Miletos which is in the vicinity of Soke, was on the seashore in the
ancient times. The Miletos people who had founded about 90 colonies in the Mediterranean
and Black Sea regions, after 650 B.C, had resisted the Persian invasions in Anatolia, but
they were defeated finally and the city was destroyed by the Persians.
When you arrive at the zone of the ruins, the magnificent theater of the city appears
in sight at first. The theater had been constructed during the Hellenistic
period and, it acquired its present characteristics by means of the annexes made during
the Roman period. The walls of the front facade of the theater, are 140 m long and 30 m
high, and are an interesting example of stone workmanship. This theater was large enough
to hold 15.000 people, and a fortress was built upon it during the Byzantine
period.
On the opposite side of the theater there is a Seljukian
Caravanserai and the baths that Faustina the II., wife of Marcus Aurelius (161-180 A.D.)
had caused to be constructed, are situated adjacent to the theater. The Temple of Serapis,
belonging to the 3rd century A.D., is behind the baths. The rectangular buildings seen on
one side, are warehouse buildings. The adjacent Southern Agora building which has
dimensions of 164 x 196 m and is surrounded by stoas, belongs to the 2nd century A.D. and
its southern gate is at the museum of Berlin today.
When you go out through the northern gate of the Agora, you see the Bishop's Church,
Martyrion belonging to the 5th century A.D. beside it, and the ceremonial road which is
100 m long and 28 m wide, extending in front of the Agora. On the east side of it, there
is the fountain in the Public Square (Nymphaion) belonging to the 2nd century A.D., and
Bouleuterion (the Senate Building) is situated opposite to it. It is known that this
building had been constructed during the years 175-164 B.C., and the Temple of Asklepios
and the Sacred Place are situated at its side. At the side of these, the Northern Agora
extends along the sacred road and at the right hand side of the sacred road, there is the
Gymnasium belonging to the 2nd century B.C. the entrance of which has been brought to an
erect position at present.
The baths that Vergilius Capito had ordered to be constructed during the time of
Claudius, are situated north of the Gymnasium; and some of these baths were used during
the Seljukian Period. at the northern end of the Ceremonial
Road, the Port Gate which was a passage with 16 columns is situated; and on the east of
this road there is Delphinion which is a work of the Archaic period. When you go towards
the north from here, the port stoa, the Port Monument built in the year 31 B.C., the Small
Port Monument and the Synagogue are located at the left hand side. The statues of the
lions which watch over the port can be seen here; on the opposite side, the Roman Baths are seen.
The remains of the Stadium, Western Agora and the Temple of Athena belonging to the 5th
century B.C., are located south of Miletos. The only ancient Turkish work in Miletos is
the Mosque of Ilyas Bey. The mosque was built in the year 1404 A.D. and it can be visited
today.