Miletus Ancient City Miletus holds a prominent place in the history of Western Anatolia as one of the twelve Ionian cities of Asia Minor. Its ancient ruins, located near the Maeander River about 30 kilometers south of Soke, rank among Turkey’s most fascinating historical sites. The city was the birthplace of famous philosophers and scientists such as Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Hippodamus, and Hecataeus. Excavations conducted by German archaeologists revealed traces of a Mycenaean settlement dating back to around 1500 BC. Among the findings were remnants of defensive walls, residential buildings, and fragments of Minoan pottery. The city is mentioned as Millawanda in some Hittite texts. Before the arrival of the Greeks, the area was inhabited by Carians and Lelegians. According to the ancient geographer Strabo, Neleus, the son of Codrus, established the city of Miletus on the Mediterranean coast after migrating from Athens. The indigenous population was forcibly removed, losing their land and possessions. Herodotus reports that the Greek settlers killed all the men and took the women as their wives. The strategic position of Miletus was crucial to its prosperous trade activities. Located close to key cities such as Ephesus and Didyma, it became the richest among the twelve Ionian cities (Ionian League) during the 7th and 6th centuries BC. The Milesians founded around ninety colonies throughout regions including Egypt, the Black Sea, and the Marmara Sea. In the 6th century BC, all coastal Ionian cities in western Anatolia fell under the control of Lydia, except for Miletus. Despite assaults by Gyges, Alyattes, and Croesus, the city successfully resisted these invasions. However, in 546 BC, the Persian army defeated the Lydian king Croesus and captured the Lydian capital, Sardis, under the leadership of Cyrus. The Persians then proceeded to conquer the Ionian city-states one by one. The Ionian League, also called the Panionic League, failed to unite effectively against the invaders. Nonetheless, Miletus signed a treaty with the Persians, securing considerable autonomy and favorable terms. The years between 500 BC and 494 BC witnessed the Ionian cities’ resistance against Persian domination. Unfortunately, this struggle ended disastrously for Miletus. The Persians captured the city, slaughtered most of the male population, and deported the survivors to Susa. During this attack, the temple of Apollo in Didyma was also destroyed by fire. Miletus, once a leading city among the twelve Ionian cities, thrived largely due to its strategic position and its nearness to key settlements like Ephesus and Didyma. It founded colonies reaching as far as Egypt, the Black Sea, and the Marmara Sea, rising to become one of the richest cities in the region during the 7th and 6th centuries BC. Although conquered by Lydia, Miletus successfully resisted attacks from rulers such as Gyges, Alyattes, and Croesus. Ultimately, however, the city succumbed to the Persian army in 546 BC. In the years that followed, like many other Ionian cities, it endured harsh Persian rule. In 494 BC, the Persians exacted brutal retribution, massacring most of the male inhabitants and taking the survivors captive. In 490 BC, the Athenians achieved a significant victory against the Persians at Marathon, followed by further wins at Salamis and Pegae a decade later. To defend against future invasions, the Ionian cities united under Athenian leadership in the formation of the Delian League. Following this period, Miletus was rebuilt and restored to its former glory and prominence. By 334 BC, Miletus was incorporated into the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great, and later, in 133 BC, it became part of the Roman Empire. The Romans bestowed numerous privileges upon the city, including the construction of impressive monuments and buildings. However, by the 4th century AD, sediment accumulation from the River Meander had made sea navigation impossible, causing a decline in both trade and population. Archaeological research has shown that following its destruction by the Persians in 494 BC, Miletus was redesigned using the grid-plan layout pioneered by Hippodamus of Miletus. This urban planning style is also evident in cities such as Priene, Ephesus, and Rhodes. Among the city's ancient constructions is the renowned Greco-Roman Theatre, originating from the 4th century BC. This theatre experienced multiple renovations throughout the Hellenistic and Roman eras, expanding its seating capacity from 5,000 to 15,000. The cavea and orchestra were repeatedly modified, especially to host gladiator contests. The semi-circular cavea measures approximately 140 meters in diameter, and its vaulted passageways, known as vomitoria, remain well-preserved. Inscriptions found on some of the seats indicate that various Byzantine political factions, including the "Blues" and their goldsmith guild, utilized the theatre. Another prominent edifice in Miletus is the Heroon, a Hellenistic-era mausoleum featuring a central tomb surrounded by a courtyard and multiple rooms oriented to the east and west. The Nymphaeum, a grand fountain built during the Roman period, is also of great importance. Its facade rises three stories high and is richly adorned with colonnades and vaulted niches. At the rear, two basins collected water channeled from an aqueduct located six kilometers away. Some of this water was then distributed across the city through an intricate system of pipes and channels. Several statues from the Nymphaeum are currently exhibited at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and the Pergamum Museum in Berlin. Miletus hosts several important historical buildings, such as the Bouleuterion, constructed by Timarchus and Herakleides in the 2nd century BC during the reign of the Seleucid monarch Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The entrance, marked by a propylon with Corinthian columns, opens into a colonnaded courtyard. At the rear lies the auditorium. The courtyard measures 26 by 24 meters and features a Roman tomb surrounded by a Doric stoa that extends along three sides. With seating for approximately 1,500 people, the Bouleuterion remains one of the key architectural highlights of Miletus. Another notable monument is the Delphinion, the largest and oldest sanctuary in Miletus dedicated to Apollo Delphinius. In antiquity, dolphins symbolized intelligence and a love of music. The Delphinion’s sacred precinct, or temenos, spans 50 by 60 meters and is enclosed by a stoa originally built in the Doric order, later remodeled with Corinthian columns during the Roman era. If you have any questions or need more information about the Miletus Ancient City, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or send us a message on WhatsApp. We will reply as quickly as possible.