Ulpia Topeiros. The Imperial Nomen Gentilicum in a city-title roman Thrace

This paper explores the reasons why ἡ Τοπειριτῶν πόλις obtained the Trajanic nomen gentilicium Οὐλπία in its title. The question arises since it appears on the municipal coin series minted for Topeiros at a particular moment in time, specifically in 212 AD. This coincides with an imperial visit which Caracalla and his mother Julia Domna paid in the city. The author argues that by using such propaganda gimmick, the local authority sought to attract the emperor’s attention to the privileges and most probably territorial extension granted byTrajan but later delayed by Hadrian. The lands in question had originally belonged to the neighboring city of Abdera. It appears that the town leaders of Topeiros succeeded, since an in scription dated to the reign of Maximinus Thrax (235-238) shows a vast extension of the municipality’s landhold eastwards.This paper explores the reasons why ἡ Τοπειριτῶν πόλις obtained the Trajanic nomen gentilicium Οὐλπία in its title. The question arises since it appears on the municipal coin series minted for Topeiros at a particular moment in time, specifically in 212 AD. This coincides with an imperial visit which Caracalla and his mother Julia Domna paid in the city. The author argues that by using such propaganda gimmick, the local authority sought to attract the emperor’s attention to the privileges and most probably territorial extension granted byTrajan but later delayed by Hadrian. The lands in question had originally belonged to the neighboring city of Abdera. It appears that the town leaders of Topeiros succeeded, since an in scription dated to the reign of Maximinus Thrax (235-238) shows a vast extension of the municipality’s landhold eastwards

The founder’s cult in Messambria Pontica

The article deals with the early history of the politeia Messambria Pontica through the prysm of the foundation myth and cult. The almost simultaneous establishment of the cult and myth to the historical founder and mythical eponumous hero-founder attested on the silver coinage of Messambria may refer to a certain need of a group of Messambrian society to present itself in a certain way at-home and abroad. The author elieves that this should be considered within the ethnic discourse between Ionians and Dorians

The Syrian influence over the Late Antique mosaics in Philippopolis, Thrace

The paper deals with mosaic pavements from Philippopolis, the capital of the Late antique province of Thrace, which are supposed to be made after Syrian influence or by masters from that region. Three main types of examples are studied: 1). variations of standard geometric schemes which are repeated; 2). variations of motifs which are close parallels and 3). repetition of similar figural images. The examples come either from Early Christian buildings or richly decorated private dwellings. Despite the similarities between the mosaics of Philippopolis and those in Syria, some discrepancies also appear. It seems that the ‘Syrian’ influence was transmitted indirectly via the metropolitan masters, i. e. those from Constantinople, by following the decoration of a building in the provincial capital or home city or by immigrants and realized by the local masters. The metropolitan influence in Thrace, however, was enormous and spread in two ways: by simply copying the decoration of what was in the metropolis by the local patrons and the elite in Thrace and second one - through special imperial policy. And this is clearly visible in the second half of 4th c. at the earliest, but mostly after the decision of Theodosius I to settle in Constantinople when all of a sudden, Thrace from a remote province became part of the hinterland of the metropolis

Trakya’daki Philippopolis ve Augusta Traiana’dan geç 4. - erken 5. yüzyıla tarihlenen mozaik döşemeler

