History
From prehistoric man to the Republic of Turkey, Kingdoms of Caria, Lydia, Lycian Union and Troy, from Homer to Saint Paul, from Alexander to Justinian, Süleyman the Magnificent, and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Anatolia is also the land in which Turkish civilization acquired some of its strongest roots like the Ottoman Empire and its most prestigious works of art and literature. Thus, this long history of civilizations has deeply influenced the social and cultural fabric of modern Turkey. Archeologists is able to trace Anatolia's past as far back as to the Paleolithic periods. Traces of human settlements is found in shelters and caves like the Karain Cave near Antalya in Southwestern Turkey, occupied by nomadic tribes during 10000 and 7000 BC.
A big part of Turkey's territory is located on Anatolia where some of mankind's oldest settlements were built as early as 10000 BC. Actually, Anatolia's rich geography and varied climate have been favorable to the development of numerous civilizations and great empires throughout the history. Few other regions in the world have witnessed such a rich succession of civilizations.
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Earliest Times | |
Hittites and Hattians |
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Lydians | |
Lycians |
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Ionians | |
Roman Empire |
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Birth of Christianity | |
Byzantine Empire |
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Birth of Islam | |
Seljuk Empire |
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Ottoman Empire | |
Turkish Republic |