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The History of Anatolia covers the civilizations, and states established in and around the Anatolia, a peninsula of Western Asia. It is also often called by the Latin name of Asia Minor.

Contents 1 Pre-Turkic Periods 1.1 Neolithic 1.2 Bronze Age 1.3 Iron Age 1.4 Hellenism 1.5 Middle Ages 2 Turkic Periods 2.1 Ottoman Empire 2.2 Modern 3 Timeline 4 See also

Because of its strategic location at the intersection of Asia and Europe, Anatolia has been a cradle for several civilizations since prehistoric ages, with Neolithic settlements such as Çatalhöyük (Pottery Neolithic), Çayönü (Pre-Pottery Neolithic A to pottery Neolithic), Nevali Cori (Pre-Pottery Neolithic B), Hacilar (Pottery Neolithic), Göbekli Tepe (Pre-Pottery Neolithic A) and Mersin. The settlement of Troy starts in the Neolithic and continues forward into the Iron Age.

Troy, Hittite Empire, Hayasa-Azzi, Colchians, Hattians, Kaskas

Through recorded history, Anatolians have spoken both Indo-European and Semitic languages, as well as many languages of uncertain affiliation. In fact, given the antiquity of the Indo-European Hittite and Luwian languages, some scholars have proposed Anatolia as the hypothetical center from which the Indo-European languages have radiated. Other authors have proposed an Anatolian origin for the Etruscans of ancient Italy.

Neo-Hittite, Urartu, Achaemenid dynasty,

Peoples who have settled in or conquered Anatolia during the Iron Age include the Phrygians, Lydians, Mushki, Cimmerians, Armenians, Persians, Tabals, Greeks, Lycians, Ionians, Cappadocians, Assyrians, Carians, the so-called Sea Peoples, Phoenicians, Jews, Romans

• Hellenism
• Seleucid Empire
• Roman Asia
• Roman Greece
• Galatia
• Armenian Kingdom

Byzantine Empire, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Sassanid Empire, Byzantine-Arab Wars, Seljuk Turks, Anatolian beyliks, Mongols, Ilkhanate

The conquest of Anatolia by Turkic peoples and the rise of the Seljuk Empire began in the 11th century. However, it was gradual. The complete Ottoman Empire conquest of Anatolia was finalized with the 1453 conquest of Constantinople/today: Istanbul.

Anatolia remained multi-ethnic until the early 20th century (see Rise of Nationalism under the Ottoman Empire). Its inhabitants belonged to many ethnicities such as Turks (Turkmens), Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, and Italians (particularly from Genoa and Venice).

It was also multi-religious with its inhabitants espousing many religious beliefs such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In particular, many Jews emigrated from Spain and Portugal, after the expulsion of Jews and Muslims during the 1492 Christian Reconquista of Spain. [1] [2] [3]

Main article: History of the Republic of Turkey

A population exchange, as result of the Treaty of Lausanne, between Turkey and Greece eliminated most Turks in what is now Greece and most Greeks in what is now Turkey. A significant Kurdish ethnic and linguistic minority exists in the south eastern regions, while Laz people and Georgians have a significant presence in the northeast.

• Timeline of Middle Eastern History