The history of the area Hatay,which habitat of different people and cultures was,begins with the Palaeolithikum.Since the Amanos mountains and the Amik became level with their natural wealth and the favorable climate,which offered best conditions for human life,the area often between neighbour trucks.The first inhabitants of Hatay were the Prototigris.They became in the 3. Millenium B.C. subjected by the Akkaden.Later in 2.Millenium B.C., was conquered the Amik level by the Hurritern.They belonged to the Kingdom of Yamhat,which with the capital Aleppo governed the entire level.Toward end 17 B.C. came the Heither on their conquest courses from Anatolien to Gaziantep and Hatay subjected these areas.



140 years rule of the Hethiter ended under the pressure one from the west sailor people.After the Hethiter Empire 1190 B.C. was completely splintered,the Hethitish Prince of the Amik level under the name Hatina united.The capital Kanula,today`s Catalhöyük,was thus the first political capital of the world.Htina could retain its independence up to the year 841 B.C. Afterwards began the rule of the Assyrer,which lasted up to the income of the area by the Perser.(538 B.C.) After 200 years rule of the Perser over completely Anatolien,lost the structure of the Persian property.

The victory Alexander D (356-323 B.C.) over the Perser King Dareios III Kodomannos (around 380-330 B.C.) with Issos in the year,the end of the Perser in Hatay means 333 B.C. Still today one can visit the ruins of Issos,where this fight caused,the turning point in the history of the Near East.After death Alexander D were divided the areas among its generals,conquered by it.One of thse generals,the governor from Babylon,Seleukos Ith Nikator (365-281 B.C.) won a battle with Issos in the year 311 B.C.against Antigonos,the entire eastern Mediterranean areas.It had been created in today`s Kapisuyu Samandagi a port which after it,Seleukia,was designated.The city experienced within a short time a large upswing and became one of the most important ports of the eastern Mediterranean area.Seleukos plan to shift the capital of its Kingdom from Babylon to Seleukia failed because of the strategically unfavorable situation of the city.It looked for a more suitable place.The small place Antigonia at the foot of the Silipius mountain and been because of the banks of the river Orontes(Asi),was characterised by its favorable situation for an easy defense,the leading,strategically and economically important roads,by a pleasant climate and by the place.After many discussions Antigonia suitably was found and in the year 300 B.C.put one solemnly the foundation-stone for the new capital.In honorable memory of its father Antiochos lent Seleukos of the city to the name Antiochia.According to the tradition with this ceremony a virgin named Emata is to have been sacrified in order to secure grace and the protection of the Gods for the city.



Antiochia grew up within a short time for the metropolis of the Orients and became center for administration,religion and economics.After the death of Nikator I the city suffered turbulent times because of the envy of its neighbours i.e the Percians,Egyptians and Romans.The continual internal Khaos as well as the devastating earthquake in the year 148 B.C. where the city was almost completely destroyed and extremely weakened.

In the year 83 B.C.the Armenian Tigranes conquered the city and added to his empire.

At the time of Antiochus XIII the last King of the Seleukos dynasty in the year 64 B.C. Cn.Pompeius Magnus conquered the area for the Imperium Romanum.Antiochia was raised to the site of the legate of the new created Roman province Syria.In order to dispose the population special rights were granted which should be stopped however,when the new government under Cn. Pompeius Magnus(Pompeji) had been established.The people lent expression to his displeasure.It came to riots,which alarmed Rome.Julius Caesar came from Rome to settle and spoke Roman right.Thereupon the granted rights were again used.Burgwall,Akropolis,Amphitheater,law courts,thermal baths and water pipelines and representative built became established.Beside Rome,Antiochia and Alexandria was one of the three largest cities of the world.All around the city was surrounded by walls more than only one administrative centre.It was the center of trade,religion and science in the Near East.Daphne was particularly famous with the temple of Diana,the unusual beauty of the landscape,as well as the palace and the private houses,which were considered as historical wonderworks of their time.There were most famous artists into the city,in which they created meaning works.Like today again,there were also mosaics which were world famous from Hatay.Despite a pulsating society came in the cosmopolitan Antiochia to bloody arguments under the population.Different religions and economic interests were background.Like a curse always recurring earthquakes over the city rested.With one of the six heavy earthquakes,250,000 inhabitants were killed.They were at the time of the outbreak in the hippodrom.

