Smyrna (= myrrh) was an important city in Asia Minor, on the west coast of present-day Turkey. Location and economic significance. The city was located on the Aegean Sea, about 65 km north of Ephesus, in a powerful trading location on the Aegean Sea. She had a beautiful harbor, with a narrow mouth that was easily defensible and lockable in wartime. An important trade route ran to the east. After Ephesus, it was the second most important export center.