Remains of 1,600-year-old Roman fort unearthed in Turkey

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An view from up high showing an ancient city set into a hillside

A view of the historical remains at Hasankeyf in 2012, before it was flooded by a dam. Archaeologists discovered the remains of a Roman military structure there this previous summertime.
(Image credit: Tolga_TEZCAN through Getty Images )

Archaeologists have actually uncovered a fourth-century Roman military structure in southeastern Turkey, verifying historic records of the fortress’s building throughout the reign of Emperor Constantius II.

The freshly exposed structure was discovered at Hasankeyfamong the earliest constantly occupied websites worldwide. Over a period of 10,000 years, more than 20 cultures– consisting of the AssyriansByzantines and Ottomans– constructed this Tigris River settlement.

When the Romans pertained to Hasankeyf, they developed a fort to patrol their empire’s border with Persia. Historic records discussed the fort and historical excavation has actually been continuous because the 1980s, the fort was not situated till this summer season, when it was revealed by a group of scientists led by Zekai Erdalan art historian at Mardin Artuklu University, according to Daily Sabah

Erdal spoken with Roman architecture specialists to recognize the big, blocky stones as residues of the “opus isodomum” wall building strategy. The Romans frequently utilized this approach in their regional public structures, however it is seldom discovered in the provinces of the empire.

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Little is understood about this ancient fort, which at one time was called Cephafrom the Aramaic word for “rock.” In the 350s, Constantius II developed a variety of fortresses, consisting of Cepha, in tactically crucial locations along the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire to safeguard the regional population from Persian intrusions. The Roman emperor Jovian and the Persian king Shapur II drew up a peace treaty in 363, Cepha stayed a Roman fortress and military station.

Historical excavation at Hasankeyf for many years has actually exposed products from a range of time durations. These artifacts consist of a clay horse figurine from the Iron Age, flower frescoes from the 13th to 14th centuries, and Muslim caskets from the Ottoman duration, the Daily Sabah reported.

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In a 2023 excavation, Erdal and his group discovered an 800-year-old “healing bowl” engraved with spells utilized in herbal remedies. In addition, they recuperated 2 rings made from bone and the semiprecious stone agate, which archers in the Middle Ages most likely utilized for finger defense.

Due to the building of the Ilısu Dam (likewise called the Veysel Eroğlu Dam) on the Tigris River, which was finished in 2018, much of Hasankeyf has actually been flooded. A number of the ancient structures and artifacts have actually considering that been transferred to the Archeopark location to maintain them in an outdoor museum. According to Erdalnevertheless, just the lower part of ancient Hasankeyf was flooded by the dam, while the upper part– that includes the castle and fort– stays.

Kristina Killgrove is an archaeologist with specializeds in ancient human skeletons and science interaction. Her scholastic research study has actually appeared in many clinical journals, while her newspaper article and essays have actually been released in places such as Forbes, Mental Floss and Smithsonian. Kristina made a doctorate in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and likewise holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical archaeology.