Ancient Hellenic theatre, as a central element of the polis life, serves as the focal point of societal actions. The concept of the theatrical, however, is a phenomenon that extends far beyond Hellenic culture, predating the tangible manifestation of theatre by a considerable margin. Although the collective consciousness and ritual practices observed in the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages predate the emergence of Hellenic thought, they played a crucial role in the birth of theatre as a mental concept. The symbolic imagery, and ritual practices encountered in the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Ages, although predating Hellenic thought and the emergence of tragedy, serve a determinative function in the genesis of theatre as a mental concept. This interdisciplinary research aims to analyze the roots and developmental stages of ancient Hellenic theatre on a broad scale, without limiting it to the geography of Hellas. The study takes an approach that covers the early cognitive evolution and socio-cultural structuring of humanity. This will enable an understanding of the position of ancient Hellenic theatre within the broader context of human experience.
Abstract: The Phaselis Aqueduct, constructed in the IInd century AD to address the increaing population and water demands, stands as an advanced example of Roman engineering, contributing significantly to the social, economic, and public life of Phaselis. Designed to align with the city’s topography, the aqueduct transported water from distant sources, to the city, delivering it through two directional shifts to baths, fountains, an other public spaces. In the Late Antique Period, the aqueduct was adopted to the city’s evolving urban plan through various repairs and reinforcements, enabling its contiuned use. However, it gradually deteriorated due to eartquakes and changes in sea levels. The structural features of the Phaselis aqueduct, its technical details and its contribution to the city’s water transmission system have not been comprehensively documented due to partial investigations in the past. For this reason, a detailed documentation process was initiated and the relationship of its system to the structures in different parts of the city was examined through the provision of architectural and engineering documentation. Only limited sections of the aqueduct have survived to the present day, and the non-existing sections of the aqueduct have been reconstructed with their possible locations according to the data obtained.
Abstract: This study examines 12 copper alloy oil lamps in Demre Museum, which were identified as bronze due to the lack of chemical analysis. Three of the oil lamps (Cat. No. 1, Cat. No. 4 and Cat. No. 5) were found in mixed contexts during scientific archaeological excavations, while the other nine oil lamps entered the museum’s inventory through purchase or forced acquisition. Since there is no link between the lamps, the order of examination is based on the chronology provided by similar examples, which help to date the lamps. The oil lamps, which date from the IInd century BC to the Seljuk Period, were analyzed by considering the characteristic form features of the periods to which they belong; Cat. No. 6, Cat. No. 7, Cat. No. 8, Cat. No. 9 and Cat. No. 10 have been classified as “biconical-bodied lamps with crosses” due to their body structure and the crosses on the handle, in a group whose similar lamps were widely found between the Vth-VIIth centuries AD. In some cases, the other oil lamps analyzed are considered to be local designs that may have been inspired by terracotta contemporaries or predecessors.
Lucius Septimius Severus was the Roman emperor from 193 to 211 AD. His portraits have an important place in the propaganda activities of Septimius Severus. It is evident that the initial portrait type may have served to propagandise the notion of the subject’s strength and agility as a soldier. The subsequent portrait may have been used to promote the subject’s affiliation with the House of Antonines. The third portrait, on the other hand, may have been employed to suggest that the subject was the deity Serapis or an individual bearing a similar resemblance. Finally, the final portrait may have been utilised to convey the image of a more mature and experienced statesman. It is also known that Septimius Severus propagandised Hercules (Heracles). However, the armoured statue portrait found in the F2 Fountain (Nymphaeum) of Perge in 1968 may indicate that he was making a new kind of propaganda. Because here the emperor has a very different beard structure. His beard is divided into sections with a deep drill. This beard, which is quite dissolved and compartmentalised, essentially resembles the beard of river gods. With this armoured statue, which basically shows ‘Adoption’ type hair and facial features, both Adoptive and the emperor must have been propagandised as a strong soldier. However, with this extremely unique beard in the statue belonging to Fountain F2, Septimius Severus resembles a river god, and therefore, it may have been propagandised that he was a river god who brought water to the city or someone who resembled a river god.
