Miletus (Greek: Μίλητος) - one of the most important Ionian cities of Asia Minor, founded by Greek colonists around the 11th century BC on the site of an earlier settlement. Located on the western coast of modern Turkey (Aydın Province), it reached its peak during the Archaic period (7th-6th centuries BC), becoming the region`s largest trade and cultural center.
Miletus was renowned for:
• Being the birthplace of philosophers (Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes)
• Its major seaport with four harbors
• Serving as a center of Greek colonization (founding about 90 colonies in the Black Sea)
Architectural Monuments of Miletus
1. Theater (2nd century BC - 2nd century AD). Capacity of 15,000 spectators - one of the largest in Asia Minor. Roman reconstruction added a three-story stage (30 m high). Surviving elements: 35 rows of seats, parts of the stage, underground passages
2. South Agora (3rd century BC). Main marketplace measuring 164×196 m. Surrounded by two-story stoas (covered colonnades). Remains of the bouleuterion (city council house) preserved in the northern part. The Great Basilica was built on this site during the Byzantine period
3. Baths of Capito (1st century AD). Built by procurator Gnaeus Vergilius Capito. Included all elements of Roman baths: frigidarium, caldarium, palaestra. Surviving elements: fragments of hypocaust system, marble floor slabs
4. Baths of Faustina (2nd century AD). Imperial baths dedicated to Faustina the Elder. Covered 5,000 m² with rich marble decoration. The best-preserved section is the caldarium with its heating system
5. Residential Quarters. Characteristic Hippodamian grid plan (straight streets intersecting at right angles). Mosaic floors discovered in wealthy homes. Water supply and sewage systems
Current State of Miletus Ruins:
• Theater (60% of structure preserved)
• South Agora with ruins of Byzantine Basilica and Nymphaeum
• Baths of Faustina (walls up to 8 m high)
• Delphinion (foundations of Apollo`s temple)
• Byzantine fortress on the hill
One of the most interesting exhibits in the Miletus Museum are historical maps vividly demonstrating the city`s transformation through centuries.
1. Map of Miletus during its peak (5th-2nd centuries BC). This reconstruction shows the city at its height of power. The geometric city plan - Miletus was famous for its Hippodamian grid system (straight streets intersecting at right angles).
2. Map of the Latmian Gulf silting process. Particularly fascinating dynamic map illustrates the silting process:
• Archaic period (7th-6th centuries BC) - the city had direct access to open sea with deep harbors
• Hellenistic era (3rd-1st centuries BC) - initial sand deposition, first signs of silting
• Roman period (1st-4th centuries AD) - harbors gradually shallowed, trade declined
• Byzantine era (5th-13th centuries AD) - the gulf was nearly completely filled by alluvial deposits from the Meander River, depriving the city of its maritime significance
These maps help visitors understand the primary reason for Miletus` decline - the loss of harbors due to geological processes rendered this once-great port city obsolete. The last inhabitants abandoned it in the 15th century when the remnants of the bay disappeared completely.
The museum`s cartographic materials are not just diagrams, but a visual history of the ecological catastrophe that doomed one of antiquity`s most prosperous cities. They perfectly complement the archaeological finds, allowing visitors to trace Miletus` entire decline from maritime power to abandoned ruins.
