Pazaryeri

History

Several ancient Greek votives and inscriptions dedicated to Zeus Bronton and Apollon Phoibos have been found near the town, where he was heavily worshipped and a cult of them was present. A common cult of two gods was rare in the ancient world. An inscription dedicated to Demeter, one of only two surviving in the administrative district of Iznik (ancient Nicaea), was also found near the city. Although the name implies it, there is no record of Armenians living in the city. Armenokastron was one of the most important cities of the Bithynia theme. The modern town was built on this Byzantine settlement, or somewhere near. During the Turkish War of Independence Pazaryeri was completely destroyed by burning by the Greek Army during its advance inland in July 1921. However it suffered atrocities months before its complete destruction. A report of the Western Front Command of the Turkish Army dating 16 February 1921 stated that 24 people were murdered inside the town centre while 16 sheep and 10 goats were also among the casualties. On the 15th of April the 1st Infantry Division Command of the Turkish Army reported that 102 inhabitants were taken prisoners while 4 killed, 6 wounded and a woman raped by the Greek Army. During the burning, Turkish elderly inhabitants who could not flee the town were killed. Second-Lieutenant Pantelis Priniotakis describes the events on his diary dating to 13 July 1921 with the following words: The official result was that 644 buildings, the entire town was destroyed by the Greek Army.