The present paper deals with the mosaic pavements that embellished the public buildings, semi-public and private houses between the 80s of 4th c. and the first two decades of 5th c. in the two most important cities in late antique province of Thrace - Philippopolis and Augusta Traiana that are unearthed so far. This was a period of great significance for the mosaic development in both cities which though developed in different way until that time, were now united with the use of the full geometrization. Although already entered in the private mosaic pavements in Thrace in the time of the Tetrarchy, the full geometric composition did not receive wide acceptance in the aulae of the private houses and the figural compositions with real emblema or pseudo-emblem are persistent. The inclusion of the Christianity into the new imperial ideology in the time of Theodosius I and Arcadius and the establishment of the symphonia between the State and Church reflected on the importance of the Christian bishop, but also impacted on the stylistic development of the mosaic art in both cities with the abrupt abandonment of any other compositions and motifs than the geometric in order to avoid any link with the paganism and its art. The examples studied reveal that the full, ‘orthodox’ geometric composition and motifs, with humble colouring, were distributed in the private houses of the Christian clergy, while these geometric mosaics with the inclusion of few specific symbols – in the Christian basilicas, related to the liturgical need. It is without any doubt that the mosaic pavements in the Christian basilicas inspired the mosaic pavement decoration of the aulae of the elites in both cities since the middle of 5th c. onward and therefore the Christianity dominating the official and private culture. At last, but not at least are the figural compositions that with the inclusion of specific Christian symbols gained Christian connotation. The present study reveals the still underestimated importance of the mosaic pavements for the study of the development of the political process in Thrace in the Late antiquity and link them with specific historical events as it is attested also elsewhere.Bu makale, Trakya’nın şimdiye kadar ortaya çıkarılmış Geç Antik Çağ’daki en önemli iki kenti Philippopolis ve Augusta Traiana’da 80’li yıllarda bulunan ve 4. yüzyıl ile 5. yüzyılın ilk yirmi yılına tarihlenen kamu binaları ile yarı resmi ve özel konutları süsleyen mozaik döşemeleri ele almaktadır. Bu, o zamana kadar farklı şekillerde gelişmiş, ancak bahsi geçen dönemde tam geometrik motif kullanımı ile karakterize olan her iki şehirde de mozaik gelişimi için çok önemli bir dönemdir. Trakya’daki özel mozaik döşemelere Tetrarşi döneminden itibaren rastlanılmasına rağmen, tam geometrik kompozisyon özel evlerin aulalarında geniş kabul görmemiştir ve gerçek amblemli veya sahte amblemli figürlü kompozisyonlarla karşılaşılmaktadır. I. Theodosius ve Arcadius döneminde Hristiyanlığın yeni imparatorluk ideolojisine dahil edilmesi ve Devlet ile Kilise arasında uyumun sağlanması, Hristiyan piskoposunun önemini yansıttığı gibi, aynı zamanda paganizm ve sanatı ile herhangi bir bağlantıdan kaçınmak için geometrik ögeler dışındaki diğer kompozisyon ve motiflerin aniden terk edilmesiyle her iki şehirde de mozaik sanatının üslup gelişimi etkilenmiştir. İncelenen örnekler, mütevazı renklere sahip, tam, ‘ortodoks’ geometrik kompozisyon ve motiflerin Hristiyan din adamlarının özel evlerine dağıtıldığını, birkaç özel sembolün dahil edildiği bu geometrik mozaiklerin - litürjik bir gereksinim olarak Hristiyan bazilikalarında, Hristiyanlık ile ilgili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Hiç şüphe yok ki, Hristiyan bazilikalarındaki mozaik döşemeler, 5. yüzyılın ortalarından itibaren her iki şehirdeki seçkinlerin aulaelerinin mozaik döşeme süslemelerine ilham kaynağı olmuştur. Dolayısıyla resmi ve özel kültüre Hristiyanlık hakimdir. Sonuncusu ama en önemlisi de, belirli Hristiyan sembollerinin dahil edilmesiyle birlikte Hristiyan çağrışımı kazanan figürlü kompozisyonlardır. Bu çalışma, Geç Antik Çağ’da Trakya’daki siyasi sürecin gelişiminin incelenmesi için mozaik döşemelerin hala hafife alınan önemini ortaya koymakta ve başka yerlerde de kanıtlandığı gibi bunları belirli tarihsel olaylarla ilişkilendirmektedir

