May 22

When Ezmir (Izmir) Was a Sea Port of Iran in The Aegean Sea

In his military campaign in 545 BC, Cyrus the Great put an end to the Lydia government (West Anatolia – Ludia) and thus the whole of Anatolia (present day Turkey) was conquered by Iran. The sea port of Ezmir (Izmir on the Aegean coast) whose inhabitants were Greek speaking was added to the Iranian territory, in this year. This whole area was a part of Iranian territory until 333 BC and was governed by Iranian Satraps. Alexander of Macedonia conquered these areas after his two conquests over Iran in the battles of Granicus and Issus. After wiping out the Seleucids (Alexander,s successors) these areas again became Iranian land. Later, after conquering Greece, the Romans became neighbors with Iran till the end of the Sassanid era, for more than 8 centuries, Ezmir and the coastal areas of Anatolia changed hands between Iran and Rome, and were the battlefield and political campaign of these two then superpowers.     The Greek would call Ezmir, which has now 2,600,000 population (making 4 million with its suburbs), Samurina, the Romans called it Samirina and other Europeans copied the Romans and called it Esmirna, and then the Ottomans pronounced it Ezmir. But the western world would still call it Esmirna, until 28 March 1930, when the Post Office of the Republic of Turkey requested the Europeans and Americans to call it Ezmir, in order to assure that the mail parcels and envelopes are distributed. Ezmir (Izmir) is the second largest sea port of the Republic of Turkey.          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour