MarmarisMania
Just Marmaris About !
Marmaris About
It is not known when Marmaris was founded,
but Physkos as Marmaris was previously known, was part of the Carian Empire in
the 6th century B.C. when overrun by the Lydians. Another invasion by the
Lydians in 334 B.C. led to the partition of the Roman Empire of Alexander the
Great.
According to the historian Herodotus, the Carians settled in what is now the
province of Mugla after coming from Crete. They also took over the town of
Physkos with its large natural harbour, and used it as a military base for their
campaigns against the Phoenicians in Rhodes and other Aegean islands.The Carian
civilization entered a dark period after 300 B.C., coming under the rule of the
Egyptians, Asstrians, Ionians and Dorians successively. The Dorians turned the
Carian province into 9 colony cities, also including Halicarnassos and Knidos,
which became an active trading centre for Anatolia and led to an increase in
handicrafts and maritime trade.
In 138 B.C. Attalos the 3rd, King of Bergama, whose predecessors had ruled Caria
for 90 years, ceded Physkos to Rome and the city was ruled from Rhodes by Roman
generals. The city became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1425, and the castle was
built in 1521 AD for use in a planned assault on Rhodes. The Ottoman Sultan at
the time, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman, changed the name of the town to Mimaras, which
then became Marmaris according to the historian Evlija Celebi.
A local rumour has it that the reason for the change of name Mimaras was that
Suleyman, on returning from his expedition to Rhodes, disliked the castle and
exclaimed “mimar as!”, which means “hang the architect!” Unfortunately there is
no evidence to support this amusing story.