Roman Baths at Antiochia Ad Cragum A Pre PDF
Roman Baths at Antiochia Ad Cragum A Pre PDF
Roman Baths at Antiochia Ad Cragum A Pre PDF
By
Holly J. Staggs
A THESIS
Major: Anthropology
Lincoln, Nebraska
August, 2014
ROMAN BATHS AT ANTIOCHIA AD CRAGUM: A PRELIMINARY
ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN
In Rough Cilicia, monumental public architecture was built in the initial phase of
the social and political formation of Asia Minor into the Roman Empire during the
Imperial Period. As bathing complexes are the most abundant and diverse types of
architecture in this region, it would be beneficial to analyze the role of the baths along
with their importance in this new Greco-Roman society. This study will focus on two
baths at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum, seating this effort in multi-level signaling
theory to understand local scale patterning and revised world systems theory to
example of the operation of the state, this research will highlight how the cities signaled
their support to Rome and the rest of the empire. This attempt was likely utilized by cities
in order to recruit citizens to the region and garner support from Rome. Overall, the
relationship between the core of Rome and the periphery province of Rough Cilicia was a
complicated one in which both sides had to balance social and political powers. A study
of the bathing complex within Antiochia ad Cragum will help determine the overall role
of bathing complexes in Rough Cilicia, which, in turn, will ultimately add to the
knowledge of the complex relationship between the core, that of Rome, and the
I would like express my sincere gratitude to the many people who supported me
in the completion of my thesis. First, thank you to my committee members for their
guidance, knowledge, and support. I would like to thank Michael Hoff for the opportunity
to work with the Antiochia ad Cragum Archaeological Research Project in the summers
of 2012 and 2013. The two field seasons spent in southern Turkey were absolutely
amazing and life changing. I am grateful for the encouragement and mentorship from my
advisor LuAnn Wandsnider. I would also like to thank my third committee member Effie
Athanasspolous for her patience and feedback on this research. All three committee
members provided guidance and wisdom that made this work possible.
I am thankful for the support and contribution from the Flavia Waters and John L.
Champe Memorial Fund and the Art History's Distance Education Fund. This research
Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their endless support and
encouragement through this process. I am deeply grateful for my family for always
for their emotional support and advice. I would like to thank Allison Young, Nora
Greiman, Jenny Hildebrand, Liza Garrett, Christine Nycz, Ashley Barnett, and Morgan
Beyer.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction Statement…………………………………………………………….1
Review of Literature………………………………………………………………2
Thesis Organization……………………………………………………………….5
Thesis Questions…………………………………………………………………..8
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...9
Introduction………………………………………………………………………10
Summary…………………………………………………………………………40
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CILICIA………………………………………………………………………………...42
Introduction………………………………………………………………………42
Summary…………………………………………………………………………63
Introduction………………………………………………………………………65
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Underlying Attributes…………………………………………………….79
Signaling Benefits………………………………………………………..79
Conflicting Interests………………………………………………….…..80
Summary…………………………………………………………………………85
DATA…………………………………………………………………………..………..86
Introduction………………………………………………………………………86
Fieldwork Goals…………………………………………………….……92
Survey of the Extramural Bath and Initial Excavation of the Great Bath…….…92
Construction Materials…………………………………………………..98
Mosaics…………………………………………………………………..99
Inscription……………………..…………………………………..……101
Sculpture………………………………………………………..………103
Construction Materials………………………………..………………..107
Adornments………………………………………………..……………107
Summary………………………………………………………………..……....108
CILICIA……………………………………………………………………………….109
Introduction………………………………………………………….…………109
Summary………………………………………………………………….……128
Figure 4.1 Satellite map of the work areas for the Rough Cilicia Survey Project…..82
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Introduction Statement
The objective of this thesis is to analyze Roman bathing complexes in the western
Rough Cilician region of modern day Turkey in order to assess the importance of this
type of architecture in these newly incorporated Roman cities. My research centers on the
Rough Cilicia with an emphasis on the economic and political implications of this type of
into the empire was monumental Roman architecture, including baths. Bath architecture
in particular was a significant cultural phenomenon in the ancient world, and the ritual of
bathing itself became immensely popular during this time. It is my contention that this
costly type of architecture would have been a tool used by the inhabitants of these cities
to draw populations into the region. It also would have been used to signal to Rome its
allegiance and acceptance into the empire. As such, it would be beneficial to analyze the
located in western Rough Cilicia, a remote region along the southern Turkish coast. This
colonnaded street and agora, three bathing complexes, two churches, numerous temple
History at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and working in concert with Project Co-
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Directors Nicholas Rauh and Birol Can, seeks to understand the vast ancient history of
western Rough Cilicia focusing on the site of Antiochia ad Cragum. After seven field
seasons that began in 2005, this project has helped to further enhance our knowledge of
Review of Literature
The remote region of western Rough Cilicia has been explored by epigraphers and
travelers for over 100 years (Durugönüal 2013:1). The site of Antiochia ad Cragum was
first rediscovered in the 19th century by Captain Francis Beaufort, an officer in the British
Royal Navy, who was scouting out the area for potential escape harbors for Napoleon’s
fleet. While exploring the Cilician coast, he was able to locate the ancient city using
the book Karamainia in 1818 (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:vii). While his account of the site
and its harbor was brief in comparison to his notes from other sites, Beaufort’s account is
nevertheless significant as he was the first to accurately identify the site as that of ancient
Antiochia ad Cragum.
Most of the early research in western Rough Cilicia focused on the inscriptions
found at these ancient sites and the ruins they decorated. E.L. Hicks was one of the first
to extensively travel the region in the 1890s and publish his work on the inscriptions from
the cities of Lamos, Mersin, Corycus, and other nearby Roman sites (Hicks 1891:225-
273). These epigraphical surveys offered new insight into the inscriptions at these sites
but offered limited information about the sites as a whole. Excavation of sites in western
Rough Cilicia began in the 1930s and 1940s with J. Garstang working at Mersin and H.T.
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Bossert and H. Çambel at Karatepe (Çambel and Özyar 2003; Garstang 1953). However,
it was not until the 1960s until extensive research in this remote region occurred.
epigraphers, were the first to intensively explore the numerous Roman sites across the
region of western Rough Cilicia (Bean and Mitford 1962:185). As part of their overall
study of the region, the site of Antiochia ad Cragum was visited to research the numerous
inscriptions present at the ancient city (Bean and Mitford 1965). The site of Antiochia ad
Cragum was investigated during three separate field seasons in 1963, August 1964, and
July 1965 (Bean and Mitford 1970:184-186). A total of 14 inscriptions were recorded
with several of them later translated and published; however, similar to earlier work in
this region, this research focused on the inscriptions found at the site, and the epigraphers
did not attempt to interpret the function of any of the structures they encountered or
From 1963 to 1965, Elisabeth Rosenbaum working alongside Gerhard Huber and
Somay Onurkan conducted one of the earliest and most extensive surveys of the coastal
cities in western Rough Cilicia (Rosenbaum et al. 1967). Along with Anemurium,
Selinus, Syedra, and Iotape, Antiochia ad Cragum was one of the primary sites studied in
this research. Rosenbaum and her colleagues were the first researchers to record the site,
its architecture, and the necropolis. This work included recording, photographing, and
mapping the structures and creating a topographical map of the site. A general description
of the site was included although the team was hesitant to interpret the function and date
in a number of surveys and excavations in the region from universities and institutions
from around the world. Notable among this research was the Rough Cilicia Survey
Project (RCSP) led by Nicholas K. Rauh. From 1996 to 2004, Rauh and his team
surveyed roughly 60 km of the coast between eastern Pamphylia and western Rough
Cilicia (Rauh et al. 2009:254-255). This investigation recorded eight urban sites
(including Antiochia ad Cragum) along with numerous other smaller villages, farms,
Each of these sites was under Roman authority, at least to an extent, during the Imperial
Period from the 1st century to the 4th century AD (Burrell 2006). It was this work that
Project (ACARP) as the site was deemed suitable for a long-term excavation and study.
Greco-Roman cities in western Rough Cilicia with a focus on two bathing complexes at
the site of Antiochia ad Cragum as a case study for this research. During the field seasons
in the summers of 2012 and 2013, an archaeological survey and preliminary study were
conducted at the great bath and the extramural bath at the site. Bath architecture was a
significant cultural phenomenon in western Rough Cilicia and is one of the most
numerous types of architecture found in the region. The research goal for this work on the
baths at Antiochia ad Cragum is to describe the baths in order to examine the importance
of bath architecture in the incorporation of western Rough Cilicia into the Roman Empire
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and the importance of this architecture in the economic success of the cities in the
province. Within this context, it may be possible to illuminate who funded these costly
and monumental projects, whether it was local lineages, the Roman Empire, or a
Along with the data collected during the two field seasons, ancient historical
literary sources and anthropological theories will be used to better understand the
economic and political importance of western Rough Cilicia within the Roman Empire.
By utilizing these multiple methods and data, it is possible to examine the role played by
into the Roman Empire. Preliminary evaluation of these data suggests that this
architecture would have greatly benefited these cities as it would have garnered money
from the state and attracted foreign populations to the region. Simply put, this research
helps reveal the complex relationship between the east and the dominating west in which
indigenous cultures were vigorous in balancing their power with that of Rome. A study of
bath architecture, particularly the two baths at Antiochia ad Cragum, will be the case
study for this research and will be used to test these theories.