Phaselis is located within the borders of Tekirova neighborhood of Kemer district. It is an important port city on the Mediterranean trade route. The ongoing excavations in the city reveal important features of the city. One of these excavations is being carried out on the main street connecting the southern harbor of the city with the central harbor where the trade function was intensively carried out. During the 2023 field season in the northern part of the main street, sewage systems were found under the summun dorsum (paving bloks) blocks of the main street of the city. The drainage system starts from the crepis in front of the western wall of the latrina and continues from north to south under the eastern crepidoma (stairs) to the central harbor and ends with a channel through which water flows into the sea. Four skeletons were recovered from the large bath channel during the drainage excavations. All of the individuals are adult males and exhibit similar physical characteristics. The location and morp-hological characteristics of the skeletons, together with the archaeological record, indicate that they cannot be con-sidered as burials. Furthermore, the detailed examination did not reveal any trauma-related lesions, thus ruling out a possible homicide scenario. The strongest hypothesis explanation for the case is that these individuals drowned during a failed escape attempt.
Abstract: A gastropod species characterised by bristles was observed at a depth of 6 m during a dive conducted in October 2022 in a rocky and gravelly area in Göynük town (coordinates 36°39’1.72′ N; 30°33’35.29′ E) in Phaselis territory. This gastropod, which has not been recorded in the region before, was identified as Monoplex parthenopeus (Salis Marschlins, 1793). This new species contributes to the marine biodiversity of the Gulf of Antalya.
This article introduces a total of six new inscriptions discovered in the Central, Söğüt, and Yenipazar districts of Bilecik Province. In antiquity, these districts were part of the territorium of Nicaea. These funerary inscriptions are important in that they introduce us to new names that were previously unknown in the region, and they are dated mainly to the IInd-IIIrd centuries AD, the Roman Imperial period. A number of names previously documented in Anatolia or Greece were documented for the first time in the territory of Nicaea. Among these are Antandros and Thetis. It is particularly noteworthy that the name Thetis, which is not very common, appears here. Therefore, this article contains important data on the demographic structure and onomastics of the region.
Zeus Bronton ist eine der wichtigsten Gottheiten, die im Gebiet von Dorylaion verehrt wurden. Die Ausbreitung des Kultes von dieser Region in verschiedene Gebiete Nordwest-Phrygiens und in das Gebiet des heutigen Bilecik in Bithynien lässt sich anhand der Inschriften nachvollziehen. Es gibt fast vierhundert Inschriften, die diesem Gott gewidmet sind, und es werden ständig neue Inschriften entdeckt. In diesem Artikel werden neue Inschriften zu Zeus Bronton vorgestellt, die sich entweder im Museum von Eskişehir oder in der Sammlung von Firuz Kanatlı befinden (s. Nr. 17 und 18, s. auch Anhang 6). Bei einigen handelt es sich um reine Votivsteine, bei anderen um Grabsteine, die auch Zeus Bronton geweiht wurden. Das Erscheinen von Zeus Bronton und anderen Gottheiten als Grabwächter auf einigen phrygischen Grabsteinen ist ein gut dokumentiertes Phänomen, das ausführlich untersucht wurde.
Mosaics were used for both visual and functional purposes in ancient times, whereas today they are mainly used for their visual impact. Mosaic tiles gives important information about the period they belong to. In addition to the history and art of the period, they also provide information about the aesthetic taste, status, education level of the person who made the flooring. In ancient sources, it is mentioned that mosaics are actually a status symbol. Beside this, there is information about the production process and techniques of mosaics. This article presents a comprehensive evaluation of floor coverings in Pamphylia, Cilicia and Northern Syria from the Hellenistic Period to the end of the IVth century AD. It builds on previous research and offers new insights. By emphasizing various points, the floors of each region were first examined within its own region. This study has revealed a number of key findings regarding the development of mosaic art in the coastline formed by the aforementioned regions. It has also identified the interaction of the mosaics in these regions and the impact this interaction has had on the floors. In addition, it has examined the influence of mosaic workshops and pattern catalogues on the floors, as well as the mosaic production techniques, architectural contexts in which the floors are located and the materials used in the floors.
