Pergamon
Pergamon is the name of the ancient city established in the place where the center of Bergama district of Izmir province is located. Pergamon was one of the important centers of Mysia region in ancient times. It was the capital of the Pergamon Kingdom between 282-133 BC. The name Pergamon comes from Pergamos, a legendary hero. It is thought that Pergamos captured the city after killing the Teuthrania king and named it after himself. According to another legend, Teuthrania King Grynos asked for Pergamos' help in the war and after the victory he founded two cities, naming one Pergamon in his honor and the other Gryneion. Pergamon is first mentioned in written documents at the beginning of the 4th century BC. The city later became the capital of the Pergamon Kingdom. During this period, it was built with structures such as palaces, temples, and theaters, and the city was surrounded by towers and walls. Pergamon remained one of the leading cities of Western Anatolia after the kingdom was annexed to Rome. The ruins of the old city were discovered by German engineer Carl Humann, who was working on railways in Western Anatolia in the 1870s. The first research and excavation work in Pergamon began in 1878. Excavations and restoration work continue today. Pergamon was included in the World Heritage Tentative List by UNESCO in 2011 and was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2014.
