Aegean area (5)
I believe the answer is:
ionia
'aegean area' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ionia that I've seen before include "Greek area of Asia Minor" , "Aegean region which gives its name to the adjacent sea" , "East coast of the Aegean in Classical times" , "where Greeks settled" , "Old territory" .)