Thesis Organization
Chapter two provides a historical context for this thesis. A background of the
settlement of western Rough Cilicia is provided, which outlines the first Greek
settlements in the region dating as far back as the 9th century BCE. An overview of the
Roman Imperial expansion in Asia Minor focusing on this remote region is discussed
next which details the fall of the local kingdoms and the expansion of Roman control in
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the region. The chapter ends with an outline of the organization of this new Roman
Romans during a time characterized by major political and economic change. The
expansion of the network of roads and the significant amount of newly built Roman
Chapter three outlines bath architecture and bathing rituals to provide a context
for the popularity of this institution in Roman society. In antiquity, baths served as,
“public institutions that combined the primary function of bathing with a rich blend of
physical and intellectual activities” (Yegül 2010:119). The ritual of bathing was central to
everyday life and for the enjoyment of the masses. However, these civic intuitions were
costly and were perhaps the most expensive type of Roman architecture in antiquity. An
analysis of the cost of baths will be reviewed to highlight the truly great expense
necessary to construct these buildings. Despite the significant expense, baths were found
throughout the Roman Empire and displayed their own regional qualities. Three common
regional types were prominent on the Rough Cilician landscape, which reflects the
discussion of the characteristics of bath architecture in this remote region will provide a
theory and multi-level signaling theory to situate an examination of the role played by
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Roman architecture, in particular bath architecture, in the incorporation of western Rough
Cilicia into the Roman Empire. In 1974, Wallerstein outlined world systems theory as, “a
social system, one that has boundaries, structures, member groups, rules of legitimation,
and coherence” (1974:347). Gunder Frank modified the theory and stated that the world
included core and periphery nations in which the core controls the periphery nations in
order to accumulate the wealth of the core nations (Gunder Frank 1966:18-9). The
foundation of this theory seeks to explain the interrelatedness of social, cultural, political,
religious, and economic entities in social systems. Multi-level signaling theory refers to
particular message (Neiman 1997). These signals can take various forms (material
(political allies or cities). In terms of these two theories, the indigenous cultures in
western Rough Cilicia were likely using architecture to signal to Rome its allegiance and
would have been active in negotiating their complex relationship with the offshore power
of Rome. Thus, the research of bath architecture in this province will be analyzed under
the context of these theories to determine the role of the region within the Roman Empire.
Chapter five consists of the methods used to collect data on the bath architecture
during the 2012 and 2013 field seasons. A preliminary study was conducted at two of the
bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum, which had never been fully researched or
excavated before. The field methods will be outlined which document the collection of
field records, photographs, artifact analysis, and an architectural draft of the great bath.
An outline of the excavation of the great bath and mosaic will be provided. The
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archaeological data is presented in this chapter. Information including but not limited to
the baths measurements, plan types, architectural styles, and various features such as the
adornments, inscriptions, types of material, layout of the bath, and alignment of the
Chapter six provides an analysis of the bath data as a case study for this type of
architecture in western Rough Cilicia. The location, layout, construction materials, and
decorations of both baths are analyzed in order to contribute to our knowledge of bath
architecture in the region. These data are then tested under the expectations of signaling
theory to validate the use of this type of architecture as a costly signal. This architecture
would have been used by the inhabitants of Antiochia ad Cragum as a costly signal in
order to communicate with the Roman Empire, provincial governors, and the inhabitants
of western Rough Cilicia. This chapter concludes with an interpretation of the data in
This thesis concludes with chapter seven. This final chapter summarizes the
objectives of this research and the outcome of the two field seasons. It will also offer
recommendations for future research in this field and the significance of this study for our
Thesis Questions
2. What was the role of bath architecture in the incorporation of western Rough
Conclusion
initial phase of the social and political formation of Asia Minor into the Roman Empire
during the Imperial Period. As bathing complexes are the most abundant and diverse
types of architecture in this region, I found it beneficial to analyze the role of the baths
along with their importance in this new Greco-Roman society. This thesis focuses on the
two baths at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum, seating this effort in modified world
systems theory to understand regional scale patterning and multi-level signaling theory to
understand local scale patterning. By studying the two monumental baths as an example
of the operation of the state, this research will highlight how the cities signaled their
support to Rome and the rest of the empire. This attempt was likely utilized by cities in
order to recruit citizens to the region and garner support from Rome. The relationship
between the core of Rome and the periphery of western Rough Cilicia was a complicated
one in which both sides had to balance social and political powers. A study of the bathing
complexes within the city of Antiochia ad Cragum will help determine the overall role of
bathing complexes in this remote region, which, in turn, will ultimately add to our
knowledge of the complex relationship between the core, that of Rome, and the
periphery, that of south western Turkey. Overall, the results of this research will
north and the Mediterranean to the south. In antiquity, this land was conquered and ruled
by various imperial dynasties that shaped the overall evolution of the social and cultural
systems in the ancient Mediterranean world. This chapter summarizes the historical
transformations of this land beginning in the 9th century BCE. Early Greek colonists were
among the first to establish communities that were later dominated by the Hellenistic
dynasties including the Seleucids, Attalids, and Ptolemies. However, the entire region
underwent a significant transition when the Romans incorporated this vast territory. At
this time, this new frontier of the Roman Empire experienced a dramatic increase in
cultural and political development. This chapter ends with a discussion of the
urbanization of Asia Minor with a focus on western Rough Cilicia and the development
of the elite class of native Rough Cilicians as a result of their relationship with this new
power.
The fertile coasts and deep harbors of Asia Minor provided the perfect
environment for the world’s first civilizations to emerge and the later settlement by Greek
colonists beginning in the 9th and 8th centuries BCE (Yegül 2010:154). Also referred to as
Anatolia, the region is characterized by coastal mountains, high interior plateaus, and
rolling hills (Yegül 2010:154). Evidence for this migration includes historical sources and
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the archaeological records both indicating colonization and trade occurring during this
time (Yağcı 2013:6-7). These communities developed through a melding of local and
Greek cultures. The geographer Skylax confirms that by the 6th century BCE, Greek
settlements in the area, poleis, were managed by the elites of the communities (Salmeri
2004:185). This type of government later transformed into the model for city formation
In the 4th century BCE, Alexander the Great conquered vast amounts of territory
in the Mediterranean region, including Asia Minor, and established a number of cities
settled by Greek populations and under Greek cultural influences (Billows 2003:198). It
was Alexander’s primary objective to unify the known world under his rule, and his
2003:197). It also created new markets and increased trade between the Greeks and
133). Asia Minor was significant in terms of politics and economics as it was located
With Alexander’s death in 323 BCE, there was a power vacuum with various
contenders fighting for the control of territory and resources (Ma 2000). After decades of
nearly uninterrupted warfare from roughly 323 to 280 BCE, the region was divided
amongst his generals into various kingdoms including those of the Seleucid Dynasty in
the south and southeast based in Antioch and the Attalids Dynasty in the west and north
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based in Pergamon (Rostovtzeff 1941a:23; Yegül 2010:154-155). The monarchs who
ruled after the death of Alexander, however, all sought to secure their reign and saw each
Minor in 295 BCE under Seleukos I Nikator (Cohen 1995:36). The decedents of this
dynasty would maintain at least partial control of the region for over a century. The
Seleucids were active in colonizing Asia Minor especially along the southern coast
(Figure 2.1). Their rule of this area in particular was crucial as it was a land route in
between western Asia Minor and Syria (Cohen 1995:55-56). Towns were established
near trade routes to ensure the peaceful movement of garrisons and commercial goods
throughout the region. As well, this costal land was highly contested for its resources and
its location as a significant stopping point between the east and the west.
The Seleucid Dynasty ruled through local leaders who were loyal to the Seleucids
but the Ptolemies, operating out of Egypt also sought control of this area (Rauh et al.
Seleucid rule was fraught with warfare as they vied for control of the territory of Cilicia
with the Ptolemy Dynasty (Bevan 1985:148). As a result, the size of the empire
significantly decreased by the late 2nd century BCE. While it has been heavily debated as
to why the Seleucid Dynasty declined, consensus points to the overall weak control of
their territories and lack of a unifying legal administration over the various different
societies encompassed within their vast empire (Sherwin-White and Kuhrt 1993:217).
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The Ptolemy Dynasty briefly ruled part of southern Asia Minor, in particular what
came to be known in Roman times as western and central Rough Cilicia, from roughly
280 to 197 BCE (Tempesta 2013:36). It was this dynasty, primarily under the rule of
Ptolemy III, that established a number of colonies with names inspired by Ptolemaic
kings and queens such as Ptolemais, Berenice, and Arsinoe of Cilicia (Bevan 1985:148;
Rauh et al. 2009:272). This region was particularly important for the Ptolemy Dynasty
14
for its harbors and rich timber resources, especially its cedar, which were heavily
exploited. For Egypt, a country practically devoid of timber, control of Rough Cilicia
aided in their goal of maintaining a large, powerful navy (Cohen 1995:56). The highly
sought after cedar resources were necessary for building large artillery platform ships
known as quinqueremes (Meiggs 1982:137f). The shipbuilding products along with the
native inhabitant’s skill in the art of shipbuilding were considered key resources for this
dynasty (Rauh et al. 2009:272). Their reign was also militaristic as the Ptolemies
recruited Cilicians into their military and did not attempt to significantly contribute to the
urbanization of the region. It was widely attested that Cilicians were used for the
Ptolemaic garrisons in Cyprus (Cohen 1995:56). This weak control of Cilicia allowed the
The short rule of the region by the Ptolemies came to an end in 197 BCE when
Antiochus III invaded the region and regained his territories along the coast for the
Rough Cilicia, the communities quickly surrendered to Antiochus III and his army as
they fought their way further east (Ma 1999:83). Once recaptured, he ordered the
rebuilding and the resettlement of the cities affected by the warfare (Reger 2004:147-
149). The Seleucid conquest of the region was successful, and in 195 BCE Antiochus III
and Ptolemy V signed a peace treaty (Ma 1999:88). So while the Ptolemy Dynasty briefly
controlled parts of southern Asia Minor, during the 3rd century BCE and later in the 1st
century BCE, the Seleucid Dynasty predominately ruled the region and was overall more
15
influential in the development of Cilicia as an important economic and political territory
(Jones 1998:200).
During the Hellenistic era after the colonizing efforts of the Seleucids and
Ptolemies, Greek traditions became integrated with customs of the indigenous population
along the coastal region (Salmeri 2004:198). This contact not only modified the customs
of the indigenous populations but modified those of the Hellenistic Greeks in Asia Minor.
New cities that developed under these post-Alexandrian dynasties adopted Greek
displayed the typical Greek civic institutions such as their use of a council house with
These cities functioned as centers for regional as well as local trade, which was supported
(Dmitriev 2005). Coinage, one hallmark of Hellenism, was also issued by these cities for
trade transactions (Mitchell 1993:86). This currency served not only to display the
autonomy of these cities but to act as propaganda for local rulers who would have been
The exception to the cultural change of this territory was the indigenous
populations in the mountainous regions such as Isaura and Lycia, which resisted outside
influence and retained their Anatolian traditions (Yegül 2010:155). Simply referred to as
the “mountain Cilicians” by ancient sources, there were four known Isaurian groups:
Townsend and Hoff 2009:3). These populations in the Tauric mountain region retained
16
their use of the Luwian language and culture, which dated back to the Hittite period
(Houwink ten Cate 1961; Mitchell 1993:175). The resistance to city life and assimilation
was in part due to their location in the rugged mountains which rise to roughly 3,000
meters above sea level in some areas (Lenski 1999:415). The Taurus Mountain and the
coastal plains served as a natural barrier between the barbarians and the civilized
populations (Shaw 1990:200). According to Shaw, this territory was characterized by, “a
form of unending ‘trench warfare’” as these tribes were never completely controlled by
any outside power in antiquity, which included the rule of the Hittites and Hellenistic
present a threat to the growing Roman Empire. Western Rough Cilicia, the frontier of the
Roman Empire at that time, was significant for the overall stability of the empire (Woolf
1990:48). Later the entire region would slowly (and perhaps reluctantly) be absorbed into
the next monumental world power, that of the Roman Empire (Nielsen 1990).
