When we think about the ‘theory of evolution’ most of us automatically think of the 19th century biologist Charles Darwin and his amazing work, ‘The origin of species’, which was published in 1859. However, some 2400 years ago, before the birth of science, Anaximander, in the Ancient Greek city of Miletus was already pondering how humans and animals had evolved.

The Büyük Menderes (Great Meander) river in Türkiye begins its 382-mile-long journey from a spring in Dinar (ancient Phrygia), twisting and curving its way through the countryside until it reaches the Aegean Sea near the Ancient city of Miletus. It was a critical water source which had contributed to the development of many ancient civilisations, including Priene, Magnesia, Myus, Tripolis etc.

Timotheus, born in Miletus in 446 BCE, was an Ancient Greek musician and a poet. According to the World History Encyclopaedia, music played an important role during this era in Greece, where the melodies of many instruments were enjoyed. However, it is difficult to imagine that a “new age” of music had been developed, Timotheus had redeveloped the Lyre by adding more strings. Stringed instruments seem to have been favoured by ancient Greek artists because they allowed the performer to sing along to the music they created.