| Aeolis (Αἰολίς) | |
|---|---|
| Ancient region of Anatolia | |
 Ruins of theAgora of Smyrna | |
 Map of western Anatolia with Aeolis shaded | |
| Location | WesternAnatolia,Turkey |
| State existed | 8th-6th centuries BC (asDodecapolis) |
| Language | Aeolic Greek |
| Biggest city | Smyrna (modern-dayİzmir,Turkey) |
| Roman province | Asia |
Aeolis (/ˈiːəlɪs/;Ancient Greek:Αἰολίς,romanized: Aiolís), orAeolia (/iːˈoʊliə/; Ancient Greek:Αἰολία,romanized: Aiolía), was an area that comprised the west and northwestern region ofAsia Minor (modern-dayTurkey), mostly along the coast, and also several offshore islands (particularlyLesbos), where theAeolianGreek city-states were located. Aeolis incorporated the southern parts ofMysia, and is bounded by it to the north,Ionia to the south, andLydia to the east.
Aeolis was an ancient district on the western coast ofAsia Minor. It extended along theAegean Sea from the entrance of theHellespont (now theDardanelles) south to theHermus River (now the Gediz River). It was named for the Aeolians, some of whom migrated there fromGreece before 1000 BC. Aeolis was, however, an ethnological and linguistic enclave rather than a geographical unit. The district often was considered part of the larger northwest region of Mysia.
According toHomer'sOdyssey,Odysseus, after his stay with theCyclopes, reached the floating island ofAeolia, whereAeolus son of Hippotas provided him with the west windZephyrus.[1]
By the 8th century BC the Aeolians' twelve most important cities were independent. They formed a league of twelve cities (aDodecapolis):Cyme (also called Phriconis),Larissa,Neonteichos,Temnos,Cilla,Notion,Aegiroessa,Pitane,Aegae,Myrina,Gryneion, andSmyrna.[2]
The most celebrated of the cities wasSmyrna (modernİzmir, Turkey), but in 699 BC, Smyrna became part of an Ionian confederacy.[citation needed] This league orconfederation, known as theIonian League, also called thePanionic League, was formed at the end of theMeliac War in the mid-7th century BC.[3]
Croesus, king ofLydia (reigned 560–546 BC), conquered the remaining cities.
Later they were held successively by thePersians,Macedonians,Seleucids, and Pergamenes.[4]
Attalus III, the last king ofPergamum, bequeathed Aeolis to theRoman Republic in 133 BC. Shortly afterwards it became part of the Romanprovince of Asia. At the partition of theRoman Empire (395 AD), Aeolis was assigned to the East Roman (Byzantine) empire and remained largely under Byzantine rule until the early 15th century,[citation needed] when theOttoman Turks occupied the area.[5]
Thence we went on to the Aeolian island where lives Aeolus son of Hippotas, dear to the immortal gods. It is an island that floats (as it were) upon the sea, iron bound with a wall that girds it
Media related toAeolis at Wikimedia Commons
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| Bronze Age | |
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| Iron Age | |
| Classical Age | |
