Adramyttium ( Adramyttion, Ἀδραμύττειον Adramytteion, or Ἀτραμύττιον Atramyttion) was an ancient city and bishopric in Aeolis, in modern-day Turkey. It was originally located at the head of the Gulf of Adramyttium, in the Plain of Thebe Hypoplakia, in the locality now known as Ören, 4 kilometres west of the modern town of Burhaniye, but later moved 13 kilometres northeast to its current location and became known as Edremit.
History Iron Age The site of Adramyttium was originally settled by Leleges, the indigenous inhabitants of the Aegean littoral, and people from the neighbouring region of Mysia.Karavul et al. (2010), pp. 876-877 The area was later settled by Lydians, Cimmerians, and Aeolian Greeks, who gave their name to the region of Aeolis. The area became part of the peraia (mainland territory) of the city-state of Mytilene in the 8th century BC,Constantakopoulou (2010), pp. 240-241 and the city of Adramyttium was founded in the 6th century BC. According to Aristotle, Adramyttium was founded by, and named after, Adramytos, the son of King Alyattes of Lydia.Hansen & Nielsen (2004), p. 1038 Prior to his ascension to the throne, Croesus, Alyattes' successor, was governor of a district centred on Adramyttium.Parke (1984), p. 218
Classical Age Following the fall of the kingdom of Lydia in 546 BC Adramyttium came under the rule of the Persian Empire and was administered as part of the satrapy (province) of Hellespontine Phrygia from the early 5th century BC onward. In 422 BC, Pharnaces, the satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia, offered asylum to exiles from the island of Delos, who settled in the city. Thereafter Adramyttium was considered a Greek city.Magie (2015), p. 83 Arsaces, a general subordinate to Tissaphernes, the satrap of Lydia and Caria, massacred a number of the Delian exiles.Foster & Lateiner (2012), p. 274 The Delians returned to Delos in 421/420 BC when the Athenians permitted them to do so.
Following the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC, Adramyttium came again under the control of Mytilene. The Ten Thousand, a Greek mercenary force, travelled through Adramyttium during their march along the coast.Leaf (1923), p. 307 Mytilene retained control of Adramyttium until 386 BC, after which the city formed again part of the Persian Empire by the terms of the Peace of Antalcidas. During the Great Satraps' Revolt, Ariobarzanes, satrap of Hellespontine Phygia, joined the revolt against Artaxerxes II in 367 BC.Lendering (2005) Autophradates, satrap of Lydia, and Mausolus, satrap of Caria, besieged Ariobarzanes at Adramyttium in 366 BC.Almagor (2012) However, the siege of Adramyttium was abandoned following the arrival of Agesilaus II, King of Sparta, in 365 BC.
Hellenistic period Following his victory at the Battle of the Granicus in 334 BC, Adramyttium came under the control of Alexander the Great.Coruhlu (2012), p. 63 After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his empire was divided among the Diadochi at the Partition of Babylon, and Leonnatus was appointed satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia.Roberts (2007) At the Partition of Triparadisus in 321 BC, Arrhidaeus succeeded Leonnatus as satrap of Hellespontine Phrygia.Roisman (2012), p. 174 In 319 BC, Adramyttium and Hellespontine Phrygia were seized by Antigonus I Monophthalmus, satrap of Greater Phrygia.Tritle (2013), p. 130 Adramyttium and Hellespontine Phrygia remained under the control of Antigonus until the Fourth War of the Diadochi; the city was taken by force by Prepelaus, a general of Lysimachus, Basileus of Thrace, in 302 BC.Magie (2015), p. 89 Adramyttium and Lysimachus' other Anatolian territories were annexed to the Seleucid Empire after Lysimachus' defeat at the Battle of Corupedium in 281 BC.Will (1984), p. 113 An artificial port was constructed at Adramyttium in the early third century BC, which subsequently allowed the city to overshadow the neighbouring port of Cisthene.Leaf (1923), p. 267
Adramyttium came under the control of the Attalid dynasty of Pergamon during the rule of Eumenes I, a nominal vassal of the Seleucid Empire, in the mid-third century BC.Picón & Hemingway (2016), p. 34 The alliance between Attalus I, Eumenes's successor, and Rhodes during the Cretan War led Philip V, King of Macedonia, to invade Attalid Pergamon and pillage the countryside surrounding Adramyttium in 201 BC. As an ally of Rome, Pergamon fought in the Roman–Seleucid War against the Seleucid Empire. In 190 BC, Antiochus III plundered the countryside surrounding Adramyttium, but the appearance of a Roman–Pergamene fleet prevented him from taking the city.Magie (2017), p. 757 In the second century BC, cistophori, the coinage of Attalid Pergamon, were minted at Adramyttium.Magie (2017), p. 776 Attalus III, the last king of Pergamon, bestowed his kingdom to the Romans in his will,Coruhlu (2012), p. 64 and thus, in 133 BC, Adramyttium came under Roman control.Kiminas (2009), p. 81 The city became part of the province of Asia.Mills & Bullard (1990), p. 12
Roman period Manius Aquillius, governor of the province of Asia from 129 to 126 BC, rebuilt the road that connected Adramyttium and Smyrna.Magie (2015), p. 157 In the 1st century BC, a famous school of oratory was located in Adramyttium.Magie (2017), p. 905 Adramyttium was the centre of a conventus iuridicus,Magie (2017), p. 1060 and its jurisdiction included the Troad and the western half of Mysia.Magie (2017), p. 1062 Adramyttium was also the centre of a conventus civium Romanorum in the second or early first century BC.Magie (2015), pp. 162-163
During the First Mithridatic War, Diodorus, a strategos and supporter of Mithridates VI, King of Pontus, had the members of the city council killed and granted control of the city to Mithridates. Following the completion of the conquest of the province of Asia in 88 BC, Mithridates ordered the execution of all Roman settlers. At Adramyttium, the Romans were driven into the sea, where they were slaughtered.Magie (2015), pp. 216-217 At the conclusion of the war, the province of Asia returned to Roman control and Xenocles of Adramyttium, a prominent orator, was sent to Rome to defend the actions of the city during the war. Adramyttium, however, was deprived of its autonomy, and was henceforth obligated to pay regular taxes to Rome.Magie (2015), pp. 236-237
According to the Acts of the Apostles, whilst en route to Rome, St. Paul departed Caesarea Maritima on a ship from the city of Adramyttium which took him to Myra in Lycia.