In 133 BCE, the last king of Pergamon, Attalos III, left his kingdom to the Roman
Empire in his will, which ultimately led to the entire peninsula of Asia Minor coming
under Roman domination (Levick 1967:20). The province of Asia was officially
established in 129 BCE in order to secure the region for the expanding empire (Salmeri
2004:203). For decades Rome had seemed reluctant to directly intervene in Asiatic affairs
and instead favored ruling indirectly through their allies (Mitchell 1993:29). However,
the persistent attacks by pirates on Roman cities led to the expansion of Roman
interference in the region. Pirates, especially the Cilician pirates who took advantage of
17
the inhospitable geography and popular trade route, dominated the seas along the coast of
Asia Minor, with their base on operations in the area of western Rough Cilicia, from
roughly 139 to 67 BCE (de Souza 1999:97; Mitchell 1993:30). The rugged and secluded
harbors along the coast provided the perfect environment for the pirates to conduct their
maritime attacks (Figures 2.2. and 2.3). Pirates not only disrupted trade but threatened the
local populations by kidnapping citizens for ransom or selling them into slavery
(Gabrielsen 2003). According to Strabo, the incompetence of the Seleucid Dynasty in the
area led to the rise of piracy (Geographica 14.5.2). In fact, it was during the Late
Hellenistic Period that the weak control of Western Rough Cilicia by the Seleucid Empire
provided the perfect environment for the growth of piracy along the coastal region
(Blanton 2000:57; Jones 1998:201). These highly skilled pirates took advantage of this
power vacuum and even recruited some of its members from the uprooted populations of
92, 96; Strabo Geographica 14.5.3, 14.5.6; Theophrastus De Causis Plantarum, 4.5.5),
Cilicia was an area known for its ample supplies of timber which the pirates exploited for
shipbuilding (Jones 1998:202). Likely advanced by Roman historians, the term Cilician
Figure 2.2. Central harbor at Antiochia. Figure 2.3. West harbor at Antiochia.
These new Roman provinces, with indigenous populations, Greeks and Romans,
were then organized into cities and towns by Manius Aquillius and other powerful agents
of Rome between 129 and 126 BCE in order to gain better control over the region
(Mitchell 1993:72). The administrative system of the Roman Empire had direct control
over the geographical boundaries of its territories so that every inhabitant of the empire
was accounted for under the census (Ando 2000:321). In Asia Minor, these agents
established a city government similar to the Hellenistic government model where the
smaller communities and towns were subordinate to nearby larger cities (Mitchell
1993:176). These communities were then ranked into a status of either primary,
secondary, or tertiary that represented its reputation based on, “aspects of religion, civic
affairs, and culture” (Rauh et al. 2009:288). The Roman colonies followed laws outlined
citizens who were elected to govern and decide upon the affairs of the city. Known as the
19
boule, this institution included members who were mostly from the elite lineages of
society. These meetings took place in the bouleuterion or council house, which were
typically built into the natural slope of a hill with rows of seats for the members (Raul et
al. 2009:294). Various duties of members of the council included managing local militias
to ensure peace, collecting taxes for the Roman Empire, and governing the daily affairs of
the community. Normally, these buildings would have been placed in the heart of the
community with civic buildings such as near the agora of a city (Kalinowski 2002). The
Romans took over these local administrative units without significant modification.
The disruption of trade, spread of violence, and the threat against Roman
dominance of the Mediterranean culminated with the creation of the Roman province of
Cilicia in 102 BCE (Rauh 1997:265; Spanu 2013:99). The harbors of Antiochia ad
Cragum, along with their other base at nearby Coracesium, were one of the favored sites
for these pirates and were even likely the headquarters for their operations (Rauh et al.
2000:133). Piracy of the ancient Mediterranean coast was not a series of small criminal
activities but a serious threat to Roman authority in the region (Horden and Purcell
2000:387). The province of Cilicia was created in an attempt to put an end to the piracy
in this territory (Jones 1998:202). Thus, the region once ruled by client kings for two
centuries transformed into a province in the great Roman Empire (Spanu 2013:99).
Manius Antonius was assigned as the praetor to this province which was designated as a
center for Roman military operations (Rauh et al. 2013:63). Following the creation of this
new province, Rome published the lex de provinciis praetoriis in 100 BCE, which stated
that Romans could legally take military action against pirates or those assumed to be
20
associated with pirates (de Souza 2013:49). Fragments of this law were found at Delphi
“The Roman people will have care, that the citizens of Rome and the allies and
the Latins, and those of the foreign nations who are in a relationship of friendship
with the Roman people may sail in safety… no pirate use as a base of operations
This legislation declared that those in Cilicia had to align with Rome as Roman allies or
be seen as pirate supporters and be threatened with military action. Ultimately, this paved
the way for Roman expansion, which led to taxation along with political and territorial
The Cilician pirates did not heed the warnings from Rome, and the Roman Senate
was forced to take more severe actions against the pirates when they reached the western
Mediterranean coast and threatened the grain supply of Rome. Many small, nucleated
cities along the coast were forced to build defensive walls or else move inland due to the
violence as the pirates were parasitic on these nearby communities (Horden and Purcell
2000:387). The increased interference of trade, widespread sense of fear, and the direct
threat to the city of Rome became too much for the senate to continually ignore. Thus, in
67 BCE the senate commissioned Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, the famous Roman general,
to defeat the pirates. Under the Lex Gabinia, Pompey had absolute control of all naval
activity in the Mediterranean (de Souza 1999:167). Pompey, with the full force of the
Roman navy and army, was able to force the pirates to surrender at Coraceium (Alanya)
within a span of three months (Raul et al. 2009:276; Tomaschitz 2013:57). Surprisingly,
21
Pompey was fairly generous with the pirates offering them land and resettlements in
urban colonies in Cilicia Pedias for their peaceful surrender (de Souza 1999:170). This
resulted in the pirates accepting Roman authority in the region and surrendering their
large stocks of timber resources to the Romans (Appian Mithridatica 96; Rauh 1997).
The end of piracy was not only seen as a success for Pompey but also for subsequent
Roman emperors who would then take the role of protectors of the seas (de Souza
2013:51). It has been speculated that the quick settlement was due to another dilemma
Aside from piracy, not every kingdom in the region was accepting of Roman rule,
and beginning in 89 BCE Mithridates VI Eupator, the king of Pontus, led a series of
rebellions against the empire (Mitchell 1993:29; Sherwin-White 1977). Mithridates ruled
a large region in south central Asia Minor and was said to have spoken all twenty-two
languages of his subjects (Mitchell 1993:86). He was also friendly with the Cilician
pirates who helped supply his maritime fleets with the highland timber resources
(Tomaschitz 2013:57). Mithridates’ ultimate goal was for his kingdom to remain
politically independent and free his territory from Roman dominance (McGing 2003:84).
In 86 BCE, the Hellenized king went as far as to order the murders of Romans in Asia
Minor, most notably those in political power, as an act of revenge against the empire
(Mitchell 1993:30-31). With the support of notable city allies such as Athens, Ephesus,
and Chios, Mithridates waged a series of ongoing wars that threatened Roman dominance
focus on the ongoing wars with Mithridates. The might of the Roman army led to the
defection of many of Mithridates’ allies and the warfare ended with the last king of
roughly 80,000 to 150,000 Romans were killed during this time of extended warfare
(Elton 1996:81). These events resulted in the Pontic kingdom becoming a Roman
province, subsequently attached to Bithynia and controlled by local leaders who had
supported Pompey during the 26 year Mithridatic wars (Mitchell 1993:31). Rome’s
dominance of Asia Minor increased during the late Republic after the rebellions and
piracy were put down. The security of this territory was necessary for the empire as it
was located between Rome and the non-Roman world (Levick 1967:24). Finally, during
the Imperial Period and after two centuries of the Romans fighting for this new territory,
Asia Minor was fully incorporated into one of the largest and most powerful empires in
As a result of the Roman victories in Asia Minor, the entire region underwent a
significant transition that included not only a period of peace but also recovery
(Rostovtzeff 1941b:955). Pompey was said to have boldly declared that due to his
campaigns in Asia the region was now in the middle of Rome’s dominion when it had
only once been a distant province of Rome (Eilers 2003: 90; Pliny Naturalis Historia
7.99). As was typical Roman policy, Rome organized part of its newly acquired territory
into provinces under direct Roman rule while part of the new territory was ruled
23
indirectly through local dynasts (Eilers 2003:90). Only select dynasts were trusted to
govern these territories based on their loyalty to Rome during the Mithridates rebellions.
Those cities that had sided against the Roman Empire during the decades of piracy and
the Mithridatic wars were demoted and made subordinate to nearby autonomous cities
(Mitchell 1993:179). While parts of the population of Asia Minor still held on to its
“Greek was spoken in most of the “fair cities” of Asia, Greek gods were worshipped in
their temples, Greek art was produced in their workshops, and Greek philosophy and
rhetoric were taught in its gymnasia.” The Hellenism continued to affect the architecture
take hold as seen in particular in the architecture present in every Asia Minor city in even
Under Pompey, the province of Asia reorganized after the defeat of the pirates in
67 BCE (Rostovtzeff 1941b:955). The region that was once vaguely defined as ‘Cilicia’
on the southern coast was subdivided into Cilicia Pedias (Smooth Cilicia) and Cilicia
Tracheia (Rough Cilicia) (Eilers 2003:91). This province then encompassed a large
territory of south central Asia Minor and the island of Cyprus, which was added to the
province in 58 BCE (Eilers 2003:91). This territory had a significant network of roads
running from Laodikeia to the Cilician Gates, a pass engineered by the Hittites around
1550 BCE (Cohen 1995:45; Shaw 1990:204). According to Strabo, this road was also
known as the “Common Road” and was used by anyone traveling from western Asia
Minor to the east (Geographica 14.2.29). This region, once considered to be the
24
backwaters of the empire, transformed into an important Roman province in Asia Minor.
