Alaşehir

Alaşehir (aˈɫaʃehiɾ) is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay (Cogamus in antiquity), at the foot of the Bozdağ Mountain (Mount Tmolus in antiquity). The town is connected to İzmir by a railway. Founded in antiquity as Philadelphia (Φιλαδέλφεια, i.e., "the city of him who loves his brother"), the town was known as such until it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1390. Alaşehir stands on elevated ground commanding the extensive and fertile plain of the Gediz River (Hermus in antiquity), presenting an imposing appearance when seen from a distance. It has about 45 mosques. There are small industries and a fair trade. From one of the mineral springs comes a heavily charged water popular around Turkey. Within Turkey, the city's name is synonymous with the dried Sultana raisins, although cultivation for the fresh fruit market, less labour-intensive than the dried fruit, has gained prominence in recent decades. As Philadelphia, Alaşehir was a highly important center in the Early Christian and Byzantine periods. It remained a strong center of Orthodox Christianity until the early 20th century, and remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. The Turkish name Alaşehir, which translates as "multicolored town," is first attested in the memoir of the 13th-century historian Ibn Bibi. The town was founded however by King Attalus II Philadelphus (159-138) of Pergamon with the Greek name "Philadelphia". According to numismatic evidence, Philadelphia was briefly given the Latin name "Neocaesarea" during the reigns of the Roman emperors Caligula (37-41) and Claudius (41-54). The town reverted to its original name Philadelphia after Claudius, but under Emperor Vespasian (69-79), the town used the Latin appellation Flavia to honor the imperial house (i.e. "Flavia Philadelphia"). The town remained known as Philadelphia until the Ottoman conquest in 1390.