History of the city

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History of the city

Alatsata is the name of the old city in Asia Minor, known as Alacati in modern Turkey. It is a city situated on the western coast of Asia Minor with almost exclusively Greek Orthodox Christian population. The town was founded in the middle of the 17th century by Greek immigrants. Towards the end of the 18th century the town had great economic, intellectual and cultural development and became one of the most important agricultural centres of western Asia Minor coast.

ADMINISTRATIVE CLASSIFICATION
Nahiyie of Alatsata (Township of Alatsata), Kaza of Tsesme (Subdivision of Cesme), Sancak of Smyrna (District of Smyrna), Vilayet of Aidinio (Province of Aydin).

HISTORIC AREA
Ionia

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Western coast of Asia Minor

OTHER NAMES
Alacati

The Name "Alatsata"

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

The original Greek text was translated by Mary Eliopoulou.

The name of the city formulated in the plural number and is considered to have its origin from the ancient Greek word als and alas (salt) – alata (salts)» in the Greek Demotic language a l a t i (salt) – a l a t i a (salts), which enunciate as Alatzata and Alatsata either due to Turkish alteration of the language (e.g. in Turkish, the word “kalderim” (meaning cobbled road - originated from the Greek kallidromon) or according to a Greek dialect.[1]

3. The History

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

The ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo ((63 BC - 21 AD) in his “ Geographica” writes about this region: «Then Korykos a high mountain and a port named «Kasystis» and another port called Erythras”, specifically, “Korykos” the mountain Koraka (Cape Koraka in Turkish Koraka Burnu), “Kasystis” the port of Salpitza or Mersini and Erythras’s harbour, Agrilia Bay. Thus the connection of this region to the ancient Erythrae is directly historical.

4. Administration

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

The Governor of the Nahiyah of Alatsata was appointed by the Ottoman government baring the rank of "Mountouri" and was under the command a "Tsaousi" and five "zaptiedes" (policemen).

7. Religion

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

7. Religion

7.1. The Religious Zeal

One of the characteristic elements which distinguished Alatsata it was the religious zeal of the inhabitants. All Alatsatians were raised in this atmosphere of the reverential devotion to the divine.

After 1922

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati, The original Greek text was translated by Mary Eliopoulou

A great number of Alatsatean refugees were settled in Greece, in Attica, Euboea, Crete, Chios, Lesvos, Samos, Thessaloniki and in Agrinion.

2. The Anthropogeography

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

Translated by: Mary Eliopoulou & Cynthia Alex Mitara

Alatsata (in Turkish language Alaçati) located in the western part of Ionic or Erythrean peninsula, opposite the island of Chios, within a distance of 10 km southwest of Tsesme and 70 km southeast of Smyrna.

Economy

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

6. Economy

6.1 Agricultural production

Main source of income for almost all residents was the production of raisins for export to central Europe.Karl von Scherzer the Austro-Hungarian consul in Smyrna, in 1873 writes in his book that the entire annual output of Cesme province was about 14,500 tones. The export took place to the ports of Trieste, Bremen, Hamburg, Marseilles, Cardiff and Amsterdam. It is significant that until 1922 does not exist in Alatsata family who has not even a farm with vineyard.

5. Social Structure

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati 5. Social structure Factors that contributed to the formation of informal groups that were breaking the cohesion of the social body were: the specific origin of immigrants who settled in Alatsata, The family history (noble birth), the professional activity that characterizes the economic situation, and finally the education.
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Education & Culture

Author: Marianna Mastrostamati

Community’s concern for education, training and employment in Alatsata had developed already since the late 18th century. The first community school was established in the early 19th century.