Visiting Professor at the Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy. Associate Professor of Ancient History at the Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. Corresponding Member of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) in Berlin, Germany. Some of research focuses are: Ancient Medicine; Historical Geography of Western Asia Minor; Municipal History of Pergamon; the Hellenistic Kingdoms (esp. the Attalids); Asia Minor under the Roman Republic. Address: Università degli Studi del Salento, Dipartimento di Beni Culturali, Via Dalmazio Birago 64, 73100, Lecce (LE), Italia.
Smyrna/İzmir Kazı ve Araştırmaları II [Smyrna/Izmir Excavation and Research II), 2017
The importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health, besides its commercial and cultural signifi... more The importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health, besides its commercial and cultural significance, is not sufficiently highlighted in the existing academic studies. The ancient literary sources as well as epigraphic and numismatic data, however, contain valuable information on this subject. According to many ancient authors by the establishment of a medical school at the beginning of the 1st century BC at Smyrna by Hikesios who was an eminent physician of his time the city became an important center of medical education. The ancient literary sources and the epigraphical data prove that even after Hikesios many prominent physicians continued to exist in the city. In the middle of the 2nd century AD the famous physician Galen of Pergamon too resided in Smyrna in order to get a medical education. Galen’s writings about the physicians from different medical schools were important evidences on the liveliness of the education of medicine in the city. In the same period with Galen the famous orator Aelius Aristides a citizen of the city, was also frequently in Smyrna. From the works of Aristides which contains his deeds in seeking remedies for his diseases it is well understood how important the various cults apart from the professional physicians for the people who seeking health. The significance of the health-related cults is also supported by the epigraphic and numismatic evidences from Smyrna. In the Roman imperial period beside the professional physicians and the healing cults, magicians and the Christian church also should be considered as significant factors of healing in the city. The purpose of this chapter is to reveal the importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health by discussing evidence from the sources.
Roma Cumhuriyeti’nin İtalya’daki bir kent-devletinden Akdeniz imparatorluğuna dönüşme süreci, Ant... more Roma Cumhuriyeti’nin İtalya’daki bir kent-devletinden Akdeniz imparatorluğuna dönüşme süreci, Antik Çağ’dan itibaren birçok araştırmacı için ilgi çekici bir konu olmuştur. Bu süreçte Roma’nın Hellenistik dünya ile olan ilişkileri bilhassa önemlidir. Roma’nın aralarında siyasal, sosyal, ekonomik çıkar ilişkileri ya da düşmanlıklar bulunan krallıklar, yerel hanedanlar, kent birlikleri ve kent devletlerinin bulunduğu Hellenistik dünya ile –dolayısıyla Anadolu ile– gerçek anlamda teması İ.Ö. 3. yüzyıl sonlarında başlamıştır. Bu dönemden itibaren Hellenistik dünyanın Roma egemenliğine girme süreci de başlamıştır.
Yeni epigrafik belgelerin yayınlanması ve bunlar üzerinden yapılan tartışmalar Anadolu’da doğrudan Roma egemenliğinin erken dönemi ile ilgili bilinenlerin yeniden ele alınması gerekliliğini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yazarın doktora tezi olan bu kitap Attalos’un vasiyetinden I. Mithridates Savaşı’nın başlamasına kadar olan süreçte Roma’nın Anadolu politikasını, Anadolu’daki kentler ve krallıklar ile olan ilişkilerini ve Roma iç politikasındaki gelişmelerin bu ilişkilere yansımalarını yeni kanıtlar ve tartışmalar ışığında değerlendirmektedir.
A systematic interdisciplinary approach based on the socio-ecological model of the Vienna school ... more A systematic interdisciplinary approach based on the socio-ecological model of the Vienna school has been adopted to achieve a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the ancient metropolis of Pergamon (western Anatolia) and its micro-region. The city of Pergamon ranks among the 'guiding fossils' of urban culture in antiquity. We describe how the socio-ecological model is subject to adaptation and discussion to fit the needs and circumstances of archaeology. In focussing on geomorphodynamics, we use several approaches to conceptualise and model selected aspects of humanenvironment interactions, integrating data from physical geography, archaeology, building archaeology (Bauforschung) and ancient history. The model includes several dimensions of the social metabolism of Pergamon, first and foremost the carrying capacity of the environment and demographics, comprising population increase and labour as an active investment in nature. Geomorphodynamics are regarded as major 'events' in the model, related to the social metabolism (e.g. increased erosion/deposition in the micro-region in relation to urban sprawl). With the social-ecological model, it is possible-and becomes imperative-to include the perception and representation of human-environment interactions manifested in, for example, administrative patterns and religious practices or architecture and built infrastructure (such as terraces, riverbank stabilisation, substraction terraces and substraction bridges). Geomorphodynamics also involve various aspects of the perception of the environment, though these are not recorded in ancient texts on Pergamon known to date. Concurrently, the importance of the model in organising, structuring, and communicating interdisciplinary collaboration and discourse is highlighted.
