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Izmir, Smyrna in ancient times, was founded in the 10th century B.C. Early inhabitants were Phrygians and Lydians. The period in which the city had reached its peak was between 650-545 B.C . The fall of Ancient Izmir is the result of the Persian invasion. In the 4th century B.C. Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Darius and captured the whole East. After becoming a part of Roman Empire in 133 B.C., Izmir started to live a golden period for the second time. Due to the importance that the city achieved, the Roman Emperors who came to Anatolia also visited Izmir. Emperor Hadrianus also visited Izmir in his journey in 121-125 AD.
After the seperation of Roman Empire, Izmir became a territory of the East Roman Empire, known as Byzantium. İzmir had become a religious center since the early times of Byzantines.
Izmir became a Turkish land in 1320. In 1422 Izmir became an Ottoman territory. In 18th and 19th centuries, Izmir became popular among the French, English, Dutch and Italian merchants. Being a multinational trade center in Ottoman Empire, İzmir was occupied by Greek Army on 15 May 1919 . On September 13, ¾ of Izmir was almost destroyed by a fire.
Izmir has recovered itself soon and became the cultural and economic center of the Aegean Region. The city and its area offers many possibilities for travelers. Some travelers use Izmir as a base to visit such regional sights as ancient Bergema, Efesus, Pamukkale.
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