According the found documents in the Old Town of Izmir, the city, then called Smyrna , was founded within the first half of 3,000 BC, by Lelegs and Kalls, at the Tepekule, near the Bayrakli town. Various sources indicate King Tantalos of Erectides as the founder of the city. It is also told that, the king named the city through the Amazon princess with whom he married.

The city, which remained under the rule of Aiols through the 2000S BC, was then invaded by Ions and became one of the twelve famous Ionic Cities. It is said that the famous poet of the Iliad and Odysseia, Homeros lived in that Times. It is also known that the famous poet and historian swum in his childhood, in the crystal clear waters of Meles river.

The Ionic reign came to an end with the invasion of the Lidians, under the King Aliattes at the end of 7th Century BC. At the 4th Century BC, after the help of the city's people, Alexander the Great, ordered his generals Lysimachos and Antigon to re-found the city on the mountainside of Pagus (today's Kadifekale). After the death of Alexander, city was ruled by the Kingdom of Pergamon . And from 27 BC to 324 AD, Izmir was a part of the Roman Empire . The Agore, which ruins can be seen today at Namazgâh Quarter, is from that time period.

Izmir became a part of Byzantine Empire around 4 AD. The city was the scene of religious wars and conflicts during the expansion years of Christianity, and one of the 7 Churches of Apocalypse was founded here. Then the city was ruled by Arabs in 6th Century, by Seldjuk Turks in 11th Century and then, again by Byzantine Empire . At 1320 AD, one of the Turkish Seldjuk Lords, Gazi Umur Bey of Aydinoglus conquered the city and finally, at 1415, Sultan Çelebi Mehmet I added it into Ottoman Empire 's territory.

Izmir was invaded by enemy armies at 1919, after the WWI, and taken back by the Turkish Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal at September 9, 1922.

Izmir gained a special place as one of the three biggest city of Turkey during the Republican period. The city is unique with its development in educational and cultural/artistic areas as well as its business opportunity and employment power.