Geographical depictions in ancient texts are often personal, biased, subjective, and sometimes im... more Geographical depictions in ancient texts are often personal, biased, subjective, and sometimes imaginative. Therefore, the concept of geosophy coined by J. Kirtland Wright is important in terms of examining the geographical narratives and expressions in historical texts. According to him, geosophy is the study of geographical information in all respects and covers both true and false geographical ideas of all manner of people. Hence, Wright emphasizes that intuitive, imaginative and subjective thoughts are also valuable in geographical perception and should be taken into consideration. Examining all kinds of information related to the geographical perception in the texts from past to present brings the concept of geosophy closer to history as a discipline. In this study, physiognomic and geographical definitions of Aelius Aristeides, an orator and sophist of the 2nd century CE, about Pergamon, which is the most important ancient settlement of Kaikos Valley, and its surroundings are examined in terms of geosophical subjectivity and imagining categories. Thus, it is revealed that the examination of the narratives of ancient texts on terrestrial space from the geosophical point of view can offer new perspectives in studies on ancient history and historical geography.
The Kozak plateau, which is the western extension of the Madra Mountains, is surrounded by the co... more The Kozak plateau, which is the western extension of the Madra Mountains, is surrounded by the coastal plains extending along the Aegean Sea from the north and west, and the Bakırçay Plain from the south. There is no comprehensive study that directly deals with the ancient period of the Kozak plateau. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ancient toponyms of the Kozak plateau, the old road routes passing through it and the natural resources of this mountainous region from a holistic and diachronic perspective. Moreover, a new proposal is put forward for the ancient name of the plateau. In antiquity the coastal plains bordered the plateau from the west were the peraia of Mytilene. The principal settlement of the Bakırçay (Kaikos) plain in the south was Pergamon. Therefore, the necessity of evaluating the ancient history of the Kozak plateau in the context of the economic interests of these two cities in the region is also emphasized.
Auch die Arbeiten der Pergamongrabung waren im Jahr 2020 von den Auswirkungen der globalen Covid1... more Auch die Arbeiten der Pergamongrabung waren im Jahr 2020 von den Auswirkungen der globalen Covid19-Pandemie betroffen. Um die Personendichte in den Unterkünften und an den Arbeitsplätzen möglichst gering zu halten, konnten mehrere Teilprojekte nicht in vollem Umfang durchgeführt werden. Unter Anwendung eines auf die spezifischen Arbeitsbedingungen von Ausgrabungen und Surveys ausgerichteten Hygienekonzeptes war es jedoch möglich, die Kampagne in wesentlichen Bereichen und vor allem ohne Krankheitsfälle durchzuführen.
The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographi... more The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographic but also an administrative, economic and socio-cultural unit since the antiquity. Pergamon was located in the center of the road system in the Kaikos Valley since the Hellenistic period with its emergence as a capital and metropolis in the western part of the basin. This article aims to reveal the road system of the Kaikos Basin from Antiquity to the Byzantine period discussing the available literary, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The settlements on the roads, the ports which routes are connected to, fortresses controlling the roads, bridges that cross the rivers are referred as the most important elements in understanding the road system in the basin. How the routes were shaped according to the topography of the valley; which routes and accordingly which settlements were getting more important in some periods; how important is determining the routes in discussions about the localization of some settlements are the main issues to be discussed in this article.
VIII. Uluslararası Afyonkarahisar Araştırmaları Sempozyumu Bildiri Kitabı (5-7 Nisan 2018), 2018
The city of Synnada whose remains are located in modern Şuhut district in the Afyonkarahisar prov... more The city of Synnada whose remains are located in modern Şuhut district in the Afyonkarahisar province was politically and economically one of the main settlements of Phrygia with its important location on the main routes. There is no clear evidence that the settlement at Synnada goes back to the pre-Hellenistic period. Historical records, however, indicate that Synnada is one of the oldest Hellenistic colonies in Asia Minor. The city, presumably founded by Antigonos Monophtalmos, one of the successors of Alexander the Great, after the domination of Seleucid and Pergamene kingdoms finally became part of the Roman province of Asia. With the beginning of the large-scale operation of the marble quarries at Dokimeion, within the administrative district (conventus) in the city, in the Roman period, marble trade became the main element in the economic life of Synnada. The marbles sent from Synnada to Ephesos by land were transported to Rome by sea. Epigraphic evidence indicates that the city was a member of the Panhellenion, which was founded by the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) and Athens was at the center. Synnada was the capital of the province of Phrygia Salutaris since the 4th century AD and continues to be called “Synada” in the Late Ancient and Byzantine sources. The aim of this paper is to reveal the political, social and economic history of Synnada from the Hellenistic to the Late Ancient Period in the light of the available literary, epigraphic and numismatic evidence.
