BAFA LAKE
In ancient times Lake Bafa was open to the sea and was known as the Gulf of
Latmos. On the entrance of the gulf was Miletus in the south and Priene in the
north. Within the gulf was the small Carian city Herakleia. The gulf was an
important place for marble, e.g. the marble for the Apollo Temple in Didyma was
quarried here. With time silt from the Meander River cut the gulf off from the
sea and also silted up the harbours of Miletus and Priene. This brought about
the end of these important Hellenistic cities and also influenced changes in
history. But the silence of the Lake attracted monks who came and built their
monasteries there. From the 9th century AD to the 13th century AD they built
eleven monasteries around the Lake and it became an important place for
Byzantine culture.
EPHESUS
Ephesus has been a major historical destination for explorers and archaeologists for over one hundred years. It is the largest excavated site in Anatolia. It was once the most important commercial centre in Asia.
It was the capital city of the Roman Province of Asia Minor. The Artemesion, or Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was situated in Ephesus. This city, reputed to have been founded by Amazons, was not just a centre of commerce, but played a leading role in both culture and art. Over many centuries Ephesus played an important role in the spreading of different religions. For example the statue of the Ephesian Artemis, now in the museum in Selcuk, is a major symbol of polytheism. The Basilica of St John the Evangelist, also in Ephesus, is a major symbol of Christianity.
Ephesus lost its commercial leadership to Constantinople (Istanbul) after its harbour was silted up by mud carried down by the Meander River. It is now 5 kilometres from the coast.
PRIENE
Priene lies on the southern flank of Mount Samsun 20 km from Söke and looks out over the whole of the Meander Plain. It is one of the most beautiful historical sites of the Aegean and was one of the 12 cities of the ancient Ionic League. Around 450 BC the city was destroyed by the Persians. In 350 BC it was rebuilt in its present situation with the help of Athens. Priene never regained its old magnificence but is the best example of an ancient city which escaped the effects of Romanisation and still reflects the architectural culture of Greece and Anatolia. Priene is the first city in the Western world to have been built on a grid structure and is one of the world's first examples of rational city planning. You can still see the water network passing underneath the perpendicular streets. It also contains the first known system of purification reservoirs for drinking water. On the walls of the gymnasium at the bottom of the city you can see the incised names of various students, which proves that graffiti is not by any means a modern invention!
MILETUS
The foundations of modern science were established between 600 BC - 450 BC in Miletus. Thales, who measured the duration of a solar eclipse, Anaximenes and Anaximendros, who theorized about the nature of existence and Hypodames the first city planner, all were inhabitants of Miletus. The city is still a very interesting cultural site having once been the foremost scientific and cultural centre of its time. It was a colonial city but subsequently sent out up to ninety colonies of its own (mostly on the Black Sea coasts, Trabzon, Sinop etc.). It kept its power right up to the Persian invasion.
The ruins that we now see are mostly from Roman times. The ancient theatres with capacities for 15,000 people, the largest Roman Baths in Anatolia and the very big bazaar are proof of the magnificence that once was Miletus.
