This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Maroux (talk | contribs) at 10:09, 2 March 2004 (replaced image with identical one from "Turkey"). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 10:09, 2 March 2004 by Maroux (talk | contribs) (replaced image with identical one from "Turkey")(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Anatolia (Greek for east), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of continental Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey.
Because of its strategic location at the intersection of Asia and Europe, Anatolia has been a cradle for several civilizations since prehistoric ages, with early settlements such as Catalhoyuk.
Major civilizations and peoples that have settled in or conquered Anatolia include the Hattian, Hittites, Phrygians, Cimmerians, Lydians, Persians, Celts, Tubals, Meshechs, Greeks, Pelasgians, Armenians, Roman Empire, Goths, Kurds, Byzantine Empire, Seljuk Turks and Ottoman Empire.
While long being a blend of ethnic influences, historical Anatolia was largely a part of the European ethnic-sphere, whereas the Anatolia of today is primarily Turkic and Middle-Eastern in nature.