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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.
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