According to mythology, the ancient city of Keramos took its name from Keramos, the son of Dionysos and Ariadne, who was considered the founder of the art of pottery. The ruins of this historic city still stand within the modern settlement of Ören. According to Strabo, Keramos was one of the small, non-independent cities at the end of the 1st century BC. During the Byzantine period, it became an important episcopal center. The word Keramos means pottery in Greek.
Archaeological evidence, particularly the Greek-style Archaic sculptures discovered at the site, indicates that Keramos was influenced by the Hellenization process that was prevalent in the Mediterranean, beginning in the 7th-6th centuries BC. During the Hellenistic period, the city established direct and indirect relations with overseas territories, particularly Egypt, and gained prominence throughout the Roman Asia province.
In the 5th century BC, Keramos was a member of the Attica-Delos maritime confederation, paying a tax of 1.5 talents. The city later joined the Chrysaor League and achieved an influential position by leveraging its abundant lands and villages.
Following the Peace of Apamea in 188 BC, Keramos, along with all of Caria, was given to Rhodes. An inscription reveals that after this date, Keramos formed a Sympoliteia agreement with another city, likely Stratonikeia. However, dissatisfied with this arrangement, the city sought assistance from Rhodes, and the individual who secured this aid was honored in the inscription.
Between 167-133 BC, Keramos allied with Rhodes, and in 129 BC, it was incorporated into the Roman province of Asia along with the rest of Caria. During the Roman war against King Mithridates of Pontus in 81 BC, Keramos supported Mithridates and was subsequently punished by being placed under the dominion of Stratonikeia following Rome's victory. The historical artifacts and remains found in Ören, predominantly from the Carian and Roman periods, along with numerous inscriptions, provide clear evidence of Roman rule over the ancient city.