Furthermore, this coastal land was significant in terms of the Roman expansion east
(Blanton 2000:57). The famous Roman orator Cicero was chosen as one of the governors
of the province from 51 to 50 BCE (Treggiari 1978). It is from Cicero that we have
extensive accounts of this province and how Roman provinces were governed during the
Imperial Period (Thomson 1965). In fact, Cicero spoke against the harsh rule of his
predecessor Appius Claudius Pulcher and vowed to alleviate the financial burden on the
Cilician people during his administration of the province (Shelton 1988:273-274). The
importance of this province for the empire is demonstrated by the appointment of Cicero
With the outbreaks of piracy and the Mithridatic wars, the 1st century BCE was
undoubtedly a tumultuous time in Asia Minor. In the region of western Rough Cilicia
during the initiation of Roman rule, multiple outbreaks of rebellions by the mountain
Isaurians threatened the security of the region. Compared with the communities along the
coast, which were relatively well integrated into the Roman political and economic
systems, these tribes rejected Roman suppression and were organized under local dynasts
these groups against Roman rule, which extended long into the Julio-Claudian period
(Tacitus Annals 6.41.1). Roman military intervention was often necessary to protect the
empire from a full-scale rebellion and to secure Roman interest in the region. Following
the custom of Alexander the Great when conquering vast territories, the Romans secured
their new lands by settling retired soldiers in these regions (Cohen 1995:18). This was
25
one way to pacify these tribal groups, and these veteran settlements were typically placed
in areas where rebellions were likely to occur (Mitchell 1993:70-73). Active Roman
soldiers were often assigned to strategic locations to bring their new territories under
control. It was also during this time that trade routes were extended in the region of
western Rough Cilicia. While the Roman emperors had to deal with the hostilities posed
by these mountain tribes, the region was in the process of being fully integrated into the
province (Mitchell 1993:79). Nonetheless, these mountain tribes posed a constant threat
The rule of the western Rough Cilician region was contested by local kingdoms
throughout much of the 1st century BCE. According to Strabo, Polemo of Laodiceia ruled
and only lasting a short period, the coastal region was ruled by the Ptolemy Dynasty as a
gift from Antony to Queen Cleopatra of Egypt (Rauh et al. 2009:277). Similar to the 3rd
century Ptolemic rule, this was a militaristic campaign for Egypt to recruit soldiers from
the area and exploit the timber resources for shipbuilding for their fleet. Cleopatra was
one of Antony’s most crucial allies and their newly acquired territories allowed them to
add to their resources (Eilers 2003:97). Strabo mentioned that Cleopatra only ruled the
coastal region of Cilicia while Amyntas ruled the rest of the region (Geographica 14.5.2).
pacify the region while also providing land to accommodate his veterans. As mentioned
previously, the settlement of soldiers in hostile regions was a common practice for Rome,
and Octavian boasted to have settled some 300,000 men throughout the empire including
26
in southern Asia Minor (Mitchell 1993:90). These defensive colonies were founded in the
Taurus Mountains near the extensive trade routes between the east and the west (Mitchell
1993:71). Cities such as Kestros and Juliosebaste were two such colonies that were
inhabited by Roman veterans to secure the mountainous region from these attacks and
protect trade. These settlements not only secure the region with the presence of the
Roman soldiers but advanced the urbanization of the province. Octavian, aware of the
revolts in the vast empire, declared that he would reform and oversee the administration
of the provinces (Ando 2000:363). In fact, the new emperor boasted that he had brought
Shortly after the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, the new Roman leader Augustus
(formerly Octavian) established the Teucrid Dynasty to govern a large majority of the
area and left the rest of the eastern principality to Amyntas, who already controlled the
nearby territory of Pisidia (Houwink ten Cate 1961:37; Strabo Geographica 14.5.6). He
was also later crowned as King of Galatia (Jones 1998:209). Due to Augustus, Amyntas
controlled a significant amount of land in Asia Minor and is most remembered for his
only ruled for a short period of time before he was murdered in 25 BCE by
Homonadenses tribal inhabitants while traveling in the interior of Cilicia in the Taurus
After the murder of Amyntas and with no clear heir to succeed him, the region
Cappadocia (Elton 1996:63). The mountain interior of Cilicia was added to the territory
27
of Cappadocia in an attempt to pacify the xenophobic tribes in the region (Elton
1996:63). After the rule of subsequent kingdoms, Cilicia was annexed by the Roman
Empire (Cassius Dio Historia Romana 53.26.2; Mitchell 1993:41, 62). Much of the
surrounding region had already fallen under Roman annexation, referred to as formam
provinciae redacta by Roman writers such as Suetonius and Tacitus (Mitchell 1993:63).
In this case, important senior Roman men (normally ex-consuls) acted as governors in
these provinces, and it was their duty to secure and command their territory. It was also
Roman policy to use local aristocracies as provincial governors to rule indirectly through
areas of territory, the Romans were able to maintain authority in their far-flung regions
(Borgia 2013:89). Following Roman custom, Antiochus was of a royal lineage from a
neighboring province who was chosen to rule the region instead of an aristocrat from
Cilicia (Borgia 2013:90). Educated in Rome, Antiochus was trusted to rule as he was a
friend of the emperor (Rauh et al. 2009:278). Later the Roman Emperor Tiberius
transformed Commagene into a Roman province and appointed Antiochus to rule that
region as well, which greatly enhanced his territory. Antiochus IV was instrumental in
the development of Cilicia and established many settlements in the region. Many of these
cities were likely preceded by smaller villages located along the coast and in strategic
areas (Tempesta 2013:39). It is likely that Antiochus IV settled some of his soldiers in
these newly established cities to secure his reign in the region (Blanton 2000:60). This
28
urbanization was not only aimed at weakening local leaders but of subjugating the
rebellious mountain tribes (Borgia 2013:91). Antiochia ad Cragum was founded and
named after Antiochus IV, and the nearby city of Iotape was named after Iotape
autonomy, Antiochus IV issued a number of coins bearing his image along with his wife
and sons Epiphanes and Callinicus (Figure 2.4; Houwink ten Cate 1961:40). It was
common for rulers to issue coinage upon obtaining power as a form of propaganda to
politically and economically integrate the mountain and coastal territories (Shaw
IV of Commagene to the region, tribal groups rebelled several times in the in the early 1st
century AD with three significant outbreaks that required Roman military intervention
(Houwink ten Cate 1961:39). The burden of taxes on provincial cities was one of the
29
most common factors that led to widespread revolts against the empire (MacMullen
1974:35). These tribes attacked the nucleated communities along the coast and then
retreated back to their remote highland territories (Shaw 1990:230). These uprisings
required the combined forces of Antiochus IV along with nearby provincial governors
The first significant rebellion occurred in the Cietae territory in the interior of the
governor of Syria, had to interfere by sending the legate M. Trebellius with 4,000
legionaries and auxiliaries to quell this rebellion (Tacitus Annals 6.41.1). The second
rebellion was started again by the Cietae inhabitants in AD 52 under a local leader named
rebellion spread to the coastal cities and besieged the city of Anemurium (Rauh et al.
“the nations of rustic Cilicians whose nomenclature is Cietae, and who had often
been in upheaval at other times too, chose their rough mountains for a camp and,
descending from there to the shores and cities, dared violence against farmers and
With military assistance from Syria under the command of Curtius Severus, Antiochus
IV was able to defend his territory with the capture and subsequent murder of Troxoborus
(Rauh et al. 2009:279). A third notable rebellion occurred in AD 62 but was quickly
repelled (Magie 1950:550; Onurkan 1967:74). These major revolts occurred when
30
Roman officials attempted to enforce census laws on these distant communities (Lenski
1999:419). This administrative action was necessary to document the population and their
Thus, from the 1st century BCE to the mid-1st century AD, a joint effort by
Romans and local client kings sought to pacify these highland tribes (Lenski 1999:420).
It was believed that, “the Isaurians had been Rome’s toughest opponents” in the region
(Mitchell 1993:67). With several rebellions put down by Roman forces, the colonies of
Lacanatis, Eirenopolis, and Germanicopolis were established nearby to secure the region
from further violence (Houwink ten Cate 1961:41; Jones 1998:212). It was during this
time that the interior of Rough Cilicia was urbanized and many cities were founded in the
region. Decades later, under the reign of Vespasianus, Antiochus IV was dethroned and
In the 1st century AD, Rome was reaching the peak of its power with its empire
spanning a majority of the known world (Horden and Purcell 2000:27). With Roman’s
domination, the cities of Asia Minor underwent a major transformation that would last
over four centuries. Following the establishment of a new Roman colony, these provinces
came under the Roman administrative system and Roman citizenship was granted to most
commercial centers in order to enact empire policies and collect taxes from the
population (Dmitriev 2005; Garnsey and Saller 1987:27). In these new Romanized
communities, the titles of colonia and municipium were considered to be great honor and
31
the titles were accompanied by economic benefits. These cities were highly nucleated and
dramatic increase in the Imperial period with large urban centers reaching upwards of
25,000 and most communities ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 (Mitchell 1993:243-244).
While it is difficult to determine exact population figures for these communities in Asia
Minor, most were small with few over 30,000 (Mitchell 1993:201). In the region of
western Rough Cilicia, Blanton has estimated that the Early Roman period (65 BCE to
AD 250) had a population of roughly 18,000 (2000:60). In this 300 year period, the
population rose by approximately 16,000 when numerous Roman colonies were founded;
however, it is unknown whether this substantial growth was due to the steady movement
The expansion of the network of roads was one of the major factors that led to an
increase in population levels of Greeks and non-Greeks (Zuiderhoek 2009). The roads
also provided an increase in communication and trade throughout the region. While there
that Roman colonists who settled in the east were eager to,
“join in the life of the city in which they settled rather than to hold aloof from it in
inhabitants, united with them in setting up honorific dedications, and held local
Figure 2.5. Map of Rough Cilician Cities (after Rauh et al. 2009:256).
