The coastal region between the gulfs of İzmir and Edremit was known in antiquity as Aeolis.
According to ancient sources, Aeolis was founded by descendants of King Agamemnon. The island of Lesbos was the most important city of the region.
During the 7th century BC, mass immigration from Mytilene (Lesbos) to Asia Minor led to the establishment of 12 cities in the Aeolian region. These cities formed the Aeolian League. The inhabitants of these Aeolian cities were primarily engaged in agriculture and did not play a prominent role in the political history of the era.
The Aeolians were renowned for their passion for poetry and music. The famous poet Sappho, Alcaeus, and the musician Terpander—credited with inventing the seven-tone musical scale—were all from Aeolis.