Ἰασός or Ἰασσός(in Greek) | |
 The hill with the acropolis, the bouleuterion (center) and a Hellenistic tower (right) near the agora of Iasos. | |
  Iasos Shown within Turkey | |
| Alternative name | Iassos |
|---|---|
| Location | Kıyıkışlacık,Muğla Province, Turkey |
| Region | Caria |
| Coordinates | 37°16′40″N27°35′11″E / 37.27778°N 27.58639°E /37.27778; 27.58639 |
| Type | Settlement |
Iasos orIassos (/ˈaɪəˌsɒs/;Greek:ἸασόςIasós orἸασσόςIassós), also in Latinized formIasus orIassus (/ˈaɪəsəs/), was aGreek city inancient Caria located on the Gulf of Iasos (now called theGulf of Güllük), opposite the modern town ofGüllük, Turkey. It was originally on anisland, but is now connected to the mainland. It is located in theMilas district ofMuğla Province, Turkey, near theAlevi village ofKıyıkışlacık, about 31 km from the center ofMilas.
Ancient historians consider Iasos acolonial foundation ofArgos,[1] but archaeology shows a much longer history. According to the ancient reports, theArgive colonists had sustained severe losses in a war with the nativeCarians, so they invited the son ofNeleus, who had previously foundedMiletus, to come to their assistance. The town appears on that occasion to have received additional settlers.[2] The town, which appears to have occupied the whole of the little island, had only tenstadia in circumference; but it nevertheless acquired great wealth,[3] from its fisheries and trade in fish.[4]
Iasos was a member of theDelian League and was involved in thePeloponnesian War (431–404 BC). After theSicilian expedition of theAthenians, Iasos was attacked by theSpartans and their allies; it was governed at the time by Amorges, aPersian chief, who had revolted fromDarius II. It was taken by the Spartans, who captured Amorges and delivered him up toTissaphernes. The town itself was plundered on that occasion. It became part of theHecatomnidsatrapy in the 4th century and was conquered byAlexander. We afterwards find it besieged byPhilip V, king ofMacedon, who, however, was compelled by theRomans to restore it toPtolemy V of Egypt.[5]
The mountains in the neighbourhood of Iasus furnished a beautiful kind ofmarble, of a blood-red and livid white colour, which was used by the ancients for ornamental purposes.[6] Near the town was a sanctuary ofHestia, with a statue of the goddess, which, though standing in the open air, was believed never to be touched by the rain.[7] The same story is related, by Strabo, of a temple ofArtemis in the same neighbourhood. Iasus, as a celebrated fishing place, is alluded to byAthenaeus.[8] The place is still existing, under the name of Askem or Asýn Kalessi. Chandler (Travels in As. Min. p. 226) relates that the island on which the town was built is now united to the mainland by a small isthmus. Part of the city walls still exist, and are of a regular, solid, and handsome structure. In the side of the rock a theatre with many rows of seats still remains, and several inscriptions and coins have been found there.
It seems to have been abandoned in about the 15th–16th century, in theOttoman period, when a small town was founded nearby named Asin Kale or Asin Kurin, in thesanjak ofMenteşe within thevilayet of İzmir.
Preliminary research was done by the French archaeologistCharles Texier in 1835. A number of ancient Greek inscriptions were removed from the site which were later donated to theBritish Museum by theDuke of St Albans.[9] Since then, Iasos and thenecropolis have been under regular scientific excavations on behalf of theItalian School of Archaeology at Athens byDoro Levi (1960–1972),Clelia Laviosa (1972–1984) andFede Berti (1984–2011). From 2011 till 2013 the Director of Iasos excavations has been Marcello Spanu .
The site of Iasos has been settled continuously since theEarly Bronze Age. In early times, Iasos was influenced by the culture of theCyclades islands.
During the 1970s, archaeological excavations at Iasus revealedMycenean buildings (with two "Minoan" levels underneath them).
"At Iasus, Mycenaean buildings, approximately dated by the presence of LH IIIa ware, have been found below the protogeometric cemetery. Below this again two 'Minoan' levels are reported, the earlier containing local imitations of MM II-LM I ware, the later imported pieces of the Second Palace Period (AJA [1973], 177-8). Middle and Late Minoan ware has also occurred at Cnidus (AJA [1978], 321)."[10]
Other archaeological finds coverGeometric,Hellenistic andRoman periods, through theByzantine period.
Outstanding remains in Iasos include anArtemisstoa andRoman villas.
Four of its bishops are known: Themistius in 421, Flacillus in 451, David in 787, and Gregory in 878 (Michel Le Quien,Oriens ChristianusI:913). The see is mentioned in theNova Tactica, 10th century (Heinrich Gelzer,Georgii Cyprii descriptio orbis romani, nos. 340, 1464), and more recently in theNotitiae Episcopatuum.
Iasus is listed among thetitular sees ofCaria in theAnnuario Pontificio.[11] The titular see has had the following[12][13][14] Bishops:
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