Phaselis, located within the administrative boundaries of the Kemer District of Antalya Province, was founded on a promontory extending towards the sea on the eastern coast of the Teke Peninsula. The Phaselis Small Bath is one of the public buildings located on the main street between the north-south harbours in the city plan. The objective of this article is to analyse and interpret in conjunction with other examples from Eastern Mediterranean port cities the building, which was first identified as a bath by the director of Antalya Museum (head of the excavation) Kayhan Dörtlük in 1980. The initial studies conducted under the direction of Cevdet Bayburtluoğlu between 1981 and 1985 were subjected to analysis, and the architectural design of the building was re-documented utilising contemporary technologies. The position, typology and construction technique of the bath structure in Phaselis settlement archaeology was examined, and restitution proposals have been prepared with the intention of supporting the interpretation of the period characteristics of the bath structures by making use of digital archaeology.
The ancient city of Phaselis was located on important sea routes on the western littoral of Pamphylian Gulf; today the site lies within the Tekirova town of Kemer district in Antalya province.As of the Iron Age, the city stands out as an important coastal settlement with its three well-sheltered ports, breakwaters and lagoon, allowing anchoring of merchantmen.The city centre stretching across an area of about 10 hectares over three low hills between the Acropolis and the north settlement, its vast territory supplying the city and its ports and its location on a busy trade route all suggest that Phaselis had a considerable defence system.However, information on the defence system of the city has been limited and even the defensive structures of a city with such high trade capacity have not been satisfactorily documented.The present study deals with the structure called the Central Tower covered within the Phaselis Defence System Project that started in 2019.The Central Tower situated in the city centre dominating over the Southern Harbour has been investigated in detail and its place within the city's and region's defence has been endeavoured to be identified.
The tornado disaster in January 2019 in and around the Kemer district of Antalya province start and hit the Phaselis very hard and thousands of trees were broken and blown down. During this unfortunate disaster, dozens of trees around the Hellenistic Temple (?), the terrace walls of which are visible on the piedmont of the Hellenistic Acropolis on the northern slope of Phaselis toppled over. The roots of these fallen trees exposed terracotta material from a depth of 50 cm to 2 m. During the examinations started with a land survey over a quite broad area, thousands of broken and deficient terracotta pieces were found in an area of approximately 60 x 40 m. Among this material, roof tiles, pavement slabs, bricks, tableware, kitchenware, storage containers, amphorae, black-glazed pottery sherds, small finds and some production waste were found. According to preliminary investigations, these finds belong to the period from the mid V c. B.C. to the mid IV c. B.C. The area of the Hellenistic Temple (?) of Phaselis ancient city have been included in the investigation area for the first time and yielded tangible results about the earlier phases of the city which give importance to this study. Further, the finds vary in date and material an important issue. Another important issue are the traces of local production among the finds.
Parion, a colony founded on the Asiatic shore of the Propontis in the Troas Region, similar to most colony cities was founded on a cape overlooking trade routes and adjacent to a fertile hinterland and a water source. The water sources, the vitalizing rivers are of the utmost importance. Two rivers are known in Parion: the Hermotos and Rhesos. These two rivers which by granting the Parianoi water to drink and fish to eat along with providing fertile agricultural lands (through feeding the plains either by irrigation channels or in a natural manner) have directly effected and ensured life in Parion. This paper aims to re-establish the ancient knowledge regarding rivers as the source of the water required by the city by referring to ancient geographical and hydrographical information provided by ancient and modern sources for Parion as well as the ancient world.
