This city was founded as an Argive colony and became
an important place in the Hellenistic period. In 197 B.C.
it was the scene of a victory of P. Scipio over Philip V
of Macedon, earning a footnote in history as the first
battle to be fought, and won, by the Romans in Asia.
| Strabo mocks the Iassians' preoccupation with
fish. "During a concert", he writes,
"a bell rang announcing that the fish market
was now open. The audience left the hall at once,
except for one old man who was hard of hearing.
The musician stood up and thanked the man for
honoring his music while everyone else had gone
to the market. 'what?' said the man, 'You mean
the bell has rung?' and he too hurried
away". |
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Iassus had been excavated by Italian
archaeologists since 1960, revealing among other
thing a pretty Odeon (concert hall) adjoining the
vast agora (left). Numerous other classical and
Byzantine remains can be found on the steep
peninsula which formed the original hub of the
city. Kiyikislacik offers some isolated coves for
swimming. |
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