The central part of the western Anatolian coastal region—between the bays of İzmir and Bargylia and including the offshore islands of Samos and Chios—was once known as Ionia. The cities in the region were listed by Herodotus as Miletos, Myus, Priene, Ephesus, Kolophon, Teos, Lebedos, Erythrai, Klazomenai, Phokaia, and the islands of Samos and Chios. The main deity in most of the Ionian cities was Athena. Immigration to Ionia was spurred by Dorian incursions sweeping down the Greek peninsula.
Proto-geometric pottery discovered during excavations supports the thesis that the first Hellenic settlement in Asia Minor began in the 10th century B.C. The archaeological findings confirm that Hellenistic period settlements in Anatolia date back to the early 10th century B.C.
Ionians were skilled mariners who dominated the maritime trade routes between Mediterranean ports. They excelled in architecture and sculptural arts. The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus and the Temple of Apollo in Didyma stand as masterpieces of Ionian architecture.
The Ionians established numerous colonies along the northern and southern Aegean coasts, developing their commercial supremacy. They were talented seafarers who explored the shores and benefited extensively from maritime trade routes throughout the Aegean Sea.
The cities of Ionia fell completely under Lydian rule in 546 B.C.