Pompeiopolis
| Greek: Πομπηιούπολις | |
 .svg.png){kind=icon} Shown within Turkey | |
| Location | Turkey |
|---|---|
| Region | Kastamonu Province |
| Coordinates | 41°31′01″N 34°12′47″E / 41.517°N 34.213°ECoordinates: 41°31′01″N 34°12′47″E / 41.517°N 34.213°E |
Pompeiopolis (Greek: Πομπηιούπολις) was a Roman city in ancient Paphlagonia, located near Taşköprü, Kastamonu Province in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. The exact location is 45 km north of Kastamonu and a short distance across the river from modern Taşköprü, in the valley of the Gökırmak (Roman name Amnias, or Amneus). The borders of Pompeiopolis reach the Küre mountains to the north, Ilgaz mountains to the south, Halys river to the east and Pınarbaşı valley to the west. The city's remains today consist of an acropolis, some rock-cut tombs, tumuli, a bridge and remains of houses with mosaic tile floors. It is believed that many more artifacts and remains can be uncovered if further archaeological excavation can be conducted at the Zımbıllı hills within the city boundaries.
Pompeiopolis was established together with Neoclaudiopolis as one of a number of cities founded by the Roman general and politician Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) and integrated into the new Roman double province of Bithynia-Pontus in the year 64 BC. It was later assigned by Mark Antony to the vassal princes of Paphlagonia, and in 6 BC, after the death of Deiotaros Philadelphos, the last king, Paphlagonia was re-integrated into the Roman Empire and placed under the governor of the province of Galatia. While the city flourished and grew during this period, it was the metropolis of Paphlagonia from the reign of Antoninus Pius until that of Gallienus, having a civic mint in the same period, as well. The city was called Sebaste for a short period of time during the patronship of Gnaeus Claudius Severus, Marcus Aurelius' son-in-law. Rare coins surviving from that era bear the inscriptions "Sebaste Metropolis of Paphlagonia". w Being a bishopric since the early 4th century at latest, Pompeiopolis received the title of autocephalus archdiocese at some time during the reign of Justinian I. Within the church province of Paphlagonia, Pompeiopolis always ranked immediately after Gangra, and above the other bishoprics.
It is currently believed that Pompeiopolis was deserted in the early 8th century AD after the attacks of the Arabs Muslim conquests and as a result of the defensive military reorganizations of the Byzantine emperors of the 8th century. This region was conquered by the invading Turks in the late 11th century. In the 10th/11th century, Pompeiopolis became a metropolitan see until the 14th century, when this diocese was suppressed. Among the fourteen known titular holders of the Christian diocese are Philadelphus at the First Council of Nicaea, Severus of Constantinople and Theodore of Constantinople.
Many of the artifacts that were revealed in the course of those excavations are currently being exhibited in the Museum of Archaeology of Kastamonu. Since 2006 the University of Munich (Germany) is conducting excavations on the archaeological site under the direction of professor Lâtife Summerer.
This Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia must not be confused with the Soloi or Pompeiopolis in Cilicia, also established by Pompey.
The bishopric of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees.[1]
Bibliography
Latife Summerer, Pompeiopolis-Tasköprü. 2000 Years from Metropolis to County Town (Istanbul 2017)
- Christian Marek: Pompeiopolis. In: Der Neue Pauly (DNP). Band 10 , Metzler, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-476-01480-0.
- Latife Summerer (Hrsg.): Pompeiopolis I: Eine Zwischenbilanz aus der Metropole Paphlagoniens nach fünf Kampagnen (2006-2010) Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2011, ISBN 978-3-941171-63-3.
- Latife Summerer, Alexander von Kienlin, Georg Herdt, Frühe Forschungen in Paphlagonien - Neue Grabungen in Pompeiopolis, Anatolian Metal IV, Beiheft 25, Bochum 2013, 257-266.
- Latife Summerer, Alexander von Kienlin, Pompeiopolis. Metropolis of Paphlagonia, in: Hadrien Bru, Guy Labarre (ed.), L'Anatolie des peuples, des cités et des cultures. (IIe millénaire av. J.-C. - Ve siècle ap. J.-C.). Colloque international de Besançon - 26-27 novembre 2010 (2 vols.). Besançon: Presses universitaires de Franche-Comté, 2014. 115-126. ISBN 9782848674735.
- Julie Dalaison, "L'atelier monétaire de Pompeiopolis en Paphlagonie", in Delrieux (F.) et Kayser (Fr.), éd., Hommages offerts à François Bertrandy, Tome 1 : Des déserts d'Afrique au pays des Allobroges, Laboratoire Langages, Littératures, Sociétés, Collection Sociétés, Religions, Politiques, n° 16, Chambéry, 2010, p. 45-81.