During this period, western Rough Cilicia also experienced a dramatic increase in
cultural development although relatively unequal to other neighboring areas (Figure 2.5).
33
This delay in part was due to the unwelcoming and rugged landscape, which was
characterized by rocky peninsula, coastal plains, and steep elevations with the Taurus
Mountains in the hinterlands. Nonetheless, the region did undergo major political and
economic changes during this time with an increase in nucleated settlements with
Romanized architecture (Rauh et al. 2009). A large majority of these communities were
situated in defensible locations along the coast indicating the region’s involvement with
maritime trade.
In a study conducted by Blanton, during the Early and Late Roman Periods,
western Rough Cilicia likely had to import some of its food as its population exceeded its
agricultural production (Blanton 2000:69). This indicates the importance of this region
for the Roman Empire. Some of the major urban centers even issued their own coinage,
coins from Emperors Antonius Pius to Valerian, which showcased its success as a
primary city in the empire (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:viii). While these communities were
first established in order to fight off the Cilician pirates, they also later served the same
purpose against the constant threat of the indigenous populations in the Taurus Mountains
(Rostovtzeff 1941b:975). In fact, these mountains served as a natural barrier between the
Isaurians in the hinterlands and the Roman settlements on the Mediterranean coast
One significant feature in every major city was the addition of monumental
and urbanization, while the symbol of barbarism was village life and pastoralism (Lomas
1997:22). Monumental public buildings defined the landscape of these new cities and
along with Roman architectural styles, fused and flourished with one another in these
colonnaded streets, temples, arches, gymnasia, stoas, and bathing complexes. Bath
architecture and the ritual of bathing itself became immensely popular in the region
between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD (Yegül 2010). Every city and most remote
community would have been outfitted with at least one bath as bathing was considered a
necessity of life. This architecture would have been a tool used by the cities to draw
populations and commerce to the cities. It also would have been used to signal to Rome
its allegiance and acceptance into the empire. The importance of this architecture is
attested from its depiction on coinage that would have displayed the civic pride of the
Similar to the rest of Asia Minor, the politics of urban centers of western Rough
constitution (Dmitriev 2005). The bouleuterion was the main meeting place for the
politicians and would represent the autonomous status of the city (Townsend 2013:122).
These cities were in charge of fulfilling their role within the Roman Empire by
supervising their market systems and agricultural production, while maintaining the order
and stability of their community (Mitchell 1993:199). Most importantly, these cities had
35
to facilitate the payment of taxes from its citizens to the empire. Special magistrates were
responsible for overseeing council meetings and meeting with other political entities such
as agents of Rome (Mitchell 1993:200). Annual elections would decide the magistrates
who had the responsibility to oversee these various duties (Mitchell 1993:199). Public
inscriptions recorded the power and influence of these magistrates who were in charge of
The poleis, the primary sites in the region, displayed massive architectural
and bathing complexes (Raul et al. 2009:293). The status of polis meant that a city was
autonomous and relatively free from outside interference (Mitchell 1993:81). These
centers were characterized by the new, Roman architecture, which signaled the cities’
allegiance to the Roman Empire and engagement with the rest of Asia Minor. The
council and the assembly, along with city funds and public benefactions financed the
appointed members for the management of the supervisor of public works (epimelētēs
ergōn, curator operis), which was responsible for the construction of public architecture
(Salmeri 2005:193). Funding was also raised from taxation and the charge of rent in
certain structures. The cost of construction was extremely high during the Imperial Period
but it was the architecture that defined the cityscape. Thus, wealthy patron contributed
funds in order to enhance their public appearance and to highlight their position of power
within the community (Wandsnider 2013). A citizen’s contribution would have been
would be constantly reminded of the certain individuals who made the construction
possible.
According to MacDonald, “the bath was a vital theme of Roman urbanism, central
popular phenomenon in western Rough Cilicia. The ritual of bathing was seen as a
necessity of everyday life for Romans, which was an idea that spread to the provinces.
Thus, baths were constructed in every primary city in the western Rough Cilician region
and even in some secondary communities as well (Rauh et al. 2009:288). Several of the
cities even boast of multiple baths to satisfy the needs of the communities. This was an
interesting occurrence under two circumstances: one, this type of architecture was highly
technical and would have required specialized architects, and two, it would have been
costly to build. While the question of why this architecture was so popular and quickly
accepted in the region is difficult to answer, a few reasons will be presented in this thesis.
This thesis explores costly signaling, requiring that we pay attention to whom is
sending signals to whom. Given this, it is important to know about the political,
economic, and social organization of the Rough Cilician landscape. Here, I offer
organization and social and political mobility in western Rough Cilicia is decidedly
underdeveloped. Most of what we know comes from epigraphic texts, which are
37
dominated by funerary inscriptions (Tomaschitz 2003) and from architectural patterns. In
these texts from Hamaxia, Corsecium, and Side, Tomaschitz notes references to political
offices such as the Archon, the Gymnasiarch, Oikonomos, the colleges of the Dekaprotoi
and the Probouloi, indicating the presence of some portion of Greek city apparatus.
brother, sister, wife, husband, grandfather, grandmother). On this very meager basis,
scholars on Rough Cilicia argue for the elevated role of lineages in governing the small
cities here, even as the involvement of Rome in the area intensified. Presumably it is
these lineages that dispense justice, hold land, accrue wealth and make decisions about
urban.
The number of both large and small nucleated settlements in western Rough
Cilicia points to the economic and political importance of this region in terms of land
utilization. It is known from historical sources that this province was significant for the
Roman Empire for its production of a multitude of resources such as timber, wine, honey,
oil, textiles, ceramics, and cereal agriculture (Rauh et al. 2009:285). The region was also
important for its production of Rough Cilician Koan-type and pinched-handle amphoras
(Rauh and Slane 2000:327-328). The mass production of these types of amphoras along
with the extensive terracing of the landscape provides evidence for a significant increase
in agricultural development under Roman rule (Rauh and Slane 2000:328). The
urbanization of this province led to economic growth and agricultural cultivation that
was, “the principal source of wealth in Roman society” (1990:126). When a population
38
increases the cost land increases as well with the urban elites owning large estates that
depend on peasant farmers for cheap labor (Zuiderhoek 2009:53). Due to the scarcity of
land coupled with a significant increase in population, peasants were faced with higher
rents and lower wages while their landlords accumulated wealth along with social and
political power (Zuiderhoek 2009:53-54). In Rough Cilicia, this land would have been
held by native, elite lineages that also likely held political power in their communities.
Private or imperial estates were composed of large tracts of land owned by important
Zuiderhoek, this situation led to, “an increasing accumulation of wealth in the hands of
the landowning urban elite that went together with growing rural misery” (2009:54).
It is known from historical records that wealth was tied to the land and that these
landlords hoarded crops to later sell them during times of shortages and droughts
(MacMullen 1974:37-38). These resources were exported by sea and along the major
network of roads throughout the western Rough Cilician province. At the city of
Aspendus in the nearby province of Pamphylia, people raided the homes of landholding
elites who were accused of hoarding food during a shortage (Dio Chrysostom Orations
47.19, 48.9; Zuiderhoek 2009:67-68). These wealthy landowners held powerful positions
in comparison with their peasant tenants who worked the land for minimal profit
who were tied to their landowners as laborers (Mitchell 1993:176). Their power was
strengthened by city councilors which enhanced their wealth and position in society
through a mutual relationship with these landowning elites. Baths would have served as
39
clubhouses for interaction among these upper class individuals and strengthened their
social bond (Rauh et al. 2009:296). The wealth and influence of the elites was displayed
through their benefaction to their cityscape (Ando 2000:307). The formation of an elite
class was significantly strengthened under the influence of the Roman Empire and led to
The development of the upper class in the region of western Rough Cilicia was a
direct result of population growth as well as its relationship with that of the Roman
Empire. Rome preferred to rule indirectly through oligarchic systems and was responsible
for the narrowing of the ruling class in its provinces (Mitchell 1993:210). These elites
were able to expand and strengthen their power and wealth due to their relationship with
Romans. While this class supported the rule of Rome in order to maintain provincial
security, they benefited in terms of influence over their communities and the honors they
received from agents of Rome (Mitchell 1993:210). It is from this complex and reciprocal
relationship that an elite class was able to flourish. In Asia Minor, the upper ruling class
was characterized by interrelated families who distinguished themselves from the lower
class based off of their descent from honorable ancestors (Zuiderhoek 2009:140).
It would have been in the best interest of the native aristocratic class to associate
themselves with the Romans as their elite powers were tied to and strengthen by their
relationship with the agents of Rome. The presence of the imperial cult was strong in
inscriptions for Roman emperors (Rauh et al. 2009:290-291). Statues were commonly
dedicated to both imperial and local elites, which reflected their intimate political and
40
culture ties. This mutually advantageous relationship served to empower the local elite by
displaying their public generosity as well as strengthen Roman rule in this frontier
province. It was common Roman practice to form alliances with local leaders in order to
gain loyalty from the community (Ando 2000:58). In western Rough Cilicia, these
imperial dedications served to, “reflect an effort on the part of the local gentries to
accommodate Roman authority in the region” (Rauh et al. 2009:291). Further, public
benefaction for these Greco-Roman institutions was an instrument for the elites to
strengthen class divisions. By donating large sums of money to public buildings, the
lower classes were then able to enjoy these urban amenities while overlooking sociality
struggles with the upper elite classes (Zuiderhoek 2009:74). This elite class was likely
aligning itself with and signaling its alliance to the agents of Rome through monumental
architecture.
Summary
Rough Cilicia beginning with the early Greek settlements up to the Roman expansion
into the region during the Late Imperial Period. Knowledge of the history of Roman
expansion, settlement, and occupation is necessary for understanding the social systems
present in western Rough Cilicia during this time. The formation of this province was
then integrated into a wide political system composed of the movement of material
goods, people, and information (Morely 1997:51). Roman architecture would have been a
valuable tool used by agents of Rome to politically and culturally unify its vast territory.
According to Yegül, bath architecture, a popular phenomenon in the ancient world, was
41
used to, “integrate the individual in the mainstream of national culture” (1992:4). The
next chapter will provide an overview of this type of architecture and the ritual of bathing
CHAPTER THREE
BATHS AND BATHING IN THE ROMAN WORLD WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
BATH ARCHICTURE IN THE PROVINCE OF ROUGH CILICIA
Introduction
The ritual of bathing was central to Roman society and rooted in Roman culture.
