The first establishment of the ancient city of Ephesus, which is within the boundaries of the Selçuk District of İzmir Province, dates back to 6000 BC. In recent research and excavations, on the mounds around the Ephesus (prehistoric settlements on hills) and on the Ayasuluk Hill where the castle is located, settlements belonging to the Bronze Ages and the to the Hittites were identified. In the Hittites Period, the name of the city was Apasas. The city of Ephesus, where also the immigrants from Greece came to live in 1050 BC, was moved to the vicinity of the Temple of Artemis in 560 BC.
Ephesus, which is visited today, was founded by Lysimakhos, one of the generals of Alexander the Great in 300 BC. Living its most glorious times during Hellenistic and Roman times, Ephesus had a population of 200,000 people as the capital and largest port city of the Asian province. Ephesus was relocated in the Byzantine period and came to Ayasuluk Hill in Selçuk where it was established first.
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