Pamphylia was included in the province of Asia since its foundation in 129 BC on the territory of... more Pamphylia was included in the province of Asia since its foundation in 129 BC on the territory of the Attalid Kingdom by the testament of Attalos III of Pergamon. According to the lex de provinciis praetoriis issued in 100 BC, however, the province of Cilicia was established on the southern shore of Asia Minor by the separation of Pamphylia –and probably some of its adjacent regions– from the province of Asia. P. Servilius Vatia, who was among the governors of Cilicia after the First Mithridatic War, conducted a large-scale naval expedition against the pirates in the first two years of his five-year tenure (i.e. in 78–77 BC) in the western part of his province. On this expedition Servilius captured the settlements Olympos and Phaselis, which were ruled by the pirate chieftain Zeniketes. After this naval expedition, Servilius Vatia conducted land operations in Isauria until 74, when he left his province and finally obtained the agnomen of Isauricus. Many modern scholars assume that Olympos and Phaselis were outside of the Cilician province and accordingly define Servilius Vatia’s naval campaign as a conquest. New epigraphic evidence, however, has revealed that these cities may have been included in the province since its establishment. This paper aims to reconsider the naval expedition of Servilius Isauricus in Western Pamphylia by evaluating the information in the ancient literary sources in light of the new epigraphic data.
The remains of the ancient settlement of Taouion (Lat. Tavium) are located in the village of Büyü... more The remains of the ancient settlement of Taouion (Lat. Tavium) are located in the village of Büyüknefes, approximately 25 km linear distance west of modern Yozgat. Although historical records indicate that Taouion was founded by the Trokmoi tribe of the Galatians who settled in the region in the Hellenistic period, but it is thought that the settlement dates back to the Hittite period. Taouion, being located in the eastern part of the region known as Galatia from the Hellenistic period, with its location at the junction of many main routes was not only a fortified settlement which controlled these routes strategically, but also the most important production and market place in its region. The most important routes connecting the settlement to the surrounding regions lead to Ankyra (Ankara) in the west, Amaseia (Amasya), Neokaisareia (Niksar) and Komana Pontike (Gümenek) in the northeast, Sebasteia (Sivas) in the east and Mazaka/Kaisareia (Kayseri) in the southeast. Because of the sanctuary where the cult of Zeus Taouianos (Lat. Iupiter Tavianus) was located, the settlement was also the religious center of the surrounding region. Taouion obtained city status around 21 B.C. immediately after the establishment of the Roman province of Galatia (provincia Galatia). Epigraphic and numismatic evidence indicates that the city preserved its political, social and economic significance throughout the Roman Imperial period. It is understood that the city which is often referred as Tabia (Tavia) in Late Ancient and Byzantine sources has a church organization from the Early Christian period. The city was listed as a bishopric in the lists called Notitiae Episcopatuum which shows the hierarchical order of the archbishops and bishops attached to the Eastern Church and the bishops of the city were attested in the council records. The aim of this paper is to reveal the political, social and economic structure of Taouion from the Hellenistic to the Late Ancient Period in the light of the available literary, epigraphical and numismatic evidence.
Today the ruins of Apollonis are located on the locality called Konurca Kalesi, 2 km north of Mec... more Today the ruins of Apollonis are located on the locality called Konurca Kalesi, 2 km north of Mecidiye/Palamut village in the district of Akhisar in Manisa Province. The city, which named after the Attalid queen Apollonis of Kyzikos, the wife of Attalos I and the mother of Eumenes II and Attalos II, was founded by a synoikismos under Eumenes II (197 – 159 B.C.). The available epigraphic and numismatic evidence indicate that the Macedonian colonists, whose presence in the region is well known, were an essential element in the population of the newly established city. Accordingly, it is appropriate to call the city a Macedonian colony. It is well understood that the city preserved its Macedonian identity during the Roman Imperial Period. The mention of the city’s name in the sources related both to the revolt of Aristonikos and to the First Mithridatic War proves its strategic and military significance. Moreover, it is seen that the city was an important agricultural production center because of its fertile lands. Consequently, considering the political, social and economic history of Apollonis in the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. with a holistic perspective is quite important for elucidation of the Hellenistic period of Northeast Lydia and its close vicinity as well as understanding the Attalid and Seleucid colonization policies.
The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographi... more The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographic but also an administrative, economic and socio-cultural unit since the antiquity. Pergamon was located in the center of the road system in the Kaikos Valley since the Hellenistic period with its emergence as a capital and metropolis in the western part of the basin. This article aims to reveal the road system of the Kaikos Basin from Antiquity to the Byzantine period discussing the available literary, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The settlements on the roads, the ports which routes are connected to, fortresses controlling the roads, bridges that cross the rivers are referred as the most important elements in understanding the road system in the basin. How the routes were shaped according to the topography of the valley; which routes and accordingly which settlements were getting more important in some periods; how important is determining the routes in discussions about the localization of some settlements are the main issues to be discussed in this article.