Baths enhanced the landscape of a city and also helped define what it meant to be
Roman. As stated by Yegül, “not to bathe would have been un-Roman” (1992:4). Bathing
complexes were not only hygienic facilities but also served as recreational spaces for
Roman culture, this chapter will first overview baths and the ritual of bathing in the
Roman Empire. This will provide context for the development of bathing in antiquity, the
architectural aspects of baths, and the elements necessary in the functioning of baths
including the hypocaust and aqueducts systems. Next, I review the cost of the
the significant expense of building and maintaining this type of architecture. It has been
argued that baths were one of the most expensive types of Roman architecture, which
would support its role as a costly signal in the Roman Empire. Finally, bath architecture
in the region of western Rough Cilicia will be summarized to provide a context for the
baths at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum. This effort will focus on the work of Yegül who
Overall, baths were a significant cultural institution in the Roman world and “the bath-
house, therefore, more than any other building type, can be taken as the architectural
For the Romans, bathing was a necessary and enjoyable event. The tradition of
communal bathing was present in ancient Greece as well and was later adopted by the
Romans who enhanced bath architecture. The popularity of this type of institution is
attested by the numerous baths found throughout the Roman Empire and the abundant
historical records that provide testimony for this daily social event. Baths served not only
as places to bathe but also as clubhouses for Romans to relax after work among each
other. Thus, a summary of the development of bathing in antiquity will be provided along
with a description of the various bathing rooms and the overall function of this institution
in Roman life.
The tradition of bath architecture was already present in Asia Minor when the
Romans incorporated the territory into its empire. The Greeks, who had colonized Asia
Minor, established the cultural institution of bathing in public bath houses. While the
elites of society had private baths in their homes beginning around the 7th century BCE,
the Greek public bath did not become popular until around the 5th century BCE (Nielsen
1990:6). In the early development of these facilities, bathing in these complexes was
reserved for the athletes and the elites of society, but over time, it became a practice
bathing rooms (Yegül 1992:7). Public education, called ephebic education, was also held
44
at the gymnasia where courses and lectures would have been offered for young males
(Yegül 1992:7). While the gymnasium was a popular Greek institution, it was a later
addition to Roman bathing complexes. During the 2nd century BCE, gymnasiums were
renovated to include hot baths (Yegül 1992). While the Greeks independently developed
a heating system for the bathing complexes, the Romans vastly improved the institution
with the invention of the hypocaust system. In some of these complexes, the baths and
bathing rituals began to evolve as the focal point of these institutions over the
gymnasiums. However, the addition of the gymnasium to the baths provided symmetry to
the bathing complex (Boethius 1978). This new monumental architectural type
established in Asia Minor is termed the bath-gymnasium to reflex the multiple uses of
these complexes.
One major difference that distinguished Greek baths from Roman baths was the
fact that the Greeks utilized individual tubs for baths, unlike the Romans who had open
bathing complexes. These tubs were characterized by a tholos, a circular room that was
carved out of natural rock or built of brick and mortar (Nielsen 1990:8). These cluster of
rooms consisted of individual hip baths that were arranged along the walls (Yegül
2010:41-42). While most of the baths utilized cold water, some baths were heated from
steam that would have emitted from a charcoal brazier (Yegül 1992:24).
The Romans first encountered these bathing complexes through their contact with
Greeks who had colonized Sicily and southern Italy (Yegül 2010:41). The Romans
greatly improved the functioning of these baths with the development of the hypocaust
system to control the heating of these spaces (Yegül 2010:41). By the late 2nd and early
45
1st century BCE, bathing in these public complexes was a common practice and the
Bathing complexes were found throughout the Roman Empire and were diverse in
layout, design, and function. However, the one fundamental tradition of the bath plan was
the routine order of bathing in the warm, hot, and cold pools (MacDonald 1986:210). As
stated by Pliny the Younger, “I am oiled, I take my exercise, I have my bath” (Letters
9.36). This quote sums up the proper schedule for an afternoon at the baths (Yegül
1992:33). In antiquity, bathing was not just a daily practice but it was an important ritual
that every Roman saw as a necessity. After a day of work, which normally ended around
lunchtime, Romans would spend several hours at the baths and would normally not retire
until dinnertime (Yegül 1992). Bathers would first enter a bathing complex and change
their clothes in an apodyterium, or dressing room. These rooms had shelves and niches
where the bathers could store their personal belongings. In a nearby room, the
destrictaria, they could receive massages with oils and perfumes by a professional
After being covered with oil, Romans would then participate in light exercise in
the palaestra or gymnasium. Ball games, fencing, wrestling, boxing, running, and lifting
weights were the main exercises that would have taken place in these colonnaded spaces.
The gymnasium would have not only been a place for exercising but would have also
been for socializing and learning. The layout of the gymnasium was normally a square or
46
rectangular shaped peristyle court and would have normally been outdoors. Halls for the
classrooms and libraries would have surrounded the colonnaded gymnasium (MacDonald
1986:115). Similar to the Greeks, the Romans believed that it was important to have a
healthy balance between the mind and body (Yegül 1992:35). Therefore, exercise in the
At the end of these activities, Romans would bathe in the tepidarium or warm
water, second in the caldarium or hot water, and finally in the frigidarium or cold water
(Boethius 1978). On the floors of some baths, mosaics of bathing sandals were used to
indicate the order of the movement from bath to bath. While this was the normal
sequential order, it was not fixed and could be changed according to the preference of the
person or depending on the layout of the bathing complex. For the Romans, this everyday
routine was considered necessary for maintaining good health and spirit (Yegül 1992).
As stated by Yegül, the bath was a, “self-sufficient world created and dedicated to
the cultivation of the body, health, and to a certain extent, the mind” (2010:102). Imperial
baths included large palaestra, running tracks, libraries, cult shrines, gardens, and lecture
halls (Yegül 2010:101-102). There were laconica or sweating rooms that would focus
heat on the bathers and natation or swimming pools for more intensive exertion
(MacDonald 1986:211). Some baths had a special room, the heliocaminus, with large
windows for sunbathing (Yegül 1992). In larger facilities, there were gardens and
promenades that served as meeting areas and places of leisure (Boethius 1978). Vendors
and restaurants selling food and wine were also available for the bathers (Yegül 1982).
Performances with musicians and artists occurred in the complexes for the entertainment
47
of the bathers. Overall, these facilities were multi-purpose to serve the various needs of
large majority of the baths were open to the public (Yegül 1992:2). The bathing complex
was a crucial institution in society for Romans of practically every class and sex. There
was a small fee to enter the baths that virtually everyone could afford so various classes
would be able to intermingle. Servants were allowed to use the baths when they were off
duty. Only slaves were restricted from using the baths, and they went instead to assist
their masters. Slaves would carry all of the necessary personal belongings for bathing
including towels, oils, and exercise clothing (Yegül 1992). While a majority of baths
were communal for both sexes, some baths did offer separate bathing facilities and
designated times for men and woman. Evidence of this practice is found in several
historical sources and from inscriptions in the baths (Ward 1992). One of the most
notable sources comes from Pliny the Elder who wrote, “If only Fabricus could see these
displays of luxury… and women bathing with men” (Ward 1992:135). Ovid, a popular
writer during the reign of Augustus, even wrote on how women could escape from their
In the Roman Empire and especially in Asia Minor, baths also served as tools of
propaganda for the imperial cult. Larger baths would have been elaborately decorated
thermae, would have been commissioned by emperors in order to win the support of the
public. One purpose of such decorative bathing complexes was to remind the bathers of
48
the power and prestige of the empire (Yegül 1992:2). Some baths had Kaisersaal halls, or
lectures rooms, which likely served as places for the worship of the imperial cult (Yegül
1982). In these lecture halls, there were shrines and niches where statues of emperors and
gods would have been placed in a layout similar to a temple. Imperial cult worship was
highly popular in Asia Minor where there was the long tradition of divinity and kingship.
Beginning in the 3rd century BCE, cult activities occurred in gymnasiums of bathing
complexes as they served as civic facilities for Greco-Roman citizens (Yegül 1982).
These activities included sacrifices and banquets in honor of the defied rulers along with
According to Yegül, the water supply system and the heating of the baths serves
as, “one of the outstanding technical achievements of the ancient world…” (2010:80).
The initial construction and subsequent maintenance of the hypocaust and aqueduct
systems required the work of specialized architects and engineers. Overall, these two
systems were necessary for the proper function of any Roman bath and facilitated the
The heating of the baths was one of the three main requirements for the proper
function of a bathing complex along with an adequate water supply and drainage area
(Biers 2003:310). While baths were heated through solar energy by typically constructing
large windows and placing the building facing the south, the hypocaust system was the
secret for creating the flow of warm to hot baths (Ring 1996:717). The hypocaust system
49
was invented in the 2nd century BCE and consisted of a raised floor on brick pillars that
allowed hot air to flow into the rooms from a furnace (Yegül 2010:84). The walls of the
heated rooms would have also been hollow and lined with pipes to allow the heat to
radiate out (Fagan 2001:404). Seneca described this building technique, “…with pipes let
into the walls for the purpose of diffusing the heat which maintains an even temperature
in the lowest as well as the highest spaces” (Letters 90.25). The use of this floor heating
system changed the way Roman architects organized the baths (Ward 1992:126). To
conserve the heat, the warm bath rooms would have been placed close together so they
furnace was typically placed along the exterior walls of the heated rooms and baths
(Yegül 2010:90). The floors in the heated rooms would have been lined with clay tiles
Perhaps the most innovated of Roman inventions, the aqueduct system allowed
for the construction of baths in the most arid regions of the empire (Yegül 2010:97). In
fact, aqueducts were almost always built in order to supply water to public baths
supply water to the baths with the simple use of gravity (Fagan 2001:405). Water was
supplied from natural springs and reservoirs, which at times fed multiple aqueduct
systems. Baths were often built near these water sources as seen at Antiochia ad Cragum
where both buildings were constructed next to natural springs and valleys. Aqueducts
were also typically accompanied by cisterns and distribution tanks to store water and
assist in changing out large amounts of water from the baths (Yegül 2010:99). It was
50
common practice to empty and clean out the baths every night to ensure the cleanliness of
these public facilities (Blyth 1999:89). Constructing these monumental aqueducts, which
were built underground in tunnels and above ground as bridges, was also highly technical
work that required accurate surveying and building techniques (Mitchell 1987:352).
