2. The name of Samandıra
There are several points of view with regards to the
Samandıra name.
According to Bilge Umar, Ida/Kaz mountain is the
name of a creek in the northwestern Anatolia where
Adra/Odra names swarmed the area.
Here, a derivation is seen in the name of Samothrake
(Sama-Odra-ka, meaning “Man of the Holy Mother or
Land of the Holy Mother”
3. The name of Samandıra
In reality Samandıra means
“ Man of the Sacred Mother
derivaed from the Sama-
(a)dra
As can be observed in many
other examples like
(Andrassos, Mondros etc.)
in the Hellenistic era, the
letter (n) is inserted into the
Adra part of the name.
4. The name of Samandıra
In a different source it is mentioned that the old name
of Samandıra is Damatrys.
The name of Damatrys originates from the Goddess of
Agriculture “Demeter”.
The emerald green foliage of the region and being
surrounded by the vast and fertile fields are presented
as the proof of the suitability of this name.
Some sources also describe that in the antique eras
there was a temple in Samandıra named as the
“Temple of the Demeter”.
6. Demeter
The Damatrys Palace during the East Roman
Empire Era in Samandıra
Damatrys Palace
A palace was constructed in Samandıra by the
Byzantium Emperor Tiberius II (578-582) and
Maurikios (582-602).
The Damatrys palace was a place for the purpose of
hunting and relaxation and as well as the last stop of
the emperors to spend the last night before entering
the capitol.
7. Demeter
The East Roman emperors Justinianus II.,
Philippikos, Leon VI. (philosopher) were amongst the
occupants of the Damatrys Palace.
During the times of the Leon VI,a communication
organization had been established.
This communication system was based on the expression
of the number of fires lit at night, which represented the
sentences much like the communication of American
Indians by smoke.
One of the telegraph communication stations which is
considered to be ancestor of the coded numbers, is in
Samandıra
8. The Ottoman- State Era in
Samandıra
We are certain that when it was 1043, the Pecenek
Turks were stationed at Samandıra with a military
force of 1500 soldiers during their campaign which was
initiated to overtake the Byzantium.
When the dates indicated 1296, a very violent
earthquake occurred in Istanbul.
This earthquake left the city of Istanbul in a shambles
and therefore the capitol was transferred to Samandıra
for a temporary period of time until it was
reconstructed.
9. The Ottoman- State Era in
Samandıra
From this point onwards, all of the Byzantium
historians are silent as if they unanimously agreed to
do so, because, the Ottoman raids could not be
prevented anymore and three months after the death
of the Emperor Andronikos II.
Paleologos who was fondly in love and most frequently
staying at the place, Samandıra was annexed to the
Ottoman lands. This was realized by the siege and
eventual conquest of the Aydos castle by the Ottoman
commander named Abdurrahmangazi who was
authorized by Orhangazi.
10. The Ottoman- State Era in
Samandıra
Thus the Ottoman boundaries expanded towards
Blacksea and Istanbul together with the other
conquests. Samandıra kept its characteristics of a
small village settlement at this time until the years of
the Republic without being subject to much site
development.
