This in-depth exploration of Ottoman Izmir is the first book to study a Mediterranean port city through an environmental historical lens. Onur İnal documents the development of this major Eastern Mediterranean port-city from small coastal town, to transport hub, to a gateway linking the river valleys of Western Anatolia to worldwide markets. Key to this evolution, he argues, was the relationship between a city and countryside which not only shared a common past, but fundamentally reshaped each other during the years of the late Ottoman Empire. Introducing a cast of both human and non-human historical actors, including camels, horses and micro-organisms, İnal demonstrates the transformative impact of their interaction on the city and its hinterlands. By proposing the 'gateway city' model, this rich analysis provides an alternative way to understand the creation of an integrated economic and ecological space in Western Anatolia.

‘This engaging study breathes life into Izmir’s rich history, inviting readers to savor the social and environmental aspects of this key port-city while exposing its regional significance. It is a welcome addition to Ottoman history and a valuable resource for anyone studying the historical dimensions of environment and empire.’

Andrea Duffy - Colorado State University

‘Onur İnal deftly recounts Izmir’s blossoming as a port city. He reveals how the sun-drenched slopes of its hinterland, fragrant with fig and grape, nurtured its growth and emanated its influence across the Mediterranean. A masterful exploration of the intricate dance between city and countryside.’

Faisal H. Husain - Penn State University

‘Izmir teems with life and possibility in this major new study. Onur İnal persuasively argues for viewing the late Ottoman city as an hourglass. Expansive trade with its all-important hinterland funnelled resources to the coast that then fanned out across Europe and the world, integrating Izmir into the nineteenth century’s globalizing currents and making it one of the most crucial entrepôts of the Eastern Mediterranean.’

Alan Mikhail - Yale University