Miletus

Miletus, also known as Miletos in Greek, was an ancient Greek city-state (polis) of Ionia on the western coast of Anatolia. It lay near the mouth of the Maeander River in what is now the Didim district of Aydın Province, Turkey. As one of the principal Ionian cities, it was a major port and commercial center throughout antiquity.

Founded by Ionian Greeks in the early Iron Age, Miletus grew into a flourishing maritime hub with extensive trading networks across the Aegean and Mediterranean. It is renowned in antiquity as the cradle of the Milesian school of natural philosophy, producing thinkers such as Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes. The city also contributed to early geography and science through figures like Hecataeus of Miletus.

In the 5th century BCE, Miletus played a leading role in the Ionian Revolt against Persian rule. The revolt was eventually suppressed, and the city suffered destruction by the Persians, though it later recovered under successive rulers in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Over time the city remained an important urban and commercial center, even as sovereignty shifted among regional powers.

Today, the ancient site is an important archaeological location with ruins that include a large theatre, temples, markets, and city walls. Excavations have revealed much about urban planning, architecture, and the civic life of a major Ionian metropolis. Notable individuals associated with Miletus include Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Hecataeus, whose contributions helped shape early Greek philosophy, science, and geography.