09.09.2021
Did you know that İzmir, which has witnessed many important events throughout history, established colonies called "Seven Churches," some of which were "Velia" in Italy, "Ampurias" in Spain, and "Marseille" in France; that the famous philosopher Heraclitus (540-480 BC), who said "You cannot step into the same river twice," meaning everything changes, lived in Ephesus; that the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was in Ephesus; that Queen Cleopatra of Egypt spent the winter of 188 in Ephesus with Antony; and that French writers and poets such as Lamartine, Chateubriand, Theophile Gautier, and Gustave Flaubert visited İzmir?
Izmir, believed to have a history dating back 5,000 years, is said to have taken its name from Smyrna, the daughter of King Kinyras of Cyprus, according to Homer's epics. In 2003, it was identified as Yeşilova. According to information obtained from excavations started in 2005 in collaboration with the Izmir Archaeology Museum, Yeşilova Mound is understood to be Izmir's first prehistoric settlement. Located in the middle of the Bornova Plain, the first settlement at Yeşilova Mound began 8,500 years ago in the Neolithic Age. This period is when Izmir's first society, in its simplest form, descended from caves and rock shelters in the mountains to the plains, settled down as a community, and lived peacefully by engaging in agriculture and animal husbandry.
The Importance of Yeşilova Mound for the History of Western Anatolia
Yeşilova Mound is home to archaeological findings that show that the known history of Izmir extends back 8,500 years. Surrounded by mountains and hills, Yeşilova Mound, located in a fertile plain, covered an area of 70,000 square meters. Providing information about the lifestyle and traditions of the first community in the geography of İzmir, Yeşilova Mound also added new insights to what was previously known about Western Anatolian settlements. Thanks to excavations in this area, we know that the inhabitants of Yeşilova Mound, who lived in peace and without war, ate mussels and snails and heated their food on stones. The panther reliefs on the vessels also provide information about the wildlife around İzmir.
*Sea bream bones found during excavations*
The sea bream bones found during the excavations are important in revealing the close relationship between the city's inhabitants and the sea even in those years. In Yeşilova Mound, where houses were positioned separately like a fan, traces of a free community structure are visible. It seems that the genes of the people of İzmir, which value individuality, were also identified in Yeşilova. The region, abandoned due to climate change around 5700 BC, was settled by primitive European communities at the beginning of the Bronze Age.
Activities at Yeşilova Mound
The Yeşilova Mound Visitor Center offers five different visitor plans for its guests. Each visitor is accompanied by experts on the field trip, using interactive presentation techniques differentiated according to age groups.
The Hellenistic Period and İzmir
The period beginning with Alexander the Great's Asian campaign and lasting approximately 300 years is called the "Hellenistic period," and the civilization formed by the fusion of East and West cultures during this period is called "Hellenistic civilization."
Alexander the Great crossed into Anatolia in 334 BC, defeated the Persians, and liberated the Ionian city-states. He traveled through Syria to Egypt and through Iran to India.
Alexander's historical adventures left deep traces in and around İzmir. The ancient city of Bergama and the Asklepion Health Center are just a few examples.
The name Pergamon has been passed down to the present day as Bergama and means "protected fortress."
Galenus of Bergama, considered the greatest physician of antiquity after Hippocrates, received his medical education at the health center (Asklepion) that brought together the most important physicians of that era. Galenus is also credited with giving the medical rules established by Hippocrates their current form.
Keywords: Smyrna name, Yeşilova mound, Hellenistic period, ancient city of Bergama, Asklepion
