Olive oil production workshop at Klazomenai

Map of Aegean side of Anatolia showing the location of Klazomenai

Klazomenai (also spelled Clazomenae, Greek: Κλαζομεναί, modern-day Kilizman near İzmir in Turkey) was an ancient Greek city of Ionia and a member of the Ionian Dodecapolis (Confederation of Twelve Cities), it was one of the first cities to issue silver coinage. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly İzmir, historically Smyrna, is the third most populous city of Turkey and the country's largest port after İstanbul. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this The Ionian League ( Ancient Greek, Iōnes, koinon Iōnōn, koinē sunodos Iōnōn Latin commune consilium; also called

Location

Located on the western coast of Anatolia, on the Gulf of İzmir,Turkey, about 20 miles west of that city. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The Gulf of İzmir (İzmir Körfezi formerly known as the Gulf of Smyrna, is an inlet of the Aegean Sea. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The city was originally located on the mainland, but probably during the early fifth-century Ionian Revolt from the Persians it was moved to an island just off the coast, which Alexander the Great eventually connected to the mainland with a causeway. The Ionian Revolts were triggered by the actions of Aristagoras, the Tyrant of the Ionian city of Miletus at the end of the 6th century layout and formatting it should ensure no clashes with the top of the infobox Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ'

Mythology

The principal god of the city was Apollo. According to myth, swans drew the chariot in which Apollo every year flew south from his winter home in the land of the Hyperboreans. In Greek mythology, according to tradition the Hyperboreans were a mythical people who lived far to the north of Thrace. But Klazomenai was also home to large numbers of swans, and it is thought that the verb klazo was used to describe the call of the wild birds. The swan on the obverse is both an attribute of Apollo and a pun on the name Klazomenai.

Ancient Times

Though not in existence before the arrival of the Ionians in Asia, its original founders were largely settlers from Phlius and Cleonae. The Ionians ( Greek:, Iōnes singular) were one of the three populations into which the Ancient Greeks considered the population of Hellenes to have been Phlius was a Greek city in the northwestern Argolid, in the Peloponnese Cleonae or Cleonæ or Kleonai may refer to any of several ancient cities including Archaies Kleones formerly Cleonae in Argolis It stood originally on the isthmus connecting the mainland with the peninsula on which Erythrae stood; but the inhabitants, alarmed by the encroachments of the Persians, removed to one of the small islands of the bay, and there established their city. An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas Erythrae or Erythrai (Ἐρυθραί later Litri, was one of the twelve Ionian cities of Asia Minor, situated 22 km north-east of The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia This island was connected with the mainland by Alexander the Great by means of a pier, the remains of which are still visible. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ'

During the 5th century it was for some time subject to the Athenians, but about the middle of the Peloponnesian War (412 BC) it revolted. The 5th century is the period from 401 to 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in Anno Domini / Common Era. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Events By place Persian Empire The Persians under Darius II see their opportunity to play off one Greek city-state After a brief resistance, however, it again acknowledged the Athenian supremacy, and repelled a Lacedaemonian attack. In 387 BC Klazomenai and other cities in Asia were taken over by Persia, but the city continued to issue its own coins. Events By place Greece Antalcidas, commander of the Spartan navy actively assists Persia against Athens The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia

Under the Romans Clazomenae was included in the province of Asia, and enjoyed an immunity from taxation. The site can still be made out, in the neighbourhood of Vourla, but nearly every portion of its ruins has been removed. It is famous for its painted terracotta sarcophagi, which are the finest monuments of Ionian painting in the 6th century BC. A sarcophagus is a Funeral receptacle for a Corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone It is perhaps today most well-known as the birthplace of the philosopher Anaxagoras, often styled "Anaxagoras of Clazomenae". Anaxagoras ( Greek: Ἀναξαγόρας c 500 BC &ndash 428 BC was a Pre-Socratic Greek philosopher famous for introducing the Cosmological

Trivia

Klazomenai is also where oldest attested olive oil production installations were recently discovered. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees The traces indicate first exports of olive oil by way of sea as well. A local enterprise based in Urla town started producing olive oil following the same methods as in antiquity, which turned out to be quite a success in business terms.

See also

• Urla ; İzmir's district where Klazomenai is located

External links

• Map of Ancient Greece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art showing position of Klazomenai (PDF)