Artist's conception of original Smyrna The original site of Smyrna was at the end of the gulf in a section of Izmir known as Bayrakli. It featured a temple dedicated to Athena. See artist's conception of original Smyrna. This early city resisted the Lydian conquerors and suffered a complete destruction around 600 BCE. According to legend, Alexander rebuilt Smyrna, which would have been around 340 BCE. A more likely view, however, is that Alexander ordered the rebuilding of Smyrna, but it was not actually accomplished until after his death. This would put the refounding of the new city at about 300 BCE. The new city, located southwest of the old one, lasted for many centuries. For more on the ancient city, go to the other views. Want to go deeper?The following are recommended to help you look deeper into the history and archaeology of the original Smyrna. Cecil John Cadoux. Ancient Smyrna: A History of the City from the Earliest Times to 324 A.D. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1938. – Cadoux was born in Smyrna and then went on to become a professor at Oxford. Despite its age, this is one of the most detailed treatments of Smyrna available, though it is currently both out of print and unavailable through Amazon. You may be able to find it at a large library or seminary library. Recommended for purchase: George Bean – Aegean Turkey: An Archaeological Guide (John Murray, 1989). J. M. Cook – Old Smyrna Excavations: The Temples of Athena (David Brown, 1998). Ekrem Akurgal – Ancient Civilizations and Ruins of Turkey: From Prehistoric Times Until the End of the Roman Empire (Haset Kirabevi, 1985). | cheaper, earlier edition – Akurgal was the archaeologist in charge of the excavation of the original Smyrna at Bayrakli. Online resources: Christine Eslik, PhD – Recent and current excavations Old Izmir and the Temple of Athena William M. Ramsay – "Smyrna: City of Life" | "The Letter to the Church in Smyrna" 251-267 and 268-280, respectively, from Letters to the Seven Churches & Their Place in the Plan of the Apocalypse, 2nd ed. (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1906). About DS Contact DS © 2008 DeeperStudy.com | Steve Singleton, All Rights Reserved | Smyrna Izmir Satellite Image |