Halicarnassos, the city
of the Leleg and Kar
peoples who are thought
to be among the first
inhabitants of Anatolia
and who fought against
the Greeks in the Trojan
war, is the Bodrum of
today. Although t
he
Kar considered the
mainland of Anatolia
their homeland, it is
thought that they were a
seafaring people who
migrated here from
Greece.
The father of history
Herodotus, a native of
Bodrum, estimated that
the history of his
birthplace dated to the
first millenium BC.
However, findings at the
Peynir iei cave point
to civilization on the
peninsula as far back as
5,000 years ago.
There are signs that the
Lelegs and Kars lived in
the area together.
However, after the
occupation of Anatolia
by the Persians, a
Carian (of the Kar) city
was founded in the
region of Caria, but
kept under Persian
control. The Carian
people are mentioned in
many historical
documents as one of the
seagoing races and in
480 B.C. Artemisia I, a
famous Carian ruler,
fought at sea with the
Persians against the
Greeks, becoming the
first female admiral in
the world. The historian
Herodotus tells the
story of this female
hero, his compatriot, at
length. The Carians, who
had proved themselves
many times at sea,
gained new importance
when the satrap
Maussolus moved their
capital from Milas to
Bodrum in 367 B.C. The
most brilliant period of
Halikarnassos was under
the rule of Maussolus
and his sister and wife
Artemisia II. The
Mausoleum built during
this period is today
considered one of the
seven wonders of the
ancient world. This
memorial tomb is not the
only legacy of Maussolus's reign. The
city was developed in a
manner fitting to the
seat of government, and
the theatre still in use
today is one example of
this. After the death of
Maussolus, the Carians
won a new victory under
their new female leader,
conquering the island of
Rhodes in 353 B.C.
As in ancient Egypt,
brother and sister
married each other. Like
Artemisia II and
Maussolus, Queen Ada
also married her brother
Idrius. She ascended the
throne after the death
of Idrius, but there was
dissent in the family
about this and she was
banished to Alinda. She
stayed there until
Alexander the Great's
forces arrived, and only
returned to
Halicarnassus under the
famous commander's
protection.
The peninsula put up
great resistance to
Alexander's army and did
not regain its former
power following the
occupation, becoming
smaller and having
frequent changes in
rule. During one period,
it was recorded as
having been a bishopric
connected to Aphrodisias.
After Roman and
Byzantine rule, it came
under the Ottomans in
the 11th century.
Rhodes became an
important stop for the
Crusaders on their way
to Jerusalem, and at the
beginning of the 15th
century they got
permission from the
Ottoman Empire to build
a castle in Bodrum
harbour. The Knights of
St. John of Rhodes spent
about one hundred years
building the Castle of
St. Peter (Petrum),
known today as Bodrum
Castle. Stones from the
Mausoleum, which had
been partly ruined by
earthquakes and the
passage of time, were
used in the building of
the castle, and some of
the marble was melted
down to make lime.
The castle was used as a
prison during the late
Ottoman period, and was
bombed by the French in
World War I. From the
1970s, due to the writer
and thinker known as the
'Fisherman of Halicarnus',
Bodrum became well-known
once more and today is
one of Turkey's major
holiday resorts.
Homer describes Bodrum
as "The land of eternal
blue" and the words of
another resident of
Bodrum, Cevat Sakir, who
said "The heavenly bliss
of life in Bodrum is
better than any eternal
bliss that may await us"
were not without
foundation in reality.
Throughout history of
Bodrum, known as
Halicarnassos in ancient
times, has always been
fought over and people
have been unwilling to
share its beauty with
others.
Built on a peninsula
formed by the meeting of
the eastern and western
harbors, Bodrum, with
its narrow streets
winding down to the sea,
is famous for its
castle, its
world-renowned yachts,
its shipyards and the
dazzling white houses
and tombs lining the
shores of its two
harbors.
Numerous bays of every
shade of blue,
endlessshopping
possibilities and
unforgettable nightlife
is for everyone to
enjoy.
One of the seven wonder
of the world, The
Moussoleum is situated
in Center of Bodrum
town.
History : Halicarnassos,
the city of the Leleg
and Kar peoples who are
thought to be among the
first inhabitants of
Anatolia and who fought
against the Greeks in
the Trojan war, is the
Bodrum of today.
Down through the ages it
has suffered from the
countless invasions of
those coming from the
Aegean islands and has
been important to all
those powers wishing to
dominate the Aegean.
Halicarnassos(Bodrum)
was an important city in
the Caria civilization
which was located
between its much more
powerful neighbors Lykia
and Ionia. The region
boasts such a greats as
the historian Heredotus,
history's first woman
admiral Artemisia I, and
the just-as-skilled
Artemisia II as well as
artists like Leachares
and Shepas.
Bodrum experienced the
dominance of various
civilizations throughout
the history such as
Persians,Mecedonians,Roman
Empire and Byzantines.
Byzantines lost their
power in Anatolian
region after they were
defeated by the Seljuk
Ruler Alpaslan at
Malazgirt in 1071.
Rhodian knights had
constructed the present
Bodrum castle and
established their rule
over the region. Sultan
Sleyman the Magnificent
on his military
expedition to Rhodes
conquered Bodrum
together with Rhodes and
added them to the
territory of Ottoman
Empire.
Climate : Summers
are hot and dry while
winters are mild and
rainy.
Location :
located on the southwest
coast of Turkey,
opposite the Grek island
of Kos. 30Km from Milas/Bodrum
airport.
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