Miletus — The Birthplace of Western Philosophy?

Text by our correspondent from Didim, Jay Jean Jackson, with contributions and edits by Chris Evans

Approximately 2500 years ago, there was a significant shift in the way people thought about life, the universe, and everything. Thales of Miletus moved away from mythology as a way of explaining the world and started exploring nature to understand the machinations of existence. However, he did not refute the presence of an array of gods who were believed to control every aspect of life.

I have read many articles on the fathers of philosophy, and there is much speculation about who can claim the accolade. Many authors, but not all, suggest Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle of Athens deserve the title. However, the Milesian School, comprising Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes, was pre-Socratic. Thales was born 150 years before Socrates. So, should the title not belong to these residents of the ancient city of Miletus?

The reconstructed Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way in Miletus
The reconstructed Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way in Miletus

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Bahá'í House and traditional Edirne houses

For many centuries, Edirne was a city where people of many faiths coexisted peacefully. While many sources discuss the Christian and Jewish inhabitants of Edirne, not so much has been told about the followers of the Bahá'í faith. Therefore, not many people are aware that Edirne can boast a building that is extremally important for the Bahá'í movement - a house where the founder of the Bahá'í faith lived for more than four years.

Bahá'í House in Edirne
Bahá'í House in Edirne

February 2025 in Turkish archaeology

In February 2025, the groundbreaking genetic research was announced, tracing the origins of domesticated sheep back to Türkiye’s Aşıklı Höyük. Meanwhile, during restoration works conducted at the Harem section of Topkapi Palace, experts uncovered intriguing finds beneath the floor tiles of the Kizlar Agasi room. These included silver and gold coins, earrings, rings, and various jewellery pieces, as well as amulets, talismans, and letters. Finally, Hadrianopolis, an ancient city in Karabük’s Eskipazar district, was designated as an archaeological site by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

The harem section of the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul
The harem section of the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul

Çandarlı Halil Pasha Tomb in Iznik

This text is a fragment of a guidebook to Iznik "The Highlights of Iznik. Treasures of the ancient Nicaea".

Çandarlı Halil Pasha Tomb (tr. Çandarlı Halil Paşa Türbesi) is a historical landmark in Iznik. This is the burial place of Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Younger, the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1439 to 1453.

He was a member of a powerful Çandarlı family as his father, Çandarlı Ibrahim Pasha the Elder, his uncle, Çandarlı Ali Pasha, and his grandfather, Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Elder all held the position of the Grand Vizier before him. His inconspicuous tomb in Iznik is the testimony of his terrible fate - he was imprisoned and executed by the orders of Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror.

Çandarlı Halil Pasha Tomb in Iznik
Çandarlı Halil Pasha Tomb in Iznik

Lion Gate in Hattusa

This text is a fragment of a guidebook to Hattusa: "The Secrets of Hattusa".

The capital of the Hittites - Hattusa - was surrounded by massive fortifications when the Hittite civilization had a status of the Near East superpower. The walls were erected using the natural shape of the terrain or entirely changing it, depending on the architectural and strategic needs. Five monumental gates have been discovered to date along the wall, from west to east: the lower and upper western gates, the Lion Gate, the Sphinx Gate, and the King's Gate. The Lion Gate is the first one that can be seen when following the official sightseeing route around Hattusa.

Lion Gate in Hattusa
Lion Gate in Hattusa

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