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Priene |
Like Miletos,
Priene was one of the twelve cities of the
Pan-Ionian League and also like Miletos, its
geography changed over the years. The ancient
city (population 5,000) was situated just at the
point where the where the Maiandros River ran
onto the Aegean. Mykale (Samson), on the slopes
of the mountain to the south would have been the
other point of reference. Now we would say that
Priene is in the province of Aydin, 15
kilometres (24 miles) from the district capital
Söke, and near the village of Gullubahce. The
name "Priene" comes from the ancient Luwi tongue
and is a combination of the words "pura" or
"pira" and "wana" or "ana" which define the
early settlement as "a fortified habitation". In
his work "Geography", Strabon recounts the
founding of Priene, naming Aipytos, the son of
Neleus. He also speaks of Philotos and his small
band of settlers who later came from Thebes. The
first city was probably a peninsula with two
harbours but there is little factual knowledge
of these early days. In 495 BC the citizens of
Priene participated in the Battle Lade with
their contribution of 12 warships. The result
was that their city was also raised to the
ground by the Persians. In 359 BC Priene was
rebuilt on its present site which in those days
was nearer the sea. It had a port called
Naulochos. Help for the task for rebuilding the
city was provided by Athens thought Priene was
never to the forefront of the political life of
the times. Bias, considered to be one of world's
seven most important philosophers, traditionally
thought to have lived in Priene at around 600
BC. Plutarch tells the story of how the King of
Egypt consulted the great thinker as to which
evil should be removed from an unhappy man in
order that he should be cured of his misery.
"His tongue," was the reply. Bias was aslo
famous as a judge. Priene is best known for
being the oldest and finest example of the
Hippodamian system of town planning which was
based on a grid system with streets intersecting
at right angles. The original plan is still
clear today. Priene was a city of which to be
proud, as was known as "The Pompei of Anatolia".
In the Hellenistic Period Priene was governed
from Athens and later came under the rule of the
Kings of Bergama before the time of the Roman
Period and administration from Prome which began
in the 2nd century AD. The Bishop's Church which
is near the Theatre is evidence that the city
continued to develop into the Byzantine Period.
During the Roman period the Maiandros River
began to silt up its estuary and gradually
Priene found itself in the middle of a swamp
which proved a perfect breeding ground for
mosquitos. Malaria struck in epidemic
proportions and people moved elsewhere to try to
escape the disease. By around 1400 the city had
been completely abandoned. And yet today when
you wander among the ruins of Priene it is easy
to see the streets as they once were and even to
hear shouts and laughter and the cries of the
children whose voices linger on.
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