Abstract:

Teos, which was established in the most narrowed place of Urla isthmus extendig from north to south, is in the Sıgacık village of Seferihisar in Smyrna today. Teos has a significant place in both political and religious terms in ancient period. The city, where was settlement from Archaic period to Roman times, is one of the twelve Ion cities. Herodotos counted Teos between the Ion cities with Ephesos, Kolophon, Lebedos, Klazomenai and Phokaia and stated that these cities used a different language than the other Ion cities.1 Teos, which is known as the city of God Dionysus, earned its reputation with the Union of Artists of Dionysus. Artists had many privileges owing to this union, even they had equal conditions with the city in political terms. Altough these political rights caused problems about the administration of Teos, the union contributed to city economically and provided protection of presence of the city until the mid- Roman period. The first archaeological studies in the ancient Teos started with British Dilettante Association in 19th century and continued by French Researchers in 1924 nad by Yusuf Boysal and Baki Öğün in between 1962-1966. Between 1980-1992, Architect Mustafa Uz made drilling studies in the city and between 1993-1996 Numan Tuna surveyed the surface. From 2010 on, Musa Kadıoğlu continues to the excavation of city. The purpose of this research is to examine the historical process of the city in the light of these information and give information about the Union of Artists of Dionysus

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