The renowned Roman jurist, statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) after reaching... more The renowned Roman jurist, statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) after reaching the highest post in the Roman Republic, the consulate (63 BC) experienced serious problems in his political career. After his return from exile in 58 BC Cicero focused mostly upon his philosophical and literary works. Although it was customary for the appointment of an ex-consul to the provincial governorship, Cicero was quite surprised when his governorship came into question and he was very reluctant to take up this post while many others were eager to obtain such an office. Nevertheless, Cicero was appointed to the post of governorship of Cilicia with the rank of proconsul, holding office from July 51 to July of 50 BC. Cicero held the Cilician governorship in the late Republican period when corruption and misgovernment in the Roman provincial administration increased considerably, but during his tenure in office, he set an example of how a Roman governor should act. In addition to the political and military measures he took against both political unrest in his province and against the potential Parthian threat from outside the province, he also made some economic arrangements such as tax regulations. In this paper while discussing the Cilician governorship of Cicero as one of the leading political and intellectual figure of the late Roman Republican period, light is also cast upon the political and economic conditions in the province during his governorship.
Smyrna/İzmir Kazı ve Araştırmaları II [Smyrna/Izmir Excavation and Research II), 2017
The importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health, besides its commercial and cultural signifi... more The importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health, besides its commercial and cultural significance, is not sufficiently highlighted in the existing academic studies. The ancient literary sources as well as epigraphic and numismatic data, however, contain valuable information on this subject. According to many ancient authors by the establishment of a medical school at the beginning of the 1st century BC at Smyrna by Hikesios who was an eminent physician of his time the city became an important center of medical education. The ancient literary sources and the epigraphical data prove that even after Hikesios many prominent physicians continued to exist in the city. In the middle of the 2nd century AD the famous physician Galen of Pergamon too resided in Smyrna in order to get a medical education. Galen’s writings about the physicians from different medical schools were important evidences on the liveliness of the education of medicine in the city. In the same period with Galen the famous orator Aelius Aristides a citizen of the city, was also frequently in Smyrna. From the works of Aristides which contains his deeds in seeking remedies for his diseases it is well understood how important the various cults apart from the professional physicians for the people who seeking health. The significance of the health-related cults is also supported by the epigraphic and numismatic evidences from Smyrna. In the Roman imperial period beside the professional physicians and the healing cults, magicians and the Christian church also should be considered as significant factors of healing in the city. The purpose of this chapter is to reveal the importance of ancient Smyrna as a city of health by discussing evidence from the sources.
Roma Cumhuriyeti’nin İtalya’daki bir kent-devletinden Akdeniz imparatorluğuna dönüşme süreci, Ant... more Roma Cumhuriyeti’nin İtalya’daki bir kent-devletinden Akdeniz imparatorluğuna dönüşme süreci, Antik Çağ’dan itibaren birçok araştırmacı için ilgi çekici bir konu olmuştur. Bu süreçte Roma’nın Hellenistik dünya ile olan ilişkileri bilhassa önemlidir. Roma’nın aralarında siyasal, sosyal, ekonomik çıkar ilişkileri ya da düşmanlıklar bulunan krallıklar, yerel hanedanlar, kent birlikleri ve kent devletlerinin bulunduğu Hellenistik dünya ile –dolayısıyla Anadolu ile– gerçek anlamda teması İ.Ö. 3. yüzyıl sonlarında başlamıştır. Bu dönemden itibaren Hellenistik dünyanın Roma egemenliğine girme süreci de başlamıştır.
Yeni epigrafik belgelerin yayınlanması ve bunlar üzerinden yapılan tartışmalar Anadolu’da doğrudan Roma egemenliğinin erken dönemi ile ilgili bilinenlerin yeniden ele alınması gerekliliğini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yazarın doktora tezi olan bu kitap Attalos’un vasiyetinden I. Mithridates Savaşı’nın başlamasına kadar olan süreçte Roma’nın Anadolu politikasını, Anadolu’daki kentler ve krallıklar ile olan ilişkilerini ve Roma iç politikasındaki gelişmelerin bu ilişkilere yansımalarını yeni kanıtlar ve tartışmalar ışığında değerlendirmektedir.