Vitruvius provides a detailed description of how to locate water supplies and build
aqueducts (De Architectura Book 8). Water, an obvious necessity for a bath, was,
“another mode of conspicuous consumption symbolizing the wealth and the might of the
Empire” (Yegül 2010:98). This important piece of Roman engineering was necessary in
order to sustain the bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum and confirms the
During the Roman Imperial Period, the Mediterranean was the center of Roman
expansion and urbanization. The cities established during this time were valuable to the
empire in terms of the trade of not only material goods but of information and people. As
such, each city would have been outfitted with public architecture although the size and
money put into the cityscape varied across the empire. It is known that bath architecture
in particular was a costly endeavor in comparison with other types of buildings due to the
highly technical nature of its construction. The need for frequent maintenance and repair
was also considerable and would have added to the expense of these buildings (DeLaine
1999:67). All in all, it has been argued that baths were the most innovative and expensive
types of Roman public institutions in terms of its architecture and technology (Ring
1996:717).
51
when compared to the overall number of baths built throughout the vast empire (Nielsen
1990:121). Further, in most cases we only have accounts of the expense of bathing
complexes from our historical sources and epigraphical material with minimal knowledge
available from archaeological studies. Regardless, bath architecture was a costly cultural
1990:119). In order to provide a holistic understanding of this architecture and fulfill the
requirements of costly signaling, analyses of the costs of baths in other Roman provinces
will be reviewed to highlight the truly great expense necessary to construct these
buildings. The data collected from Antiochia ad Cragum may be better elucidated when
Cragum, we can nevertheless infer that it was a monumental undertaking in terms of the
expense of labor, construction materials, and constant upkeep. Several key studies have
investigated this matter and provide a comparative analysis for this work. While
seemingly obvious, the money set aside for the construction of this architecture
determined the design of the bath. The finances influenced the overall size of the building
as well as the building materials and decorations (Boersma 1999:192). Baths, the most
diverse type of Roman architecture, could be modified by the architects who had
influence on the arrangement, shape, and height of the rooms (MacDonald 1986:213).
Skilled architects were a prized commodity in the Roman world as attested by Pliny who
on several occasions requested talented architects for building projects in the province of
52
Bithynia from the emperor Trajan, which reflects the demand of such specialized labor
(Mitchell 1987:338). The construction of the hypocaust system and large scale aqueducts
would have required specialized architects as well which would contribute to the expense
of these complexes. All of these factors would have added to the monumental cost of
baths in Italy. Out of the six studied, the cost of the baths typically ranged from roughly
larger baths in this study ranged in cost from approximately 300,000 to 350,000
kastrenses modii. The Baths of Neptune at Ostia was a gift from the emperor Hadrian to
the port city. This 67 X 67 meter bathing complex cost over 2 million kastrenses modii to
to the decoration of this medium-sized building commenting that he, “added all the extra
money required” to complete this project (Fagan 1999:173). This bath data provides us
with the most reliable knowledge on the cost of this type of architecture as it is one of the
only bathing complexes to have extensive information from both archaeological research
equivalent to roughly 10 sesterces, the construction of this bath would have been a
this thermae lasted six or seven years so that the annual cost was roughly 2.3 million
kastrenses modii. When referencing this study, Yegül compares the annual cost to
amount to almost three times the expense for the annual corn dole for the city of Rome
during the end of the third century, which would have had a population over 1 million at
the time (2010:118). As noted by DeLaine, these baths served as a, “powerful investment
as a symbol of status” and proved their importance in Roman society beyond basic
utilitarian use (1997:223). The Thermae of Caracalla was an imperial thermae and its
large expense would have been funded through the emperor as well as the empire itself
(Nielsen 1990:122). Further, the location of this thermae along with the Baths of Neptune
at Ostia must be taken into consideration given the fact that the cost of construction
would have been much higher in and near the capital (Nielsen 1990:121).
While the information for evaluating the expense of the decoration of baths is also
ambiguous and incomplete, we have some historical sources that specifically mention
bath decoration costs. Pliny the Younger donated 300,000 kastrenses modii to decorate
the bath in his hometown of Comum, which suggests that the total cost of construction
would have been upwards of 600,000 kastrenses modii (Nielsen 1990:121). While we do
not know the exact size and grandeur of this bath, it must have been ornate considering
Pliny’s generous donation (Fagan 1999:174). A dedicatory inscription from the site of
donated for the marble decoration of the bath (Nielsen 1990:122). The mosaic floors in
the bath at the site of Thubursicum Bure cost 41,200 kastrenses modii in AD 260-262
(Nielsen 1990:122). However, the inflation rates of the 3rd century AD must be
54
create these bath decorations would have added to the costliness of these buildings
The everyday running of a bath would have also added to the overall expense of
this institution. The heating and water supply systems were crucial for the maintenance of
the bath and would have been quite costly in antiquity. To add to the technical and costly
endeavor of running a bath, extensive aqueduct systems had to be built to supply the large
amount of water necessary to maintain a bathing complex. The building of the hypocaust
system would have required a highly trained architect specialized in this type of
construction. The constant heating of the furnace would have been the most costly
from Altinum in Venetia recorded the donation of 12,000 kastrenses modii for fuel for
each of two baths in the city annually (Blyth 1999:88). This amount was estimated to
cover the cost of buying and transporting the wood from nearby landowners to supply the
baths. While the dedication at Altinum does not include funds for the emptying and
cleaning of the baths, it was likely a costly task that would have been performed daily
(Blyth 1999:89). Thus, the aqueducts necessary to provide water for these baths along
with the hypocaust system to heat the baths provide evidence for the extensive and
material and historical sources. In antiquity, cities relied on funding from its revenues as
well as from contributions from wealthy individuals to build these public intuitions
(Nielsen 1990:120). It has even been argued that no city would be able to afford to set up
its necessary public architecture without the generous benefaction from its wealth citizens
(Mitchell 1993:211). While bath inscriptions were often vague and do not provide precise
details for the expense of these buildings, some examples provide evidence for the costly
1.4 million sesterces for the baths at Altinum. This donation specified that the money be
divided to be used for a number of tasks including the repair, heating and upkeep of the
bath (Fagan 1999:173-174). An unknown but likely substantial amount of money was
donated by Julia Memmia, the daughter of a consular, for the construction of a bath at the
site of Bulla Regia in Tunisia (Yegül 1992:44). A dedicatory statue and inscription were
construction the bath at Corfinum in AD 122 and were honored with a dedicatory
inscription (Nielsen 1990:121). This funding supplemented money that had previously
been set aside for this construction and suggests the total cost of construction would have
been quite high. The bath at Aquileia cost a total of 1 million kastrenses modii and was
paid for with city funds and donations from M. Antistius Nereus (Duncan-Jones
1982:157,224). M. Antistius Nereus was a wealthy elite citizen of the city and was able to
56
fund half of the construction costs. These examples showcase the prevalence of elite
As mentioned previously, there was social pressure placed on the wealthy who
1974:142). In return, these individuals and families received social advancement and
prestige in their community for their benefaction (Duncan-Jones 1982). The ultimate
benefit of this redistribution of wealth would come in the form of honorific inscriptions
that showcased their patriotism (Mitchell 1993:211). This imperial architecture would be
a long-lasting reminder of the morality of the benefactors (Mitchell 1987:334). There are
historical accounts of wealthy citizens going bankrupted from such generous donation to
public building contributions (Dio Chrysostom Orations 46.3). These examples of public
complexes for the Roman inhabitants. In provincial cities in particular, the wealthy
classes likely contributed more to these building projects due to the small public funds
available (Duncan-Jones 1990:182). These studies also elucidate the role of the elites and
In comparison with the cost of other public institutions, bathing complexes were
one of the most expensive buildings in antiquity. While we have incomplete data for the
overall cost of public buildings, some comparative studies have been conducted which
highlight the price of major public buildings in the Roman Empire (Nielsen 1990:122).
Duncan-Jones provides a study of the building costs in Italy and North Africa based on
57
historical accounts and dedicatory inscriptions (1982). While this study notes the lack of
prices available for temples and the abundance of prices available for baths in Italy, it is
expensive type of architecture included in this study was bathing complexes. In particular
the bath at Ostia was the costliness at an astounding 2 million kastrenses modii.
Following this expense is the library at Comum, which cost 1 million kastrenses modii
(Duncan-Jones 1982:157). In North Africa, the temple at Lambaesis was the highest cost
at 600,000 kastrenses modii (Duncan-Jones 1982:75). Only three baths from the African
province were included in this study; however, each were quite costly as the thermae at
Thagura was priced at 400,000 and the two baths at Mastar and Gibba both were priced at
100,000 (Duncan-Jones 1982:91). This study highlights the great cost of bathing
financing and urban development in Roman cities (1974). Drawing from numerous
previous studies, this work compared the median figures for the cost of public institutions
based on a Roman city the size of Pompeii (MacMullen 1974:142-145). While omitting
the costs of other public monuments such as arches, statues, and aqueducts, this provides
the most comprehensive overview of the price of Roman urbanization in terms of public
architecture. As shown in Figure 3.1, MacMullen averaged out the number of different
types of architecture that would be expected in a typical Roman city. Thus, there would
be roughly three baths, three small temples, and three fountains in a medium-sized city
such as Pompeii. In assessing the price of each of these buildings, libraries would have
58
been the most expensive followed by theaters and baths. However, as noted by Nielsen,
the bathing complexes would have been the most expensive as three would have been
necessary for a medium-sized city (1990:122). In fact, the cost of three baths would
comprise a third of the total cost for public buildings in this study. Thus, this comparative
study supports the notion of the importance of bath architecture in a cityscape as well as
Curia 100,000 sesterces
Basilica 120,000 sesterces
Macellum 100,000 sesterces
Library 500,000 sesterces
Gymnasium 150,000 sesterces
Table 3.1. Cost of Public Architecture in a Roman City (after MacMullen 1974:144).
59
While the baths noted above were likely more expensive than the baths at
structures were for the empire and how much money was invested in their construction.
Antiochia ad Cragum would like fall into this pattern with the additional financial
the expense of constructing the bath, the highly specialized architects would have likely
been non-local and would have had to travel to the remote region to produce this work.
Exotic materials would have also had to be imported to enhance the grandeur of the
baths. All of these factors demonstrate the expense of building this type of architecture at
Antiochia ad Cragum.
