Long arm of Ankara arm van Erdogan"). The term "long arm" typically signifies a far-reaching influence of something, as is the case in the idiom "long arm of the law". "Ankara" is a metonym for the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Turkish parliament) which is housed in the capital city of Ankara. Internationally, some of the earliest mentions of the term that caught on were regarding Turkish President Erdogan calling for the prosecution of a German and a Dutch comedian over their satirical portrayals of him. "Voice of America" referred to it as the "long arm of the Turkish State." Several outlets reported that
Ankara city center of Ankara belonged to the Hattic civilization which existed during the Bronze Age and was gradually absorbed c. 2000–1700 BC by the Indo-European Hittites. The city grew significantly in size and importance under the Phrygians starting around 1000 BC, and experienced a large expansion following the mass migration from Gordion, (the capital of Phrygia), after an earthquake which severely damaged that city around that time. In Phrygian tradition, King Midas was venerated as the founder of Ancyra, but Pausanias mentions that the city was actually far older, which accords with present archaeological knowledge. Phrygian rule was succeeded first