A systematic interdisciplinary approach based on the socio-ecological model of the Vienna school ... more A systematic interdisciplinary approach based on the socio-ecological model of the Vienna school has been adopted to achieve a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the ancient metropolis of Pergamon (western Anatolia) and its micro-region. The city of Pergamon ranks among the 'guiding fossils' of urban culture in antiquity. We describe how the socio-ecological model is subject to adaptation and discussion to fit the needs and circumstances of archaeology. In focussing on geomorphodynamics, we use several approaches to conceptualise and model selected aspects of humanenvironment interactions, integrating data from physical geography, archaeology, building archaeology (Bauforschung) and ancient history. The model includes several dimensions of the social metabolism of Pergamon, first and foremost the carrying capacity of the environment and demographics, comprising population increase and labour as an active investment in nature. Geomorphodynamics are regarded as major 'events' in the model, related to the social metabolism (e.g. increased erosion/deposition in the micro-region in relation to urban sprawl). With the social-ecological model, it is possible-and becomes imperative-to include the perception and representation of human-environment interactions manifested in, for example, administrative patterns and religious practices or architecture and built infrastructure (such as terraces, riverbank stabilisation, substraction terraces and substraction bridges). Geomorphodynamics also involve various aspects of the perception of the environment, though these are not recorded in ancient texts on Pergamon known to date. Concurrently, the importance of the model in organising, structuring, and communicating interdisciplinary collaboration and discourse is highlighted.
Geographical depictions in ancient texts are often personal, biased, subjective, and sometimes im... more Geographical depictions in ancient texts are often personal, biased, subjective, and sometimes imaginative. Therefore, the concept of geosophy coined by J. Kirtland Wright is important in terms of examining the geographical narratives and expressions in historical texts. According to him, geosophy is the study of geographical information in all respects and covers both true and false geographical ideas of all manner of people. Hence, Wright emphasizes that intuitive, imaginative and subjective thoughts are also valuable in geographical perception and should be taken into consideration. Examining all kinds of information related to the geographical perception in the texts from past to present brings the concept of geosophy closer to history as a discipline. In this study, physiognomic and geographical definitions of Aelius Aristeides, an orator and sophist of the 2nd century CE, about Pergamon, which is the most important ancient settlement of Kaikos Valley, and its surroundings are examined in terms of geosophical subjectivity and imagining categories. Thus, it is revealed that the examination of the narratives of ancient texts on terrestrial space from the geosophical point of view can offer new perspectives in studies on ancient history and historical geography.
The Kozak plateau, which is the western extension of the Madra Mountains, is surrounded by the co... more The Kozak plateau, which is the western extension of the Madra Mountains, is surrounded by the coastal plains extending along the Aegean Sea from the north and west, and the Bakırçay Plain from the south. There is no comprehensive study that directly deals with the ancient period of the Kozak plateau. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ancient toponyms of the Kozak plateau, the old road routes passing through it and the natural resources of this mountainous region from a holistic and diachronic perspective. Moreover, a new proposal is put forward for the ancient name of the plateau. In antiquity the coastal plains bordered the plateau from the west were the peraia of Mytilene. The principal settlement of the Bakırçay (Kaikos) plain in the south was Pergamon. Therefore, the necessity of evaluating the ancient history of the Kozak plateau in the context of the economic interests of these two cities in the region is also emphasized.
Auch die Arbeiten der Pergamongrabung waren im Jahr 2020 von den Auswirkungen der globalen Covid1... more Auch die Arbeiten der Pergamongrabung waren im Jahr 2020 von den Auswirkungen der globalen Covid19-Pandemie betroffen. Um die Personendichte in den Unterkünften und an den Arbeitsplätzen möglichst gering zu halten, konnten mehrere Teilprojekte nicht in vollem Umfang durchgeführt werden. Unter Anwendung eines auf die spezifischen Arbeitsbedingungen von Ausgrabungen und Surveys ausgerichteten Hygienekonzeptes war es jedoch möglich, die Kampagne in wesentlichen Bereichen und vor allem ohne Krankheitsfälle durchzuführen.
The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographi... more The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographic but also an administrative, economic and socio-cultural unit since the antiquity. Pergamon was located in the center of the road system in the Kaikos Valley since the Hellenistic period with its emergence as a capital and metropolis in the western part of the basin. This article aims to reveal the road system of the Kaikos Basin from Antiquity to the Byzantine period discussing the available literary, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The settlements on the roads, the ports which routes are connected to, fortresses controlling the roads, bridges that cross the rivers are referred as the most important elements in understanding the road system in the basin. How the routes were shaped according to the topography of the valley; which routes and accordingly which settlements were getting more important in some periods; how important is determining the routes in discussions about the localization of some settlements are the main issues to be discussed in this article.
