Gryneion Ancient City

Gryneion Ancient City

It is on the peninsula on the Aliağa-Yenişakran Road, on the coast of Çandarlı Bay, 1 km before Yenişakran Town. Two long breakwaters thought to protect the harbor and block stones believed to belong to a small tower were unearthed.

The history

The foundation of the city, which is famous for its Apollo temple, is not known exactly. Strabon says that the most famous of the Apollo temples in Western Anatolia is here. Gryneion's name was mentioned for the first time in history as a member of the Athenian Sea Union in the 5th century BC. According to the written sources, Gryneion initially paid 1/6 of his income as a talent to the union. In the following years, this tax was increased to 1/3. Athens, which was defeated by Sparta in the Peloponnesian wars at the end of the 5th century BC, lost its power in Anatolia to the Persians. As a result, Gryneion started paying 50 talents a year to the Persian Satrap. The dominance of the Persians in the region continued until 335 BC. Alexander sent his Macedonian commander Parmeion for preparation and building a bridge before starting his Anatolian expedition. Parmeion captured Gryneion in a sudden raid, destroyed the city and captured its people. Thus, the independence of Gryneion came to an end, and it was attached to Myrina in the Hellenistic period. After that, the name of the city started to be mentioned in history only because of the Apollon sacred area. During the Roman period, the city became dull and became a temple area connected to Myrina. In history, this place started to be remembered with the Temple of Apollo, which is accepted as the place of prophecy.