Assos - Behramkale / Canakkale
It is an ancient city located in Behramkale Village, approximately 17 km south of Ayvacık district of Çanakkale. It was established on the summit and slopes of a volcanic hill at the southern end of the region called Troas in ancient times, opposite the island of Lesbos. The region, which has been under the rule of Lydia, Persia, Pergamon, Roman throughout history, was abandoned in the Middle Ages.
It is not known who the first settlers in the city of Assos were, but it is understood from the archaeological data that the city has been inhabited continuously since the Bronze Age. The region developed and prospered by being inhabited by the Aeolian colonies coming from Lesbos Island (Lesbos) in the 7th century BC. In the 6th century BC, the Kingdom of Lydia wanted to gain political power over the Hellenic cities on the coast, and as a result, Assos came under the rule of the Lydian Kingdom in 560 BC. Persian domination began as a result of the Persians ending the Lydian rule in 546 BC. There was no change in the tax system during this period. The tax collectors were Hellenic rulers rather than Persians. During the establishment of the Athenian city union, which was established under the leadership of the Athenian State against Persian domination in the 5th century BC, Assos remained among the founding members in return for a payment of 1 talent per year.
The Persians had begun to leave the Asian shores of the Aegean after their defeats. However, in time, the Persians returned to the Anatolian shores again; Immediately after the signing of the King's Peace (387 BC), which forced the inhabitants of the western Anatolian coasts back into Persian domination, a merchant named Eubolos declared himself the king of the cities of Assos and Atarneus. After his death, Hermesisas, one of his servants, took over the government. Having studied at Plato's school in his youth, Hermesias invited his philosopher friends, especially Aristotle, to Assos. Aristotle married Hermesias' nephew Phtias and lived in Assos for three years. He founded a school of philosophy in Assos in 347 BC and studied life sciences. King Hermesias lost his independence in 345 BC; He was captured by the Persian commander, Memnon of Rhodes, and crucified in Persepolis, and Persian domination began again in the city. Aristotle, who left Assos in 344 BC; Macedonian King II. He went to Pella to raise Philip's son Alexander. Persian domination in the region ended with the victory of Alexander the Great in the Battle of Granikos in 334 BC. Assos was occupied by the Galatians after the death of Alexander the Great. In 241 BC, it came under the rule of the Pergamon Kingdom. King III in 133 BC. With the will of Attolos, the Kingdom of Pergamon passed to Rome, and the city of Assos came under Roman rule. The city flourished during the Roman rule. During this period, it became famous for the productivity of its agricultural lands. Assos, who deified Roman emperor Augustus and his wife Livia, as well as the cults of Athena Polias, Zeus Soter and Asklepios in the early imperial period, accepted Christianity with the influence of the visit of St. Paul and St. Luke to the city after the birth of Christianity. In 381 - 390 AD, in line with the influence of Christianity and the orders of the empire, many temples were closed and destroyed, their stones were used in the construction of churches and residences; In addition, all marble material was burned in the lime pit near the agora to provide the necessary lime for mortar production. The Assos Athena Temple and the altar of the temple were also destroyed at this time. After the middle of the 3rd century AD, the city lost its importance. The settlement in the city, which became the center of the bishopric in the 5th century AD, ended after the 7th century.
Latins, Franks, Seljuks and Ottoman Turks attacked the acropolis many times. Assos, which became a bishopric center during the Byzantine Period, came under the rule of the Seljuk Dynasty in 1080, but after 17 years of domination, the Monk Pierre, one of the commanders of the Crusader army, drove the Turks away from the region, and the Byzantine domination continued here until 1330.
Assos, which was in the territory of the Karesi Principality in the 14th century, was sold to Sultan Murat I in 1359, together with the entire Çanakkale region, and became a part of the Ottoman lands.
It is not known who the first settlers in the city of Assos were, but it is understood from the archaeological data that the city has been inhabited continuously since the Bronze Age. The region developed and prospered by being inhabited by the Aeolian colonies coming from Lesbos Island (Lesbos) in the 7th century BC. In the 6th century BC, the Kingdom of Lydia wanted to gain political power over the Hellenic cities on the coast, and as a result, Assos came under the rule of the Lydian Kingdom in 560 BC. Persian domination began as a result of the Persians ending the Lydian rule in 546 BC. There was no change in the tax system during this period. The tax collectors were Hellenic rulers rather than Persians. During the establishment of the Athenian city union, which was established under the leadership of the Athenian State against Persian domination in the 5th century BC, Assos remained among the founding members in return for a payment of 1 talent per year.
The Persians had begun to leave the Asian shores of the Aegean after their defeats. However, in time, the Persians returned to the Anatolian shores again; Immediately after the signing of the King's Peace (387 BC), which forced the inhabitants of the western Anatolian coasts back into Persian domination, a merchant named Eubolos declared himself the king of the cities of Assos and Atarneus. After his death, Hermesisas, one of his servants, took over the government. Having studied at Plato's school in his youth, Hermesias invited his philosopher friends, especially Aristotle, to Assos. Aristotle married Hermesias' nephew Phtias and lived in Assos for three years. He founded a school of philosophy in Assos in 347 BC and studied life sciences. King Hermesias lost his independence in 345 BC; He was captured by the Persian commander, Memnon of Rhodes, and crucified in Persepolis, and Persian domination began again in the city. Aristotle, who left Assos in 344 BC; Macedonian King II. He went to Pella to raise Philip's son Alexander. Persian domination in the region ended with the victory of Alexander the Great in the Battle of Granikos in 334 BC. Assos was occupied by the Galatians after the death of Alexander the Great. In 241 BC, it came under the rule of the Pergamon Kingdom. King III in 133 BC. With the will of Attolos, the Kingdom of Pergamon passed to Rome, and the city of Assos came under Roman rule. The city flourished during the Roman rule. During this period, it became famous for the productivity of its agricultural lands. Assos, who deified Roman emperor Augustus and his wife Livia, as well as the cults of Athena Polias, Zeus Soter and Asklepios in the early imperial period, accepted Christianity with the influence of the visit of St. Paul and St. Luke to the city after the birth of Christianity. In 381 - 390 AD, in line with the influence of Christianity and the orders of the empire, many temples were closed and destroyed, their stones were used in the construction of churches and residences; In addition, all marble material was burned in the lime pit near the agora to provide the necessary lime for mortar production. The Assos Athena Temple and the altar of the temple were also destroyed at this time. After the middle of the 3rd century AD, the city lost its importance. The settlement in the city, which became the center of the bishopric in the 5th century AD, ended after the 7th century.
Latins, Franks, Seljuks and Ottoman Turks attacked the acropolis many times. Assos, which became a bishopric center during the Byzantine Period, came under the rule of the Seljuk Dynasty in 1080, but after 17 years of domination, the Monk Pierre, one of the commanders of the Crusader army, drove the Turks away from the region, and the Byzantine domination continued here until 1330.
Assos, which was in the territory of the Karesi Principality in the 14th century, was sold to Sultan Murat I in 1359, together with the entire Çanakkale region, and became a part of the Ottoman lands.
