Ancient Greek colony of Phocea

La ancient Greek colony of Phocea it was located in Asia Minor in what is now Turkey. Currently in that place is the city of Foça also called Eskifoça, in the Gulf of Smyrna.
The name of the city derives from the word seal, since that animal is the symbol of the city.
The colony of Phocea It was founded in the XNUMXth century BC, near the mouth of the current river Hermo Gediz.
Following the geographer Pausania says that Phocea was founded by the Phocians or Phocians under the leadership of Athens. They were originally from Phocis at the foot of Parnassus, and from there they passed to Asia Minor.
According to Herodotus, the Phoceans of Greece were the first Greeks who set out on long sea voyages and thus discovered the Adriatic Sea, and others.
He also affirmed that the Phocaeans became friends with King Argantonio and it was he who encouraged them to settle in the lands they preferred in their domains.
It was an important commercial port that maintained an intense trade with the western Mediterranean colonies, with Massalia, Nice, Corsica, Tartessos, Ampurias and Velia.
In 547 BC many of the Phocaeans from Asia Minor who fled from the Persian troops left for the western colonies and most settled in Alalia.
The Phocaeans were the first in the world to mint coins and they used it as money, they were made of electro, which is an alloy of silver and gold. In the British Museum there is a coin on display that has the image of a seal and is dated between 600 and 550 BC.