ancient Ionian Greek city, located about 20 miles west of Izmir (Smyrna) in modern Turkey. It was founded on the mainland near the base of the Erythraean peninsula; it became part of the Ionian Dodecapolis and was well known for its painted terra-cotta sarcophagi (6th century BC). Later, its inhabitants, alarmed by Persian encroachments, moved the city to an island 400 yards from the coast. Alexander the Great built a pier to connect the island to the mainland. During the 5th century BC, the city was controlled by Athens; it revolted in 412 and after a period of party strife became subject to Achaemenidian Persia (387 BC). The Romans incorporated it into the province of Asia. The philosopher Anaxagoras and Pericles' siege engineer Artemon were natives of Clazomenae.