The name Eskişehir literally means Old City inTurkish; indeed, the city was founded by thePhrygians in about 1000 BOT. Many Phrygian artifacts and sculptures can still be found in the city's archeological museum. There is also a museum of meerschaum stone, whose production remains still notable, used to make high quality meerschaum pipes. In the fourth century AD the city moved about ten km northeast, from Karacahisar to Şehirhöyük.
Whenever it was mentioned by ancient geographers, the city was described as one of the most beautiful inAnatolia.
As with many towns in Anatolia, Christianity arrived afterConstantine the Great made it the official religion of theRoman Empire. Beginning in the 4th century, records exist of bishops holding office in Eskişehir. The city was known as Dorylaeum in that period. One of these bishops, Eusebius, was heavily involved in shaping the evolving dogma of the church
