Notion, a port city 50 km from Izmir and 15 km from Kolophon, is within the borders of today's Ahmetbeyli village. The Akropol, which is called as “Kale” by the local people today, is located on two hills. The temple, dedicated to Athena Polias - the main goddess of the city -, has a location on the western hill of the Akropol overviewing the city. According to Herodotus, Notion was an Aeolian city, and Aeolians were living in a city with fertile soil, but the region didn’t have a climate as favorable as in the Ionian cities. Like Kolophon, Notion was a member of the Attica-Delos sea union. The period of freedom and peace that came to Anatolia with Alexander the Great in the third quarter of the 4th century BC ended with his death in 323 BC. Since then, a very complex and bloody process started for the Hellenic cities in Anatolia. In the 3rd century BC, Kolophon and Notion formed a political union by making a common citizenship agreement. On the inscriptions dated to this period, the names of individuals living in Notion are frequently mentioned.

Notion came under the rule of Pergamon King Attalos I in 218 BC. Although the city was taken over by the Syrian King Antiochos III in 196 BC, it was captured back by the Pergamon King Eumenes II in 191 BC. With the Apemeian Peace Treaty (188 BC), special status had been granted to Notion because it took sides with Rome and Rome’s allies in the Magnesia war.

Although Notion was an independent city throughout its history, it seemed to be a part of Kolophon. For example, Notion was being called as “Kolophon on the Sea”, “New Kolophon” or “Kolophon in the South”, whereas the name of the city of Kolophon was known with some additions such as “old Kolophon” or “Kolophon in the North” to prevent the confusion between the names of the two citries.

Notion never introduced its own coin despite the fact that it became increasingly strong in terms of socio-economic status after the destruction of Kolophon. Considering the little amount of tax Notion had paid to Attica-Delos union and given that it didn’t have its own coin, Notion, at least until the Lysimakhos period, can be seen in a weaker socio-economic position in compare to Kolophon. The city was built in the Hellenistic period and was restored in the Roman period. Surrounding the Akropol of the city, the 4 km long city walls supported by the castle towers are built in Hellenistic period and restored in Roman times. As far as known today there are two gates of the city, both of them are leading to the port, as one is located in the north the other in the west and there is also a staircase entrance in the southeast corner of the wall.