Ayas is a port city-fortress in Cilicia of Western Armenia. It was named Ege or Egea. In the 2nd century it was named Adriana. The city experienced high development during the period of the Cilician Armenian state (XII-XIV). Being the estate of the Armenian kings, under the patronage of Rubinian and Hetumian, it became a major center of international trade and crafts. 

Contemporaries called it “the golden anchor of the Armenian state”,  “the harbor of the Armenian king”. Ayas was also the center of the Armenian kings. The palace of the Armenian king was located in a land fortress where officials lived. This is reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. In 1522 Ayas was conquered by the Ottoman Sultanate. Armenian life in Ayas became somewhat more active at the end of the XIX and  at the beginning of XX century. However, the Armenians of Ayas (about 2,000 people) were deported and most of them were exterminated in 1915 during the genocide of Armenian people.