Quite informtive and a bit long:
Asian and European, Greek and Turkish, Christian and Muslim – cannot be categorised. Even its name is of mixed origin. As Istanbul comes from the Greek eis teen polis, into the city, so Izmir comes from eis teen Smyrna, into Smyrna. Legendarily founded by ancient Greek colonists, Smyrna became one of the most brilliant of their cities in Anatolia, a nursery of mathematics. It was the largest and most Romanised of the cities of Asia Minor under the Romans, with many temples and a vast theatre, “the joy of Asia and the ornament of the Empire”. Saint Paul founded an early church there on his visit in 53-56 AD.

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2008/03/turkeys-global-city-third-golden-age.html