Edward Herbert Bunbury and David George Hogarth

“ With the advantage of a peculiarly fine climate, for which this part of Asia Minor has been famous in all ages, Ionia enjoyed the reputation in ancient times of being the most fertile of all the rich provinces of Asia Minor; and even in modern times, though very imperfectly cultivated, it produces abundance of fruit of all kinds, and the raisins and figs of Smyrna supply almost all the markets of Europe.
The colonies naturally became prosperous. Miletus especially was at an early period one of the most important commercial cities of Greece ”

“ From this time they passed under the dominion of the successive Macedonian rulers of Asia, but continued, with the exception of Miletus (q.v.) , to enjoy great prosperity both under these Greek dynasties and after they became part of the Roman province of Asia.
Ionia has laid the world under its debt not only by giving birth to a long roll of distinguished men of letters and science (see Ionian School of Philosophy) , but by originating the distinct school of art which prepared the way for the brilliant artistic development of Athens in the 5th century. ”

“ The victories of the Greeks during the great Persian war had the effect of enfranchizing their kinsmen on the other side of the Aegean; and the battle of Mycale (479 B.C.) , in which the defeat of the Persians was in great measure owing to the Ionians, secured their emancipation. ”