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(More complete ancient history is at Smyrna.)
The original city was established in the third millennium BC (at present day Bayrakli), at which time it shared with Troy the most advanced culture in Anatolia. By 1500 BC it had fallen under the influence of Central Anatolian Hittite Empire. In the first millennium BC Izmir, then known as Smyrna, ranked as one of the most important cities of the Ionian Federation. During this period, one of the city's most brilliant, it is believed that Homer resided here. Lydian conquest of the city around 600 BC, brought this period to an end. Smyrna remained little more than a village throughout the Lydian and subsequent sixth century BC Persian rule. In the fourth century BC a new city was built on the slopes of Mt. Pagos (Kadifekale) during the reign of Alexander the Greatbust of Alexander the Great Alexander III (late July, 356 BC June 10, 323 BC), King of Macedon ( 336 BC-323 BC), known as Alexander the Great was one of the most successful military commanders of the ancient world. Following the unification of the multipl. Smyrna's RomanRoman or Romans has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens but also applicable to typography math and a commune''. Roman The noun Roman means a citizen of Rome. The adjective Roman means pertaining or related to Rome. The name Romans in period, beginning in the first century BC, was its second great era. Byzantine rule followed in the fourth century and lasted until the SeljukThe Seljuk Turks ( Turkish: Selcuk Arabic: Saljuq al-Saljiqa Persian: Saljuqiyn also Seldjuk Seldjuq Seljuq were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that occupied parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. The S conquest in 11th century. In 1415Events Friedrich I Hohenzollern (b. 20 Sep 1440) becomes Burgrave of Nuremberg March 14 Jan Hus travels to the Council of Constance to propose reforms for the church May 5 the Council of Constance condemns the writings of John Wycliffe and asks Jan Hus to, under Sultan Mehmed ÇelebiMehmed I Celebi (nicknamed Kirisci "the Executioner") (died May 26, 1421) was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire. He was one of the sons of Beyazid I. When Timur Lenk defeated the Ottomans in the Battle of Ankara and captured Beyazid, a civil war broke out in, Smyrna became part of the Ottoman EmpireOsmanlı İmparatorluğu Devlet-i Aliye-i Osmaniye The Ottoman Coat of Arms Imperial motto: unknown The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople) Sovereigns Sultans.
The city earned its fame as one of the most important port-cities of the world during the 17th-19th centuries, while merchants from a variety of origins (especially French, Italian, Dutch, Armenian, Jewish, and Greek) transformed the city into a cosmopolitan portal of trade. During this period, the city was famous for its own brand of music (Smyrneika) as well as its wide range of products it exported to Europe (Smyrna/Sultana grapes, carpets, etc.)
The 5000 year-old city, is one of the oldest cities of the Mediterranean basin. According to the famous Greek historian Herodotus (from Halicarnassus, modern-day Bodrum) the city was first established by the Aeolia ns, but shortly thereafter seized by the Ionians who developed it into one of the world's largest cultural and commercial centers of that period. Smyrna later became known as one of the Seven Churches of Asia, to which the Book of Revelation was sent by John the Apostle.
The city has always been one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, with a large population of Turks, Greeks, Jews, Armenians and Levantines ( Genoese Italians, Venetian Italians and Frenchmen). The current population is dominantly Turkish.