Toponym There are different accounts related to the historical origin of the Greek-derived name of Menemen (Grk.: Μενεμένη – Menemeni or Μαινεμένη – Mainemeni). The most commonly encountered explanation based on the ancient Greek word mainómenos (μαινόμενος ‘furious, raving, out of one’s mind’), which refers to a Greek Mythology story when Herakles went out of his mind for which Euripides wrote the play Herakles Mainomenos (Grk.: Ἡρακλῆς μαινόμενος). In addition, ‘meneménos’ (μενεμένος) meant ‘flood’ or ‘overflow’. In the absence of modern dams and other means of waterflow control in antiquity, the Hermos River (now Gediz River) used to cause serious and [...]
Archives: Regions
Our CPT for the regions
Kaza of Çeşme
Toponym Çeşme (or Cheshme) is originally a Persian placename since the first settlement 2 km south of the present-day center (Çeşmeköy) was founded by the Seljuk military commander Tzachas and pursued for some time by his brother Yalvaç before an interlude until the 14th century. The name Çeşme means ‘spring, fountain’ in Persian (چشمه) and possibly draws reference from the many Ottoman fountains scattered across the city. Beach of Cesme (source: http://www.levantineheritage.com/cesme.htm) Population The Diocese of Çeşme comprised thirty-one communities with a total of 60,496 Greek Orthodox inhabitants.[1] Until 16 September 1922 Greeks consisted the majority of Çeşme and its environs.[2] Çeşme regained some of [...]
Kaza of Söke / Ανέων – Aneon / Σώκια – Sokia
Toponym Modern Söke is identified with the ancient Greek city of Anaia (Ἄνναια, Ἄναια, Ἀναία) (also referred to as Anea, Anaea, Annaea or Annaia, Aneon, which was named after the Amazon Anaea (Ἀναία). Later, it was also called Sokia (Σώκια). Aneon is also the name of a titular see (Anaea) of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Sokia/Söke: Hotel Priene (source: https://www.eskiturkiye.net/arama/S%C3%B6ke) Greek Orthodox Population Ecclesiastically, the Greek Orthodox population of the kaza of Söke belonged to the Diocese of Aneon (Sokia), numbering eighteen communities and 31,036 Greek Orthodox inhabitants.[1] History Settled for centuries before the Common Era, the region was called Aneon (Grk.: Ανέων) and was [...]
Kaza of Nazilli / Nazli
Toponym Nazilli is a Turkish name that has somehow evolved from the former (also Turkish) name of Pazarköy (market village). According to legend, the son of Aydın‘s governor in the Ottoman period, fell in love with a young woman from Pazarköy but was rejected by the girl’s father. The young man later named the town Nazlı Ili (Nazlı’s Home) after his loved one. The 17th century Ottoman traveller Evliya Çelebi held that the town was named for the capriciousness (‘naz’) of the local women in this wealthy town. Or it could have been the name of a family of Oghuz Turks [...]
Kaza of Aydın / Αϊδίνιο – Aydinio
The city is located at the heart of the lower valley of Büyük Menderes River (ancient Meander River) at a commanding position for the region extending from the uplands of the valley down to the seacoast. Toponym The original Greek name of the ancient city was Tralleis (latinized: Tralles). The name of the province, the sancak and the kaza of Aydın derives from the principality of the Aydınoğulları, who ruled the region before the Ottomans (in Greek: Αϊδίνιο – Aidinio). Aydın is a Turkish male and female given name meaning ‘bright’, ‘clear’ or ‘educated’. The first name also occurs very often as a [...]