In the entire area of Hatay had at that time approximately 750,000 perhaps 800,000 humans spoken.Slaves and children were not taken in account as minor ones.The damage of the earthquakes did not only have to be overcome.Plague and large fires left greyful traces.A large fire in 71 A.D. fell the municipal library,temple and houses to the victim.Emperor Trajan(53-117 A.D.) arranged the reconstruction of the city and ordered the building 9 km of a long hydrodynamic tank between Harbiye and Antiochia.The establishment of Diana temple seems outstanding in Daphne,the today`s Harbiye.Antiochia won great importance for the trailers of the new faith teachings of Jesu.The city became after Jerusalem the largest center of the Christians.For Paulus Antiochia was starting point of its three large mission journeys.He had come here together with Barnabas.After the wondrous release of the Petrus by an angel(Apg 1-6),also this went after Antiochia and exercised the office for bishop.When meeting one another Paulus and Petrus in Antiochia,it came to an eclat between the two Apostel.(Gal 2.11) in July each year high dignitaries think of all religions the Apostel Petrus.

After the narration the Christian Community in Antiochia was confirmed by a document in Bible: " with the pursuit,which had developed because of Stephanus,the stragglers came until Phoenizien,Cyprus and Antiochia; but they announced the word only to the Jew.Some of them,from Cyprus and Zyrene originated,announced,as it to Antiochia came also the gospel of Jesus,the gentleman to the Greek.The hand of the gentleman was with them,and many became faithful and convert themselves to the gentleman.The message of it came the municipality Jerusalem to ears,and they sent Barnabas after Antiochia.When it arrived and saw the grace of God,it was pleased and admonished all to remain faith for the gentleman how they had planned it.Because it was fulfilled an exquisite man by the holy spirit and by faith.Thus,for the gentleman a considerable number was gained.Barnabas pulled after Taurus in order to visit Saulus.He found it and carried him forward also after Antiochia.There they worked with one another a full year in the municipality and informed a large number of humans.It was in Antiochia where the followers were called Christians for the first time.(Apg 11.19-26). The population of Antiochia which had a long tradition of Monotheismus let itself be won fast by the Christian religion.First secret meetings of the recent municipality took place in a cave,which today is used as a church called Saint Pierre and by the Vatikan was recognized as the oldest church of the world.Because of the large run the cave had to be extended and could then also be used as secret place.A huge tunnel system by the rock provided possibilities to escape.Saint Pierre is Pilgrim place of many Christians.

After the division of the Roman Empire 395 A.D.Hatay became a part of the East Roman Empire.After an earthquake it had its last prosperity under Justinian (527-65). In the year 538 the city had been conquered and sacked by the Sassanides,a Persian Dynasty under king Chrosau I.Justinian eliminated the damages and rebuilt the city as far as possible.From the city wall and the other buildings only a few traces kept(American excavations of 1932-39).A magnificient arcade extended in 6 km length between two gates.It seems possible that parts of these arcades were brought to Palmyra and again established there.From Roman Time come public baths,Nymphaeum,the Circus on the Orontes island,to which led five bridgesand the palace of Diokletian(284-305).Beside mosaics,small findings of Plastics and small art is to be referred to the famous statue of the Tyche of Antiochia.THwe city goddess she was worshipped.

In the year 639 A.D.Hatay was conquered by Mohammedian Arabs.Up to the Byzantine reconquest of the Syrian areas in the year 968 the rule over Hatay always changed between Arabs and Turks.The renewed rule of the Byzantines should take little bit more than hundred years.It was lost again with the conquest of the Selchuks in the Syrian area.Starting from year 1085 the Selchuks determined over the fate of the city Antiochia.

During the first crusade Antiochia attained new meaning on the parquet of world politics.On the way to the conquest of the holy city Jerusalem Antiochia had to be taken,in order to be able to continue the march to the south in security.

After nearly nine months of continuous siege the city was taken and settled in June 1098 by Christian army.The installation of a bishop should strengthen the moral of the Christians far from their home countries.As place of worship a mosque was redesigned.

Mohammedian armies tried again and again to take unsuccessfully the city.Mamelucs succeeded to conquer the city and 1260 it stood under Mongolian rule.1267 Antiochia were handed over into Turkish mamelucian hand.1516 Yavuz Sultan Selim conquered Antiochia during its Egypt campaign for the Osmanian Empire.

In the year 1918 to the contract of Mondros,Antiochia fell under French rule.In 1938 Antiochia were independent for a short time.In 1939 Antiochia was connected to Turkey.