Smyrna Ancient City Legend has it that the ancient city of Smyrna was founded in the 3rd millennium B.C. by the Amazons, legendary female warriors. It was located at present-day Bayraklı and fell under the influence of the Hittite Empire by 1500 B.C. During the first millennium B.C., Smyrna was one of the most prominent cities in the Ionian Federation. Homer, the Poet, is believed to have resided here and used Smyrna as inspiration for writing The Odyssey. However, Smyrna's power weakened under Lydian conquest in 600 B.C., leading to the rise of new rulers during the Lydian period (560-380 BC). In the 4th century BC, during the reign of Alexander the Great, a new city was built on the slopes of Mt. Pagos. According to legend, Alexander had a dream about the goddess Nemesis, who ordered him to rebuild the City of Smyrna. This led to the construction of a new and prosperous city that would play a significant role in ancient history. After Alexander the Great's death in 332 BC, Smyrna came under the rule of the Roman and Byzantine empires. In 1413, it was captured by the Turks and subsequently ruled by various leaders such as Emir Çaka Bey, Aydınoğlu Umur Bey, and the Seljuks until it was finally conquered by Mehmet II of the Ottomans in 1459. One of the must-visit sites in Smyrna is the Agora, which is one of the largest agoras in the region measuring 129 meters by 83 meters. While the wider region has several other ancient structures such as stadiums and theaters, many of them are currently under slums due to housing issues. The ancient theater, with a seating capacity of 20 thousand people, is believed to be among the largest in the world. The stadium has also been discovered, but it cannot be excavated yet as it has not been expropriated. Artifacts taken from the Agora are currently on display at the Izmir Archeology Museum and Art Museum. Smyrna was also an important site for early Christianity. According to the book of Acts 19:10, it is believed that the church's foundation occurred during Paulus's third missionary journey, and it was also one of the cities where John the Apostle sent a letter in Revelation.