VIII. Uluslararası Afyonkarahisar Araştırmaları Sempozyumu Bildiri Kitabı (5-7 Nisan 2018), 2018
The city of Synnada whose remains are located in modern Şuhut district in the Afyonkarahisar prov... more The city of Synnada whose remains are located in modern Şuhut district in the Afyonkarahisar province was politically and economically one of the main settlements of Phrygia with its important location on the main routes. There is no clear evidence that the settlement at Synnada goes back to the pre-Hellenistic period. Historical records, however, indicate that Synnada is one of the oldest Hellenistic colonies in Asia Minor. The city, presumably founded by Antigonos Monophtalmos, one of the successors of Alexander the Great, after the domination of Seleucid and Pergamene kingdoms finally became part of the Roman province of Asia. With the beginning of the large-scale operation of the marble quarries at Dokimeion, within the administrative district (conventus) in the city, in the Roman period, marble trade became the main element in the economic life of Synnada. The marbles sent from Synnada to Ephesos by land were transported to Rome by sea. Epigraphic evidence indicates that the city was a member of the Panhellenion, which was founded by the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) and Athens was at the center. Synnada was the capital of the province of Phrygia Salutaris since the 4th century AD and continues to be called “Synada” in the Late Ancient and Byzantine sources. The aim of this paper is to reveal the political, social and economic history of Synnada from the Hellenistic to the Late Ancient Period in the light of the available literary, epigraphic and numismatic evidence.
Pamphylia was included in the province of Asia since its foundation in 129 BC on the territory of... more Pamphylia was included in the province of Asia since its foundation in 129 BC on the territory of the Attalid Kingdom by the testament of Attalos III of Pergamon. According to the lex de provinciis praetoriis issued in 100 BC, however, the province of Cilicia was established on the southern shore of Asia Minor by the separation of Pamphylia –and probably some of its adjacent regions– from the province of Asia. P. Servilius Vatia, who was among the governors of Cilicia after the First Mithridatic War, conducted a large-scale naval expedition against the pirates in the first two years of his five-year tenure (i.e. in 78–77 BC) in the western part of his province. On this expedition Servilius captured the settlements Olympos and Phaselis, which were ruled by the pirate chieftain Zeniketes. After this naval expedition, Servilius Vatia conducted land operations in Isauria until 74, when he left his province and finally obtained the agnomen of Isauricus. Many modern scholars assume that Olympos and Phaselis were outside of the Cilician province and accordingly define Servilius Vatia’s naval campaign as a conquest. New epigraphic evidence, however, has revealed that these cities may have been included in the province since its establishment. This paper aims to reconsider the naval expedition of Servilius Isauricus in Western Pamphylia by evaluating the information in the ancient literary sources in light of the new epigraphic data.
The remains of the ancient settlement of Taouion (Lat. Tavium) are located in the village of Büyü... more The remains of the ancient settlement of Taouion (Lat. Tavium) are located in the village of Büyüknefes, approximately 25 km linear distance west of modern Yozgat. Although historical records indicate that Taouion was founded by the Trokmoi tribe of the Galatians who settled in the region in the Hellenistic period, but it is thought that the settlement dates back to the Hittite period. Taouion, being located in the eastern part of the region known as Galatia from the Hellenistic period, with its location at the junction of many main routes was not only a fortified settlement which controlled these routes strategically, but also the most important production and market place in its region. The most important routes connecting the settlement to the surrounding regions lead to Ankyra (Ankara) in the west, Amaseia (Amasya), Neokaisareia (Niksar) and Komana Pontike (Gümenek) in the northeast, Sebasteia (Sivas) in the east and Mazaka/Kaisareia (Kayseri) in the southeast. Because of the sanctuary where the cult of Zeus Taouianos (Lat. Iupiter Tavianus) was located, the settlement was also the religious center of the surrounding region. Taouion obtained city status around 21 B.C. immediately after the establishment of the Roman province of Galatia (provincia Galatia). Epigraphic and numismatic evidence indicates that the city preserved its political, social and economic significance throughout the Roman Imperial period. It is understood that the city which is often referred as Tabia (Tavia) in Late Ancient and Byzantine sources has a church organization from the Early Christian period. The city was listed as a bishopric in the lists called Notitiae Episcopatuum which shows the hierarchical order of the archbishops and bishops attached to the Eastern Church and the bishops of the city were attested in the council records. The aim of this paper is to reveal the political, social and economic structure of Taouion from the Hellenistic to the Late Ancient Period in the light of the available literary, epigraphical and numismatic evidence.
Today the ruins of Apollonis are located on the locality called Konurca Kalesi, 2 km north of Mec... more Today the ruins of Apollonis are located on the locality called Konurca Kalesi, 2 km north of Mecidiye/Palamut village in the district of Akhisar in Manisa Province. The city, which named after the Attalid queen Apollonis of Kyzikos, the wife of Attalos I and the mother of Eumenes II and Attalos II, was founded by a synoikismos under Eumenes II (197 – 159 B.C.). The available epigraphic and numismatic evidence indicate that the Macedonian colonists, whose presence in the region is well known, were an essential element in the population of the newly established city. Accordingly, it is appropriate to call the city a Macedonian colony. It is well understood that the city preserved its Macedonian identity during the Roman Imperial Period. The mention of the city’s name in the sources related both to the revolt of Aristonikos and to the First Mithridatic War proves its strategic and military significance. Moreover, it is seen that the city was an important agricultural production center because of its fertile lands. Consequently, considering the political, social and economic history of Apollonis in the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. with a holistic perspective is quite important for elucidation of the Hellenistic period of Northeast Lydia and its close vicinity as well as understanding the Attalid and Seleucid colonization policies.
