre.

Dionysus Temple

The Roman writer Vitruvius describes this temple built by architect Hermogenes. It is one of the largest Dionysus Temples in the world. The principal deity of Teos was Dionysus(god of fertility,wine, theatre - Bacchus in Rome) so this temple dedicated to Dionysus.

Persons of Teos

The Asiatic branch of the Artists of Dionysus(Poet, musician, theater and singers) performed here a particular period. Poet Anacreon, philosophers Epicurus and Nausiphanes(Epicurus was for three years a student in the Ionian city of Teos, where his teacher was Nausiphanes), Apellicon(a wealthy Greek book collector who rescued Aristotle's manuscripts), Antimachus, historian Hecataius were born or studied in Teos Ancient City.