20 Thematics in History and Philology of Ancient Byzantine and Modern Hellas

The Hellenes (Greeks) lived in Asia Minor, in their historical homeland, since antiquity, where the ancient hellenic cities flourished until the Hellenistic years. Much later, Asia Minor was conquered by Turkic tribes who moved there from Central Asia. The Greeks remained in these territories until the beginning of the 20th century, when the Kemalists seized power of the Ottoman state. The Seven Churches, the Seven Lamps of Hellenic-Christian culture, were extinguished. From Aeolia to Lycia and Cilicia, from Bithynia to Paphlagonia and Cappadocia, and from Caria and Ionia to Lydia, Mysia, Pisidia and Pamphilia, the Hellenic element was culturally dominant, except for some periods until the Roman conquest, when the Hittites first and then the Persians subdued by force of arms and numerical superiority the flourishing Hellenic cities and towns of Asia Minor. Ionia was a fertile land. Her ports teemed with life. The need to import raw materials prompted its inhabitants to establish colonies, mainly on the Black Sea coast. The Ionians attached great value and importance to social life. This is evident in the architectural creations of their cities..