The Origin of the Name İzmirThe origin of the name is highly controversial. The name which was pronounced in its Greek form as “Zmirni” during Ottoman times and even during the early years of the Turkish Republic was later transmitted to modern Turkish as “Izmir”. 
TantalusIn ancient times, the names of Smyrna and the legendary king Tantalus were often mentioned together. Even in some periods, Smyrna was labeled as Tantalus Naulokhon (The Harbor of Tantalus). The travelers visiting who visited the city from the Roman times until the Republican periods always thought that the tomb on Yamanlar slopes situated in a position dominating the gulf belonged to Tantalus. 
Hellen MigrationsSmyrna, without doubt, shared the unfortunate and catastrophic destiny of the other neighboring Aegean cities in the 1200s BC which resulted in deserted cities and a general decline in the region’s population. All the cities located on the coast, which were dated to the Bronze Ages, experienced similar sad consequences of the large destruction in the 1200s BC. |
