Temple dedicated to Zeus found in Izmir

Archaeologists have discovered a temple which was built in honor of Zeus, the main god of the ancient Greek mythology, in the ancient city of Metropolis located İzmir province’s Torbalı district.

According to a statement released by Sabancı Foundation, archaeologists completed their most recent work in the ancient city of Metropolis with contributions from the Ministry of Culture and the Tourism Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums, as Daily Sabah reports.

They discovered columns, an altar and a pedestal which indicate that ancient locals worshipped Zeus. The archaeologists also discovered that Zeus was previously referred to as “Krezimos” in the ancient city of Metropolis for the first time anywhere in the world.

As Hurriyet says, it is believed that Krezimos means “protective Zeus who brings abundance and wealth to Metropolis” since Krezimos, which is a unique title to Metropolis, is similar to the word “crescere,” meaning “to grow” or “cultivate” in Latin.