Anatolian Civilizations : The Anatolian Civilizations From 1200 B.C. To Present
336-280 demoThere were major changes in Anatolia in the wake of the Aegean migrations, which took place at the end of he second millennium. This event brought- about the fall of the Hittite Empire and the first half of the 1st millennium B.C., late Hittites, Urartians and Phrygians, who had established kingdoms in different areas of Anatolia, took over control. At the same period, the Greek arrived in Western Anatolia, via islands, as a result of the disruptions caused by the Dorian Migrations. After settling in Western Anatolia, they unified with local people and established the foundations of the Ionian civilizations. In this way the first colony settlements were founded. This period is characterized by motifs drawn by compasses and is called the ‘Protogeometric Age1 (1100 - 950 B.C.). Then it’s followed by the ‘Geometric Age’, represented with the alteration of round shaped motifs into angular ones.
The art, which has been always important in Ionia, had witnessed major developments, both in terms architectural and sculptural characteristics, under the oriental influences. The foundations of giant temples were established in this period. The anatomical characteristics of the human body were worked out more realistically on the sculptural work in comparison with the ones from protogeometric or geometric ages. Big marble statues were first made in 670 BC. and the painted pottery of the Eastern Greeks, which were decorated with animal friezes, continued to be produced underthe vigorous influences of Anatolia. The big sized pieces of art produced during the Archaic period, a continuation of the orientalising style, also establishes the characteristics of this style to a certain extent. The statues and the Ionian architecture of the Western Anatolian culture of this period established the infrastructure of ‘Classical Age’ of the Western Aegean. There were Carian and Lycian civilizations in the southwestern Anatolia during 700 - 300 B.C. The rock tombs of these civilizations are the most distinguished traces which were left by them in this region of Anatolia. On the other hand, the control of central Anatolia was underthe Lycian Kingdom and the center of the Kingdom was at Sardis. By extending their boundary up to Kizihrmak, they took over the control of Phrygians and owing to good relations with Ionian city-states; they also included Ephesus into their territory and became the most powerful state of the region. They minted the first metal coin in the seventh century B.C., and re-proved their importance. After Lydia was vanquished by the Persian Empire in 546 B.C., the civilizations in western Anatolia intermingled with Greek and Persian civilizations resulting in the creation of a Greco-Persian style. This situation was ended with the invasion of Anatolia by Alexander the Great, and a new period called ‘Helenistic Age’ started (330-30 B.C.). Alter the death of Alexander the Great, as a result of the internal struggles between his generals this powerful kingdom was shared by them, and most of Anatolia entered the rule of Pergamon King, western Anatolia entered the rule of Romans. Anatolia, which became a part of the Roman Empire by means of a will, was Romanized by peace ratherthan war, and continued to preserve its own traditional cultural characteristics. These regional characteristics were dominant even in the most powerful periods of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire split into two, the old Greek city ‘Byzantion’ became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire (330 B.C.) and received the name of’Constantinopolis’ in honor of the name of the Emperor. Byzantine art is a mixture Roman art, which came into being in Anatolia with dominant regional characteristics, with the characteristics of Christianity. The Byzantium civilization had a life of nearly thousand years in the span of time between The 4th and 15th centuries. The Oguz Turks, who had been living at the west of transoxiana, accepted the Moslem religion in the 10th century and in order to spread it, they started raids to Byzantine territory. The Malazgirt Battle, which took place in 1071, opened the doors of Anatolia to Turks. The Seljuk Turks, who arrived in iznikand accepted it as their capital, turned to Anatolia to a province of the Great Seljuk State. After the collapse of the Great Seljuk State, the Anatolian Seljuk State was established and the capital was moved to Konya.
The Anatolian Seljuk State came to an end as a result of the Mongol invasions and Anatolia entered the rule of ilkanid Turks. For a spen of time it was governed by different Turkish rulers, then living in different regions in Anatolia. On the arrival of the Kayi Tribe of Oguz Turks in Anatolia, the Seljuks Sultan showed the Sogut area near Byzantine territory as a place for them to settle. Thus the foundations of an Empire, which would continue for 600 years was established. Expanding their borders, the descendants of Osman captured Bursa and made it the capital. After sometime they captured the Byzantine lands on Thrace and moved their capital to Edirne. In 1453 istanbul became the capital and turned out to be a culture and art city. Ottoman art is a synthesis of the Turkish-Islamic art and Anatolian culture. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire became very weak and thus occupied from four sides. In 1919 the Independence War started and in 1923 the Turkish Republic was declared.
