Editing Priene (section)

=== Earliest cities ===
[[File:Priene colline colonne.jpg|thumb|The cliff side of the acropolis, with the Temple of Athena in the foreground]]
The city visible on the slopes and escarpment of [[Mycale]] was constructed according to plan entirely during the 4th century BCE. The original Priene had been a port city situated at the then mouth of the Maeander River. This location caused insuperable environmental difficulties, due to slow [[aggradation]] of the riverbed and [[progradation]] in the direction of the [[Aegean Sea]]. Typically the harbour would silt over, so that residents were living in pest-ridden swamps and marshes.

The Maeander flows through a slowly subsiding rift valley, creating a [[submergent coastline|drowned coastline]]. Human use of the previously forested slopes and valley removed trees and exposed soils to erosion. The sediments were progressively deposited in the trough at the mouth of the river, which migrated westward and more than compensated for the subsidence.

Physical remains of the original Priene have not yet been identified. It is believed they are likely to be buried under many feet of sediment. The top is now cultivated as valuable agricultural land. Knowledge of the average rate of progradation is the basis for estimating the location of the city, which was moved closer to the water again every few centuries in order to operate as a port.

The Greek city (there may have been unknown habitations of other ethnicities, as at [[Miletus]]) was founded by a colony from the ancient Greek city of [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]] in the vicinity of ancient [[Söke|Aneon]] at about 1000&nbsp;BCE. At about 700&nbsp;BCE a series of earthquakes were the catalyst to move the city to within {{convert|8|km}} of its 4th century BCE location. At about 500&nbsp;BCE, the city moved again to the port of Naulochos.<ref name=crouch199-200>Crouch (2004) pages 199-200.</ref>