The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographi... more The basin which was formed by the Kaikos River, today Bakırçay, constitutes not only a topographic but also an administrative, economic and socio-cultural unit since the antiquity. Pergamon was located in the center of the road system in the Kaikos Valley since the Hellenistic period with its emergence as a capital and metropolis in the western part of the basin. This article aims to reveal the road system of the Kaikos Basin from Antiquity to the Byzantine period discussing the available literary, epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The settlements on the roads, the ports which routes are connected to, fortresses controlling the roads, bridges that cross the rivers are referred as the most important elements in understanding the road system in the basin. How the routes were shaped according to the topography of the valley; which routes and accordingly which settlements were getting more important in some periods; how important is determining the routes in discussions about the localization of some settlements are the main issues to be discussed in this article.
The renowned Roman jurist, statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) after reaching... more The renowned Roman jurist, statesman and orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) after reaching the highest post in the Roman Republic, the consulate (63 BC) experienced serious problems in his political career. After his return from exile in 58 BC Cicero focused mostly upon his philosophical and literary works. Although it was customary for the appointment of an ex-consul to the provincial governorship, Cicero was quite surprised when his governorship came into question and he was very reluctant to take up this post while many others were eager to obtain such an office. Nevertheless, Cicero was appointed to the post of governorship of Cilicia with the rank of proconsul, holding office from July 51 to July of 50 BC. Cicero held the Cilician governorship in the late Republican period when corruption and misgovernment in the Roman provincial administration increased considerably, but during his tenure in office, he set an example of how a Roman governor should act. In addition to the political and military measures he took against both political unrest in his province and against the potential Parthian threat from outside the province, he also made some economic arrangements such as tax regulations. In this paper while discussing the Cilician governorship of Cicero as one of the leading political and intellectual figure of the late Roman Republican period, light is also cast upon the political and economic conditions in the province during his governorship.
Smyrna/İzmir Kazı ve Araştırmaları I. Çalıştay Bildirileri, 2015
Smyrna was one of the foremost intellectual centers of the Roman World in the Second Century A.D.... more Smyrna was one of the foremost intellectual centers of the Roman World in the Second Century A.D. Many intellectuals like sophists, philosophers, orators, mathematicians and physicians have played an active role both in the political and cultural life in the city. Two prominent figures of them were the Mysian orator Aelius Aristides, who also can be called as “the most famous patient in the ancient world” and Galen of Pergamon, who was the one of the most famous physicians in history and also a philosopher. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the socio-political and socio-cultural life in the city through the works of Aristides and Galen.
Das obere Kaikostal (Bakırçay), in dem sich heutzutage größtenteils die Kırkağaç-Ebene erstreckt,... more Das obere Kaikostal (Bakırçay), in dem sich heutzutage größtenteils die Kırkağaç-Ebene erstreckt, mit seiner Lage an der Kreuzung der Hauptstraßen und deren fruchtbaren Boden, war in der hellenistischen Zeit für die herrschenden Mächte in der Region strategisch und wirtschaftlich sehr wichtig. Für die Seleukiden bedeutete die Hegemonie über die Region nicht nur die dort sich kreuzenden Verkehrswege zu kontrollieren, sondern auch Pergamon, das sich im niedrigen Kaikostal befindet, zu überwachen. Auch für die Attaliden war um die potenzielle Gefahr aus dem Osten verhindern zu können, die Region äußerst wichtig. Deshalb zielten die beiden Königshäuser darauf ab, das obere Kaikostal durch die Errichtung von Militärkolonien zu kontrollieren. In diesem Aufsatz werden die Gründer und Funktionen der Siedlungen nach den verfügbaren antiken literarischen, epigraphischen und numismatischen Quellen sowie den modernen Forschungen diskutiert.
Spread of piratical activities, which seen in the southern costs of Asia Minor during the first a... more Spread of piratical activities, which seen in the southern costs of Asia Minor during the first and second centuries B.C., is directly related to the eastern policy of Rome. Roman policies, in direction to weaken the Seleucids and especially Rhodes, which was actively fighting against piracy, have created a great vacuum of authority in the southern costs of Asia Minor. The expansion of piracy in accordance with the political situation in the region was not seen as a threat by Rome at first. In fact Rome, which urgently in the need of slaves during the midst of the 2nd century B.C. was supporting piracy indirectly by purchasing the slaves provided by pirates. The establishment of the province of Asia on the territory of the former Attalid kingdom, which was bequeathed to Rome by Attalos III, who died in 133 B.C, however, increased the political and economic importance of Anatolia for Rome. In parallel to the increasing importance of Anatolia, some military and political measures were taken by Rome against piracy. Consequently, after the military campaign of M. Antonius against pirates in 102 B.C., the province of Cilicia founded by the separation of the southern part of the Asia according to the Lex de Provinciis Praetoriis passed in 100 B.C. Although the governors of Cilicia, following M. Antonius, fought against piracy during next 35 years the piracy in the region could not prevented permanently. As a result of the expedition of Pompey against the pirates, who has granted extraordinary powers, in 67 B.C., the piracy in southern costs of Asia Minor eventually ceased to be a primary problem for Rome.