Adramyttium later also became the seat of a portorium. Adramyttium was damaged by an earthquake during the reign of Emperor Trajan (), who subsequently rebuilt the city.Karavul et al. (2010), p. 878 Upon the death of Emperor Theodosius I in 395, and subsequent division of the Roman Empire into eastern and western halves, Adramyttium became part of the Eastern Roman Empire.
A large, luxurious and well-preserved Roman house has recently been discovered here dating from the second to fifth centuries AD.2,000 Year Old Roman Villa with Stunning Mosaics Unearthed at Ancient Greek City in Turkey https://greekcitytimes.com/2026/08/28/2000-year-old-roman-villa-adramytteion-turkey/ Its northern hall alone had over 15 rooms decorated with elaborate mosaic floors and rich frescoes.
Medieval period The administrative reforms of the 7th century led Adramyttium to be administered as part of the Thracesian Theme.Nesbitt & Oikonomides (1996), p. 23 In early 715, soldiers of the theme of Opsikion mutinied and travelled to Adramyttium where they proclaimed Theodosius, a praktor (tax-collector),Kazhdan (1991a) as emperor.Venning & Harris (2006), p. 195 Theodosius did not wish to become emperor and fled to the mountains, but was found and forced to become emperor at sword-point.Norwich (1988), p. 349 Adramyttium came under the administration of the theme of Samos in the ninth century and became the seat of a tourmarches of that theme. A tourma of the hinterland of Adramyttium remained part of the Thracesian Theme, but was also based at Adramyttium.
Adramyttium was sacked by Tzachas, a Turkish ruler, in and subsequently rebuilt and repopulated by Eumathios Philokales in 1109.Foss (1991) According to Anna Komnene:
This (Adramyttium) was formerly a very populous town: but when Tzachas was laying waste the country round Smyrna, he laid it in ruins and rased it to the ground. On observing the complete disappearance of this town which looked as if man had never dwelt in it, Eumathius forthwith rebuilt it and restored it to its former appearance and recalled the inhabitants from all sides, at least such of the original ones as had escaped, and sent for many from other parts and settled them in the town, and thus gave it back its former appearance.Dawes, Elizabeth (London, 1928). Anna Comnena: The Alexiad 1083-1153. p. 255
During this period, Adramyttium was used as a base to defend against Italian and Turkish attacks. Upon discovering that Malik Shah, Sultan of Rum, planned to invade in early 1112, Emperor Alexios I Komnenos sent an army to Adramyttium ahead of him as he travelled to the Chersonese peninsula.Venning & Harris (2006), p. 450 During the reign of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (), Adramyttion formed part of the new theme of Neokastra.Haldon (1999), p. 97 French crusaders passed through Adramyttium on their march south to Ephesus during the Second Crusade.Hendy (2008), pp. 107-108 After the ascension of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos in 1183, Andronikos Lapardas revolted against the emperor and travelled to Bithynia to join the rebels, but was seized at Adramyttium and imprisoned.Kazhdan & Wharton (1985), pp. 54-55 The megas doux Michael Stryphnos levied a fine on the Genoese merchant Cafforio,Venning & Harris (2006), p. 535 who subsequently raided the cities of the Aegean Sea and sacked Adramyttium in 1197.
Following the Fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and the formation of the Latin Empire, Emperor Baldwin granted the land between Abydos on the Hellespont to Adramyttium to his brother Henry of Flanders, who went on to capture Adramyttium in the winter of 1204/1205.Van Tricht (2011), p. 106 The Byzantine magnate Theodore Mangaphas attempted to seize the city but was defeated by Henry of Flanders at the Battle of Adramyttium on 19 March 1205.Brand (1991a) Adramyttium was recovered by the Empire of Nicaea, a successor state of the Byzantine Empire, later that year. Nicaea maintained control of the city until 1211.Van Tricht (2011), p. 104 Henry of Flanders regained Adramyttium in October 1211 after his victory over the Nicaean emperor Theodore I Laskaris at the Battle of the Rhyndacus.Brand (1991b) Theodore I subsequently ceded Adramyttium to the Latin Empire in the Treaty of Nymphaeum.Venning & Harris (2006), p. 559 In 1224, Latin rule in Anatolia collapsed and Adramyttium was recaptured by the Empire of Nicaea.Venning & Harris (2006), p. 569