THE MAKING OF THE COMMERCIAL CENTER IN TIRE (14TH-16TH CENTURIES) (1)

Abstract

Today Tire is one of the administrative districts under the city of Izmir Located southeast of Izmir, it is situated on the southern edge of the Kucuk Menderes Plain and the northern fringe of the Gume Mountains (Figure 1). It is surrounded by the neighboring administrative districts of Bayindir to the north about 18 km away, Odemis to the northeast and east about 35 km away, and Selcuk to the west about 40 km away (Figure 2). The town is renowned for its lively traditional markets, particularly open air bazaars held once a week. Rich both in food products and in traditional handcrafts, these markets are still significant nodes of attraction in the region (2). This article reveals how the markets of Tire came on the scene back in the 14th 16th centuries. It sheds light on the making of the town's commercial center in the given periods that Correspond to two distinctive, yet consecutive eras of first the Aydmid Principality and next the Ottoman rule.