Milas lies on the lower slopes of Mount Sodra, from whose
quarries came the marble which adorns so many ancient cities in southwest
Turkey.This region between the Buyuk Menderes (the ancient
Meander) and the Dalaman rivers was controlled by the
Carians.
They were succeeded by the Persians, Macedonians
and Seleucids before becoming part of the Roman Empire. Milas was a bishopric under
the Byzantines until
the city became capital of the Turkish Menteşe, principality at the end of the |
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13th century.
Its proud and dignified aspect today is hardly surprising after such an illustrious
past.
Mylasa was a city of temples, many dedicated to Zeus,
who was
patron deity of the Carians and known by numerous different epithets.
So in antiquity the city was a place of pilgrimage.
In his book on Caria, George Bean relates how the harpist Stratonicus
who was famous for his wit here, and as he was about to begin was
so by the multitude of temples that instead of the usual introductory
phrase "Give ear to the people" declared "Give ear
to the temples".
Today, sadly, they cannot make their voices heard.
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