Söke

Modern Söke is identified with the ancient Greek city of Annaea ({{langx|grc|Ἄνναια, Ἄναια, Ἀναία}}) (also referred to as Anea, Anaea, Anaia or Annaia), which was named after the Amazon Anaea (Ἀναία). Later, it was also called Sokia ({{langx|el|Σώκια}}). As of 1920, the British were calling it Sokia.{{cite book|last=Prothero|first=G.W.|title=Anatolia|year=1920|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|location=London|page=101|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11766/view/1/101/}} Anaia is also the name of a titular see (Anaea) of the Catholic and Orthodox churches. From 1833 to 1922, it was the seat of the Diocese of Anea of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. After that date, the demographics of the population changed and Orthodox Christians declined in number in the area.

Settled for centuries before the Common Era, the region was called Aneon ({{langx|el|Ανέων}}) and was inhabited by Greeks.

Stephanus of Byzantium, quoting Ephorus, mention that the tomb of the amazon Anaea was at the city.{{cite book| last = Mary Bennett| first = Florence | title = Religious Cults Associated With the Amazons| url = http://www.sacred-texts.com/wmn/rca/rca02.htm| publisher = Forgotten Books |date= December 2007 | isbn = 978-1605063867}}

During the Peloponnesian War, some Samian exiles migrated there. In addition, Thucydides mentioned that there was a naval station, and it was near enough to annoy Samos.{{cite DGRG|title=Annaea or Anaea|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0064:entry=annaea-geo}}

In 1426 the city was captured by the Ottoman Empire under Murad II as the remaining capital of the Sanjak of Menteşe. From 1867 until 1922, Söke was part of the Aidin Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. After the First Balkan War, many Muslim refugees from the Balkans settled around this area.

According to the 1914 Ottoman population statistics, the district of Karaburun had a total population of 36.976, consisting of 20.028 Muslims, 16.720 Greeks, 133 Armenians, and 95 Jews.Kemal Karpat (1985), [https://kupdf.net/downloadFile/59e4a7b908bbc56144e653d7 Ottoman Population, 1830-1914, Demographic and Social Characteristics], The University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 174-175

In 18 May 1919, Italian troops landed at Söke. The Allies were afraid that the Italian landing might provoke trouble with the Greek troops, who were near Smyrna. Although Italy and Greece were allies during WWI, their relations were not good.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article62190230 |title=Greeks Displeased. |newspaper=The Register (Adelaide) |volume=LXXXIV |issue=22,640 |location=South Australia |date=2 June 1919 |access-date=5 July 2018 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

File:An autumn day in Doğanbey (49096617057).jpg]]

After the end of World War I, fighting continued in a power struggle after the break-up of the Ottoman Empire. In 1920, large Turkish and Arab forces were fighting against the occupying Italian forces.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128692475 |title=Nine Wars On: Vast Sums for Armament |newspaper=The World's News |issue=989 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 November 1920 |access-date=5 July 2018 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In April 1922 Italian troops were withdrawn and Greek troops entered the area.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223950654 |title=SOKIA OCCUPIED |newspaper=The Sun |issue=3581 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 April 1922 |access-date=5 July 2018 |page=8 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}} After the defeat of the Greek army in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), Greek troops was withdrawn, and Turkish troops entered in September 1922. Greek inhabitants of the area evacuated to Greece together with the Greek army or they were killed by the advancing Turkish troops.{{cite book| last = Kiminas| first = Demetrius | title = The Ecumenical Patriarchate: A History of Its Metropolitans with Annotated Hierarch Catalogs| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QLWqXrW2X-8C| publisher = Wildside Press|date= March 2009| page = 83| isbn = 978-1434458766}}

The Turkish resistance in the area was led by one Cafer Efe (Djafer Efe); a statue was erected later here to commemorate him.

During the Population exchange between Greece and Turkey in the 1920s, the Greek Christian population migrated to the Greek island of Crete and the Cretan Muslims moved here.

The district lies between the Aegean coast and the edge of the fertile alluvial plain of the Büyük Menderes River. Lake Bafa is to the south of the district. The plain contains much rich agricultural land; it is one of Turkey's largest cotton-growing areas and is also important for the commodities of wheat and flour. Other income comes from handicrafts, forestry, and fishing. Söke is Turkey's only exporter of culinary snails.

Söke is a large town in the centre of the Aegean region, and the market town is at the heart of an agricultural district. Although secondary to the nearby centres of tourism on the coast, Kuşadası, Didim and Bodrum, Söke does catch passing trade from the tourist visitors to the area, including visitors to the nearby historical site of Priene. There are a number of amenities on the highway for tourists passing through from İzmir airport to the coast, including restaurants, service stations, and outlet stores. The local cuisine includes çöp şiş (a shish kebab of small pieces of lamb) and pide (a flat bread pizza).

There are 49 neighbourhoods in Söke District:[https://www.e-icisleri.gov.tr/Anasayfa/MulkiIdariBolumleri.aspx Mahalle], Turkey Civil Administration Departments Inventory. Retrieved 12 July 2023.

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• Ağaçlı
• Akçakaya
• Akçakonak
• Argavlı
• Arslanyaylası
• Atatürk
• Atburgazı
• Avcılar
• Avşar
• Bağarası
• Bayırdamı
• Burunköy
• Çalıköy
• Çalışlı
• Çavdar
• Çeltikçi
• Cumhuriyet
• Demirçay
• Doğanbey
• Fevzipaşa
• Gölbent
• Güllübahçe
• Güneyyaka
• Güzeltepe
• Karaatlı
• Karacahayıt
• Karakaya
• Kaygıllı
• Kemalpaşa
• Kisir
• Konak
• Köprüalan
• Nalbantlar
• Özbaşı
• Pamukçular
• Sarıkemer
• Savuca
• Sayrakçı
• Sazlı
• Serçin
• Sofular
• Tuzburgazı
• Yamaç
• Yenicami
• Yenidoğan
• Yenikent
• Yeniköy
• Yeşilköy
• Yuvaca

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Söke has a history of mining lignite. During World War I, it was producing large amounts of lignite. The British described the quality as being "very poor." It was exported to Smyrna via train and used in factories.

• Priene - ancient ruins, {{convert|15|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from Söke

• Lake Bafa

{{Reflist}}

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• [http://www.soke.gov.tr Official website]
• [http://turkishtravelblog.com/soke-turkey-aegean-coast/ Soke – A Town On The Aegean Coast of Turkey]
• [http://turkishtravelblog.com/cop-sis-kebabs-soke-turkey/ About the famous Cop Sis kebab restaurants of Soke]

{{Districts of Turkey|provname=Aydın|image=Aydın|sortkey=Soke|}}

{{Söke District}}

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Category:Populated places in Aydın Province

Category:Districts of Aydın Province

Category:Metropolitan district municipalities in Turkey