The first settlements were made around 7000 BC, for example in Konya, where traces of houses, sanctuaries and sculptures have been found. These settlements are counted amongst the very first in World History.
Ancient times: 7000 BC – 130 BC:
The first settlements were made around 7000 BC, for example in Konya, where traces of houses, sanctuaries and sculptures have been found. These settlements are counted amongst the very first in World History.
Around 2250 BC the Hattites immigrated from the east and destroyed settlements on the way. Afterwards Hittites, Phrygians, Alexander the Great, diadochi and several other empires came and went.

Roman Empire: 130 BC – 323 AD:
Around 400 years of Roman domination started when the first Roman province was founded at Ephesus and the apostle Paul established the first Christian churches. Christianity was not allowed until the year 313AD.
Around 115 BC the Roman Empire reached its height with the invasion of Armenia amongst others.

Byzantine Empire: 323 – 1453:
About 330AD Byzantium was made the capital and renamed Constantinople. In the year 1071 the Byzantines were beaten by a Turkish tribe, the Seljuks, who also took over power in Anatolia.
Around 1096 the European knights started their crusades. Later on this would prove to be decisive in the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
In the year 1204 the crusaders conquered and plundered Constantinople on their fourth crusade. However 50 years later the Byzantines regained the city and managed to keep control of it until 1453.

Ottoman Empire: 1302 – 1919:
Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople and incorporated the city as capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Around 1550 the Ottoman Empire experienced its days of glory under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent with the conquering of Bagdad, Cairo and souteastern Europe, as well as the construction of many great buildings and monuments designed by the architect Sinan.
From the end of the 16th Century the empire weakened and more and more land was given up.
In 1878 Turkey went bankrupt and got the nickname “the sick man of Europe”. An expression that stuck until recently.
In 1914 Turkey entered World War I on the German side. The Ottomans capitulated in 1918 and after a few years of further struggle a National Assembly was established.