To the south of the mouth of the river Büyük Menderes River, which in ancient times was called Meander, are the ruins of one of the once most powerful and wealthy Ionian cities. Miletus Miletus and was founded in the second half of the fourth millennium BC, around 3500 - 3000 years BC Located on the west coast of Anatolia in Turkey, the town was considered an important center of philosophy and science of the time. Herodotus called it the "Pearl of Ionia." Greek scientists have created here a school of philosophy, and scientific work in the city engaged in such great minds like Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes. Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes held here lecture about the world, being, doing astronomy and geometry.

The city is in the north-western part of the peninsula and its natural border was Herakleian Bay, which fell and Meander - the deepest river of Asia Minor, which flows into the Aegean Sea. With spurs Carian Mountains peninsula bordered on the east. In the south of the bay bathed policy Mendel, and bordered on the west by the Aegean Sea. In the area of ​​small valleys alternated with mountainous plateaus and ravines flowing rivers that irrigate the fields and pastures. With this abundance of mountain springs inhabitants policy successfully engaged in agriculture, horticulture and viticulture.

Since the city had found Linear texts and fragments of frescoes of Minoan style, it is considered that the first settlements appeared here in the Neolithic period. According to legend, the city was founded by a hero named Miletus, who moved here from Crete. At the same time as Miletusom were founded or settled and eleven other Ionian cities, as well as 12 Eolii policies. Along with these Polis was a so-called Panioniysky religious alliance, which was formed about 700 BC, and was named head of the union.

The hotel location in the city were developed trade and navigation. Merchant ships Miletus crossed the entire Mediterranean, and often went to Pontus Euxine (Black Sea), to the mouth of the river Tanais (Don). On the banks of Ponta Miletus during its heyday possessed 80-90 colonies. Miletus was even a colony in ancient Egypt.

The policy was divided into external and internal parts. The last of them had special strength, both sides of which were surrounded by a wall. The city had four harbor protected from the sea Tragasayskimi islands.

Miletus repeatedly had to defend its independence. He fought against the Lydian kings and Persian rulers. The fourth century BC was the period of the highest development of science and culture policy. Tirana city in this period to maintain friendly relations with the Persian kings. But in 494 BC the city was captured and destroyed by the Persians. Soon the Greeks settled here again. Brilliant heyday Miletus falls on the Roman era, but in Byzantine times, the city fell into disrepair and lost its former importance as a result of flooding of ports. Its importance has decreased dramatically since its second destruction by Alexander the Great. Now, the city stands on the site of the House of poor village and the ancient city of Miletus is a well-preserved ruins.

In the city you can see the well-preserved ruins of the ancient theater, once accommodates 15,000 spectators. This is the most magnificent building of Miletus refers to the Roman period and is located immediately at the entrance of the ticket office. The theater was built in the second century on the foundations of the ancient Greek theater. It is located on the slope of a hill in the city only. The dimensions are impressive buildings: the diameter of its amphitheater is 140 meters and the height is 30 meters.

Above the theater ruins of the Byzantine castle, dating from the VIII century, and fragments of once quite extensive city walls, which enclose a double ring of both parts of the city. It offers a great view of the entire policy.

If you go down to this viewing platform to the city center, the road passes by the Hellenistic tombs, behind which is a small round foundation. In the first century BC, it was a monument in honor of the victory in a sea battle. While he was on the shore of the bay, "Lions Bay", on the banks of which were found stone lions. Located here colonnade led to the temple of Apollo at Delphi, the patron saint of ships, ports and seafarers. This sanctuary was founded in ancient times, but twice undergone reconstruction. In the Hellenistic period the building was renovated in the Doric style, and in the Roman period temple porches have been converted at the Corinthian.

Miletus is well preserved in the famous baths of Faustina, built around 150 AD. They were devoted to extravagant wife of Marcus Aurelius, and were a gift of the emperor city. Roman Baths copied, so to speak, the forerunner of the Turkish baths (hamam). Their central courtyard was surrounded by Corinthian columns, and in the gym you can go through apoditerium, undressing room, where there were statues of the Muses (now they are in the Museum of Istanbul). The sculpture, which used to be fountains of the central pool, has been decorated and frigidarium baths. One of them was a local deity Meander, and the other was made in the form of a lion's head.

The most unexpected in the territory of Miletus is the building of a mosque, a sample of the early Turkish-Ottoman architecture, admired by tourists elaborately carved in stone. The mosque was built in the early XV century emir Menteshe Ilyas Bey in gratitude for his safe return from captivity at Tamerlane. This small building is decorated with marble slabs and crowned its elegant dome. The building was one minaret that collapsed during an earthquake in 1958. Previously, when the temple existed caravanserai and madrasa, but now overgrown with grass yard can only be seen standing and lying in disarray tombstones.

Also in Miletus you can see the remaining half of the once huge fountain, partially restored Ionic portico, North Agora (market square). To the west of it are the ruins of the temple of Serapio, dated III century.

Most of the other buildings of the Hellenistic and Roman era, hidden behind dense thickets of thorns, or underground. The best time visit Miletus - spring, when the ruins surrounded by fresh herbs and flowers. Interesting is the fact that the name of the ancient Milesians became a proverb, and was used to refer to a happy and successful people, so to speak, "favorites of happiness."