The Tribe Affiliation of the Romans in the Lower Danube

The article deals with the perception of the tribe Papiria in the nomenclature of the Roman civics in two Trajanic colonies in Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior—col(onia) Ulp(ia) Tra(iana) Rat(iariensium) and col(onia) Ulp(ia) Oescensium respectively. Although located close geographically and with a few common traits of their historical development, some discrepancies appeared in the topic which are discussed. The inscriptions provide, although scanty, some information on the tribe affiliation of the civic and religious colonial elite, augustales coloniae as well as the tribe affiliation as a part of a certain ornamenta. All this allows to establish the Roman tribe as an important social marker and for prestige in the Roman civic community, and can therefore serve in the Roman provinces as a sign of the progress of urbanization and Romanization. Certainly, the observations made are preliminary due to the scanty evidence available so far for various reasons

5. yüzyılın ikinci yarısında Trakya’daki hristiyan bazilikalarında Konstantinopolis litürjisinin mozaik döşemelere etkisi

The present article deals with changes that occurred in the arrangement of the mosaic floor decorations of two important basilicas located in the capitals of two provinces in Thrace – the Episcopal basilica at Philippopolis and the basilica at Herakleia, which are both dated to the second half of the 5th c. The study reveals that in these cases the changes were not a purely decorative issue with the introduction of a new trend in mosaic decoration. Instead, these were innovations that reflected the new importance of the areas marked by mosaic decoration, such as the ‘entrance’ in the atrium or narthex and the side aisles and their middle portions. It seems they were part of the introduction of the Constantinopolitan liturgy that emerged after the reassignment of Thrace to the jurisdiction of the Constantinopolitan church pursuant to canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical council at Chalcedon in 451. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, the new sites were marked by specific and clear Christians images. Dating to the second half of the 5th c., the Thracian examples are among the earliest so far attested and reveal the evolution of the Constantinopolitan liturgy before its completion, which is eventually attested in the monuments of the 6th c. in the capital and elsewhere.Bu makale, iki eyaletin başkentinde yer alan ve her ikisi de 5. yüzyılın ikinci yarısına tarihlenen Trakya’daki iki önemli bazilikanın, Philippopolis’teki Piskoposluk Bazilikası ve Heraklea’daki Bazilika’nın, mozaik zemin süslemelerinin düzenlenmesinde meydana gelen değişiklikleri ele almaktadır. Çalışma, bu durumlarda, mozaik süslemede yeni bir akımın ortaya çıkmasıyla birlikte değişikliklerin salt dekoratif bir mesele olmadığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bunun yerine, bu özellikler atrium veya narteksteki ‘giriş’ ve dış nefler ile bunların orta kısımları gibi mozaik bezeme ile işaretlenen alanların yeni önemini yansıtan yeniliklerdi. Görünüşe göre bunlar, 451’de Kalkedon’daki Dördüncü Ekümenik Konsil’in 28. kanonu uyarınca Trakya’nın Konstantinopolis kilisesinin yargı yetkisine yeniden verilmesinden sonra ortaya çıkan Konstantinopolis liturjisinin tanıtımının bir parçası gibi görünmektedir. Herhangi bir yanlış anlamadan kaçınmak için, yeni kentler belirli ve net Hristiyan sembolleri ile işaretlenmiştir. 5. yüzyılın ikinci yarısına tarihlenen Trakya örnekleri, şimdiye kadar onaylanmış en erken örnekler arasındadır. Bu örnekler Konstantinopolis liturjisinin tamamlanmadan önceki evrim sürecini ortaya koymaktadır ve bu süreç sonunda başkentte ve başka yerlerde 6. yüzyıla ait anıtlarda kanıtlanmıştır

Traian and the Danubian Provinces. The political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces, Zagreb, 15th - 17th November 2017.

The “Department of Archaeology“ of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb gladly hosted the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces in 2017. The Conference was organized with the support of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Archaeological Society, and the Croatian Science Foundation through the project 6505 Between the Danube and the Mediterranean. Exploring the role of Roman military in the mobility of people and goods in Croatia during the Roman Era. Since it was organized in Zagreb, the Conference remained in Pannonia, not far from Siscia, the capital of Pannonia Savia, and in the territory of the Res publica Andautoniensium. The main topic of the Conference was Traian and the Roman Danubian Provinces or, more specifically, the political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces.(from the Foreword)The “Department of Archaeology“ of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb gladly hosted the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces in 2017. The Conference was organized with the support of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Archaeological Society, and the Croatian Science Foundation through the project 6505 Between the Danube and the Mediterranean. Exploring the role of Roman military in the mobility of people and goods in Croatia during the Roman Era. Since it was organized in Zagreb, the Conference remained in Pannonia, not far from Siscia, the capital of Pannonia Savia, and in the territory of the Res publica Andautoniensium. The main topic of the Conference was Traian and the Roman Danubian Provinces or, more specifically, the political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces.(from the Foreword

