Herodotus refers to the city as Aigaiai, Polybius as Aigaieon, Tacitus Aegaeates, Plinius as Aegaeae, and in the coins minted by the city, Aigeaion, Aigaion and Aigeon were used. Herodotus (I.149) refers to the city as Aigaiai, Polybius (His. XXXIII.13) as Aigaieon, Tacitus (Tac.Ann. II.47) Aegaeates, Plinius (Nat.His., V.32) as Aegaeae, and in the coins minted by the city, Aigeaion, Aigaion and Aigeon were used. Other writers who mentioned the city, Strabon (XIII.3.5), Pseudo Skylaks (98) and Plinius (Nat. His., V.121) locate the city on the mountainous inner region.

The Aigai was derived from “αίγα” which means goat in ancient Greek. Ancient cities had been usually using a symbol of the city or an important product of their economy on their coins. On the bronze coins minted by the city of Aigai, the depiction of a goat was often used. Also, Aigai means goats in ancient Greek. The important place of livestock and industries based on animal products in Aigai’s economy was emphasized in the written ancient sources, too. Limited and insufficient pastures located in rough and rocky areas provide a more favorable environment for goat breeding. On the other hand, arable land is almost non-existent. Because of these conditions the main economic activity of the city was  animal husbandry. Without any doubt, all this information and the results of archaeological studies show that Aigai’s economy relied on animal husbandry since the foundation of the city. Aigai was under the control of the Seleucid Empire and Pergamon Kingdom in the Hellenistic Period (330- 30 BCE). There is information on how much tax will be charged from which product by Seleucid Empire in an inscription dated to this period. Fruit trees, sheep, and goat (lambs and goatlings were non-taxable) as well as beehives were among the taxable assets. Also, one leg of hunted animals such as pigs and deer were given to the royal treasury as tax. Aigai, whose main source of income was animal husbandry, especially goat breeding, has also produced and traded leather, textile, and bone products. Information contained in the books in the famous library in Pergamon (Bergama), capital of the Pergamon Kingdom, was one of the causes of the power of the kingdom. Another Hellenistic capital, Alexandria (Egypt) prevented Pergamon from reaching the papyrus plant, which was used as paper at that time, in order to maintain the importance of the library in Alexandria.

There upon, Pergamon began to use the parchment made of leather as paper. The people of Pergamon, who are known as the inventors of the parchment, must have obtained the parchment, or at least raw leather from Aigai. Most of the monumental structures of the city belong to the Hellenistic Period. The Agora Building, one of the city’s most important structures, is three stories high and 80 m long. Two Agora (public squares) are located on both sides of the Agora Building, which impresses its visitors with its grandeur. These squares were serving as both city squares and marketplaces. Agoras and Agora Building was the center of both trade and social life of the city. Trade was carried out, products were stored, and the quality and the accordance of products’ dimensions to the standards were controlled around these structures. The Agora Building contained shops on the ground floor, warehouses on the middle floor and a stoa on the top level which provided a shady area where social life took place. The circular structure in front of the Agora Building, located in the Lower Agora was used as meat-fish market (Macellum) in ancient times. Goat meat and eels caught from Kocaçay (Pythikos), flowing just west of the city, were sold. An inscription unearthed in the Aigai Council House (Bouleuterion) records that Aigai sent an envoy to the Roman Emperor to deliver their demand on the fixing of the tax taken from goat skin when the city was under the rule of the empire. This diplomatic move is quite daring for a rural such city as Aigai. This demand proves the importance of goat and goat skin as a source of income of the city. One of the most important sites excavated from the Roman Period is an Industrial Quarter dated to the 3rd century CE and named as “Insula 1” by the excavation team. It covers approximately 950 m2 and had a considerable area for its period. The Industrial Quarter provides very important data about the ancient economy and industrial production. Archaeological data suggests that several production activities took place in the city.

These production lines are generally based on processing of raw materials obtained from livestock.  Weaving loom parts and raw materials used for dye production unearthed during excavations indicates the importance of weaving for Aigai as a production branch. Urine accumulated in urinals formed from the bottom of jugs (amphora), was collected in a large container (pithos) stood on the corner of a public toilet (latrina) in the Industrial Quarter. The channel under the stone toilet seats carried the faeces to a septic pit. Industrial chemicals were very limited in the ancient times, and urine was used to clean wool in the textile industry. Urine and feces were used at different stages of the tanning process of leather. A large amount of marble waiting to be burned to produce lime, another substance used for tanning was found during excavations in the industrial quarter. Mills and mortars in various forms have been used for grinding oak acorns and raw materials of dye used in leather tanning, as well as to produce flour. Another production branch held in the Industrial Quarter is production of bone objects, which is also related to animal husbandry. Finished, semi-processed bone objects and production residues recovered in a cistern that lost its function and turned into a garbage pit prove the production in the quarter. Crushing equipment, pools, containers and amphorae used in the production and transportation of wine and olive oil also were found in the Demirkapı Sector, right next to Insula 1 (the Industrial District). A workshop in the Industrial Quarter distinguishes from the others with its meticulous workmanship. Stone benches were located for visitors to sit on both sides of this space. Marketing and trade related findings are unearthed in this place decorated with mosaics and marble coverings. Also, a marble bust of Hermes believed to be the protector god of the roads, passengers and merchants was found. All this information suggests that the place was an exhibition and sales hall connected to the Industrial Quarter. A blacksmiths workshop dated to 6th century BCE was detected below the 3rd century CE structures in the Industrial Quarter. This discovery shows that the Industrial Quarter of Aigai had a tradition that lasted for centuries. The doors of the workshops were blocked and the people working here left the quarter with their valuable goods and portable production equipment after the middle of the 3rd century CE. It is understood that Aigaians fled the city because of a sudden threat.

The date in question coincides with the period of Goth invasion of the western Anatolia. As it turns out, Aigaians escaped from the Goths, but they could not save the large herds of animals from these warrior peoples. The city lost its most important income and raw material source could not return its glorious days and remained empty for a long time. A Byzantine settlement was established in Aigai in 10th century CE, but the city was abandoned again in the 13th century BCE. The settlement has ended in the region until the Yörük Türkmens, who grazed their goat herds in the region where used to Aigaians grazed herds, have founded villages on the Yuntdağı.