Phrygia and Lycaonia was not incorporated to the province of Asia, during its foundation (129-126... more Phrygia and Lycaonia was not incorporated to the province of Asia, during its foundation (129-126 B.C.), but handed over to kingdoms of Pontus and Cappadocia. Previously it is suggested that Mithridates V of Pontus died in 120 B.C. and Rome annexed Phrygia and Lycaonia between 119-116 B.C. But after reassessment of the available information, in the light of astronomical data in the Chinese sources, determination of the death Mithridates V was around 123/122 B.C. paved the way for suggesting more plausible scenario. In years of 123/122 B.C. the tribune Gaius Gracchus was politically at the peak of his power. His main objectives were provide political support against the Senate by strengthening the equestrians (equites) both in Rome and in the provinces, in order to enforce his agrarian law (lex agraria) which he has proposed to settle the problem of landless peasants, and raising funds for his law by increasing the income of the treasury. Accordingly with the annexation of Phrygia and Lycaonia towards the political objectives of Gracchus it was created more sources of income both for the publicans in the equestrian order, who has right to collect revenues in the province and for the treasury in Rome.
According to both historical and archaeological evidence, the Asklepieion of Pergamon was a sanct... more According to both historical and archaeological evidence, the Asklepieion of Pergamon was a sanctuary and medical center as old as the city itself. During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, the Asklepieion was included in the large-scale building program in the city. Existing epigraphic data reveal that the aristocracy of Pergamon played an active role in the construction program as it related to the Asklepieion. In addition, many people from the upper class who visited the Asklepieion either on pilgrimage or for medical purposes erected their statues and inscriptions there. The writings of Aelius Aristeides also indicate that many aristocratic and intellectual figures lived as an incubant in the sanctuary (he was among one of them). The works of Aristeides provide valuable information about the relation of the Pergamene elite to the sanctuary and the daily life of the aristocrats and intellectuals who lived as incubants therein. Besides Aristeides’ writings, other literary and archaeological evidence also proves that the Asklepieion of Pergamon was not only a place where Pergamene and imperial elite could receive physical healing but also a place of mental and spiritual well-being for the aristocratic and intellectual incubants who enjoyed the structure’s roofed colonnades, grove, Mouseion, theater, and library. The aim of this lecture is to represent this aspect of the Asklepieion of Pergamon besides its role as a medical center for the Graeco-Roman elite of the second century A.D. in light of exiting historical and archaeological data.
Histoire et archéologie d’Orient et d’Occident : méthodes et recherches actuelles Séminaire: «Géo... more Histoire et archéologie d’Orient et d’Occident : méthodes et recherches actuelles Séminaire: «Géographie historique et géoarchéologie»
Workshop: Geosophy organized by Ricarda Braun, Wolfgang Hamer and Daniel Knitter CRC 1266 “Scales of Transformation”, Kiel University, 26.-27.06.2019, 2019
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Yeni epigrafik belgelerin yayınlanması ve bunlar üzerinden yapılan tartışmalar Anadolu’da doğrudan Roma egemenliğinin erken dönemi ile ilgili bilinenlerin yeniden ele alınması gerekliliğini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yazarın doktora tezi olan bu kitap Attalos’un vasiyetinden I. Mithridates Savaşı’nın başlamasına kadar olan süreçte Roma’nın Anadolu politikasını, Anadolu’daki kentler ve krallıklar ile olan ilişkilerini ve Roma iç politikasındaki gelişmelerin bu ilişkilere yansımalarını yeni kanıtlar ve tartışmalar ışığında değerlendirmektedir.
Yeni epigrafik belgelerin yayınlanması ve bunlar üzerinden yapılan tartışmalar Anadolu’da doğrudan Roma egemenliğinin erken dönemi ile ilgili bilinenlerin yeniden ele alınması gerekliliğini ortaya çıkarmıştır. Yazarın doktora tezi olan bu kitap Attalos’un vasiyetinden I. Mithridates Savaşı’nın başlamasına kadar olan süreçte Roma’nın Anadolu politikasını, Anadolu’daki kentler ve krallıklar ile olan ilişkilerini ve Roma iç politikasındaki gelişmelerin bu ilişkilere yansımalarını yeni kanıtlar ve tartışmalar ışığında değerlendirmektedir.