Traian and the Danubian Provinces. The political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces, Zagreb, 15th - 17th November 2017.

The “Department of Archaeology“ of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb gladly hosted the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces in 2017. The Conference was organized with the support of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Archaeological Society, and the Croatian Science Foundation through the project 6505 Between the Danube and the Mediterranean. Exploring the role of Roman military in the mobility of people and goods in Croatia during the Roman Era. Since it was organized in Zagreb, the Conference remained in Pannonia, not far from Siscia, the capital of Pannonia Savia, and in the territory of the Res publica Andautoniensium. The main topic of the Conference was Traian and the Roman Danubian Provinces or, more specifically, the political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces.(from the Foreword)The “Department of Archaeology“ of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb gladly hosted the 4th International Conference on the Roman Danubian Provinces in 2017. The Conference was organized with the support of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, the Croatian Archaeological Society, and the Croatian Science Foundation through the project 6505 Between the Danube and the Mediterranean. Exploring the role of Roman military in the mobility of people and goods in Croatia during the Roman Era. Since it was organized in Zagreb, the Conference remained in Pannonia, not far from Siscia, the capital of Pannonia Savia, and in the territory of the Res publica Andautoniensium. The main topic of the Conference was Traian and the Roman Danubian Provinces or, more specifically, the political, economic and religious life in the Danubian Provinces.(from the Foreword

Philippopolis, Trakya’daki, is 6. yüzyıl mozaik döşemeleri. bazı düşünceler

The present paper deals with the mosaic pavements from Philippopolis which are known so far and that might be attributed to 6th c. CE. The topic is of interest because there is almost no information in the literature about the urban development of the metropolis, although it seems that the city gained huge prosperity especially from the first half to the middle of that century. As part of this prosperity, one should also regard the mosaic pavements that still preserve their importance as a medium of new ideas and religious requirements. The mosaic pavements discussed decorate both public and private buildings and reveal that the specifics of mosaic art in Philippopolis are to be attributed to both official Constantinopolitan initiatives, especially in the liturgical aspect, and also the tastes of local elites, as well as the craftsmanship of the local mosaic workshop. Taken together, these factors led to a variety of iconography, intertwined motifs, and colours, which make some of the mosaics unique so far in Late antique Thrace.Bu makalede, bugüne kadar bilinen İS 6. yüzyıla atfedilebilecek Philippopolis mozaik döşemeleri ele alınmıştır. Konu ilgi çekicidir çünkü literatürde metropolün kentsel gelişimi hakkında neredeyse hiçbir bilgi yoktur. Ancak şehrin özellikle o yüzyılın ilk yarısından ortasına kadar büyük bir refah kazandığı görülmektedir. Bu refahın bir parçası olarak, önemlerini hâlâ koruyan mozaik döşemeler de yeni fikirler ve dini gereksinimlerin birer aracı olarak görülmelidir. Tartışılan mozaik döşemeler hem kamu hem de özel binaları süslemekte ve Philippopolis’teki mozaik sanatının özelliklerinin hem resmi açıdan Konstantinopolis ile bağlantılı kullanımlara hem de yerel elitlerin zevklerine ve aynı zamanda yerel mozaik atölyelerinin işçiliğinin ustalığına atfedileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Birlikte ele alındığında, bu faktörler ikonografi çeşitliliğine, iç içe motiflere ve renklere yol açmıştır, ki bu, mozaiklerin bazılarını şimdiye kadar Antik Trakya’da benzersiz kılar