Aside from the overall cost of the construction, the upkeep of the bath would have
been an additional expense in the everyday running of the facility. The fuel for the
furnace and the oils for bathing would have been paid for through fees accrued from
entrance into the facility but would have also been donated by wealthy individuals to
reflect their generosity to the public (DeLaine 1999:72-73). The fee for entering the bath
was minimal would not have been a significant revenue for the overall upkeep of the
complex (Yegül 1992:45). While our knowledge of construction costs and repairs is
incomplete for the two baths at Antiochia ad Cragum, this review has shown the
significant amount of expense that was allotted for this architecture. Given the timber
60
resources of western Rough Cilicia, the cost to heat the furnace would have been
insignificant compared to the costly initial investment to build these bath complexes.
Thus, the construction of bath architecture was not only a costly investment for a new
city as it would have also been a costly endeavor which spanned the years of its use.
Within the context of a growing economy after the inclusion into the Roman
Empire and the cultivation of the rich resources in the region, architects greatly modified
of Asia Minor were not, however, mere slavish copies of those in Italy” (1981:292). In
the Roman province of Rough Cilicia, bath architecture had distinct regional
characteristics that were influenced from architectural styles from both the east and the
west. Fikret Yegül, a prominent scholar of Roman architecture, examined the variations
of bath designs in Rough Cilicia to emphasize the social and cultural aspects of this type
Andrew Farrington, established a typology of the basic plans for bath architecture in
southwestern Asia Minor. I summarize the work of Yegül and Farrington to present a
comprehensive view of bathing complexes and their architectural styles in this remote
region of the Rome Empire. The regional characteristics of these baths reflect the cultural
Rough Cilician baths utilize unique layouts that reflect the preference for
particular bath plans. These baths, which date from the 2nd to 5th century AD, display
local regional characteristics that represent the remote provincial cities and their cultural
61
placed rooms with the combination of small and medium sized barrel vaulted halls
(Yegül 2010:176). A majority of these baths have open apses and windows that face the
sea to the south to take advantage of the sun. There are three common bath plans found
throughout Rough Cilicia: the hall type, the asymmetrical bath building on a block
arrangement, and the row arrangement. Each of these plans has unique, regional
characteristics that separate them from other baths in the Roman Empire.
central gallery with heated rooms on one side and unheated, smaller rooms on the other
side of the bath (Yegül 2010:178). The central gallery typically served as the frigidarium
and was connected to all of the other bathing rooms. The main entrance typically
connects with the middle room through a hallway or corridor (Yegül 1992:301). This
room would have had high ceilings and would have likely served as public meeting
spaces (Farrington 1995). Also known as the, “bath with a central rectangular gallery,”
this open layout allowed the bathers to easily move from one room to the next and decide
their preferred bathing order (Farrington 1995). In Rough Cilicia, the best examples of
this architectural type are the baths at Anemurium (Baths II-7A and II-11B), Antiochia ad
Cragum (the Great Bath or Bath 1-2A), and Syedra (Bath II-1A) (Yegül 2010:178). Each
of these baths reflects the regional characteristics of this plan type popular in this region.
While this plan was popular in Rough Cilicia, variations of it are also found in the nearby
by a rectangular-shaped bath with rectangular rooms in each of the bath corners (Garis
2001:13). This layout is asymmetrical and provides easy movement from room to room.
While this bath plan is economical as the rooms are placed to maximize its use of space,
it is also original and enhances the flow of circulation throughout the bath (Yegül
1992:291). Some baths with this unique plan incorporated a palaestra, which varied in its
location within the complex (Farrington 1995). This layout was utilized for small to
medium-sized baths, and its flexible plan was effective for the mountainous terrain of
southwestern Asia Minor (Yegül 1992:291). This bath type is common in Rough Cilicia
and the nearby province of Pamphylia as seen at Side (Bath 1) and Korasium (Bath 1).
Finally, the “row arrangement” was the most common plan type found in Rough
Cilicia. This layout was simple and characterized by a row of bath rooms parallel to one
another (Garis 2001:14). These baths were small and consisted of a row of three or four
rooms parallel with a rectangular gallery or corridor (Farrington 1995). Typically, the
caldarium would be placed at one end of the bath followed by the tepidarium and the
apodyterium and frigidarium on the other end (Garis 2001:14). The circulation of the heat
in these baths was always retractive. This bath plan was functional and economical in
comparison with the two previous bath plans. In Rough Cilicia, the best examples of this
row arrangement are found at Antiochia ad Cragum (the Extramural Bath or Bath I-4),
Anemurium (Bath III-2B), and Selinus (Bath 3). This plan, along with the other two plans
outlined above, reflects the typical layout of bath architecture in Rough Cilicia.
63
The three regional bath plans of Rough Cilicia demonstrate the variation of this
architectural type in provincial Rome. While variations of these plans are found in other
Roman provinces, the uniqueness of the bath plans in Rough Cilicia indicates the
“Fully aware of the beneficial role played by baths in the health, education, and
entertainment of the people, the Roman state and its leading citizens placed the
building and maintenance of baths at the top of the list of social responsibilities
and strove to make them as attractive and accessible as possible to the masses”
[1992:2].
These provincial plans display an effort to change and enhance this popular cultural
Summary
functions in everyday life. As this chapter outlined, this type of architecture served as
community centers for bathing, exercising, socializing, and relaxing in a civic space for
the enjoyment of the public. While bathing complexes were a necessary institution in any
proper Roman city, it was quite costly to construct and maintain. Thus, support came
from the city as well as local benefactors who gained public prestige for their generosity.
The significant amount of money invested in these institutions supports their role as
fundamental aspects in Roman society. The bath architecture in Rough Cilicia and nearby
provinces in southwestern Asia Minor reflects the great cost and investment put in to
64
these civic buildings. Theories of revised world system analysis and multi-level signaling
are used in the next chapter situate an examination of the role played by Roman
architecture, in particular bath architecture, in the incorporation of this region into the
Roman Empire. These theories will aid in the understanding of the economic and political
The region of western Rough Cilicia was powerfully impacted by Rome in late
Republican period. As Asia Minor was slowly incorporated into the expanding Roman
Empire, the cities in this newly conquered province vied for the economic and political
benefits of the Pax Romana. The relationship between the indigenous cultures in the east
and the dominating Romans in the west was complex and both were vigorous in
balancing their roles in this new political stage. Once the region was peacefully settled,
important local elite lineages would have signaled their allegiance to the Empire in order
to continue their control of their cities and gain power under the guidance of the new
regime. In turn, Romans relied on these local elites to help enforce their new sovereignty
in the region (Mitchell 1993). This history illustrates the intricacy of social interaction
One way to analyze the organization and operation of these ancient cities is to
look at the architecture produced during this time. Similar to other Roman provinces,
western Rough Cilicia was transformed by the architectural endeavors that significantly
altered the landscape (Spanu 2013:99). During the Early Roman Period (66 BCE to AD
250), the cities in western Rough Cilicia saw significant population growth along with a
This architecture required substantial financial investments and points to the significance
of the development of this region for the Roman Empire itself (Spanu 2013:99). The
66
interaction between the core of Rome and the periphery of western Rough Cilicia can be
analyzed by studying the architecture at these cities – in particular the bathing complexes.
national culture. Not to bathe would have been un-Roman” (1992:4). Thus, bath
Wallerstein’s world system theory has been used to study both short and long
term social change based on economic and political developments. This social-political
framework focuses on the relationship between the core and the periphery among various
individuals, communities, organizations, and states (Hopkins 1982:12). This theory has
been employed by several key archaeologists to analyze the complex social relations
associated with the inclusion of the periphery into the core of Rome. The Roman
Mediterranean world was widespread and encompassed numerous polities. In this study,
revised world system theory will be utilized to understand the relationship of the
indigenous cultures of western Rough Cilicia with the offshore power of Rome through
the architecture found at Antiochia ad Cragum. Further, it will be utilized to study the
inter-regional interaction between the various communities within western Rough Cilicia.
communication among various entities. Signaling can come in the form of a behavior or
can be displayed as a physical material entity (Wandsnider 2013:176). This theory has
been used recently to explain human behavior patterns and the various ways we
communicate (Boone 2000; Bird and Smith 2005; Maynard-Smith and Harper 2003;
67
Plourde and Glatz 2011; Roscoe 2009). Costly signaling refers to the act of signaling
through expensive action in order to guarantee the honest quality of the signal. In regards
to western Rough Cilicia, the indigenous cultures in the region were likely using this
monumental and costly type of architecture to signal to Rome its allegiance. It was also
possible that this architecture was used as a signal of unity with the empire to other
citizens and cities in the region. This communication is seen in the many messages
associated with the construction of the costly architecture that appeared in the Late
Roman Period. Bath architecture, a popular Roman pastime, would have been crucial in
this endeavor. Thus, multi-level signaling will be used to analyze not only the interaction
of western Rough Cilicia with Rome but the interaction of the communities within the
new province.
This chapter will review and integrate revised world systems theory and multi-
level signaling theory. This will include a discussion of previous research conducted
under this framework and the limitations of both of these theories. These models and
their use in the study of architecture and Roman provincial urbanization will also be
presented. While Rome would have been eager to exploit this new region for taxation
purposes and other economic benefits such as the timber resources, the inhabitants of
western Rough Cilicia would also have been eager to collect the economic benefits
provided by the inclusion into the empire such as financial support for the growing
security. The popularity and appeal of baths in western Rough Cilicia will also be further
(RCSP) in recording the monumental and numerous bathing complexes in the region.
Immanuel Wallerstein (1974, 1976, 1980, 1989) introduced the idea of a world
system to analyze social change in the context of historical development, capitalism, and
the structure of the world (Sorinel 2010:220). This theory seeks to interpret, “history,
society, and economy in global perspective” (Sorinel 2010:220). World systems theory
focuses on the world as a whole system with interconnected parts emphasizing the
mechanisms that create the core, semiperiphery, and the periphery and the relationship
between those three entities. Wallerstein argued that a new world economy began in the
late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries in the western world and that the whole history
of the west could be explained through the emergence of capitalism. With the failure of
feudalism and the rise of Western Europe, capitalism evolved as a way for elites to
exploit resources and labor from the lower levels of society (Wallerstein 1974:15). While
this theory was created to analyze capitalist societies, it is possible to apply this theory to
the ancient world. Wallerstein’s theory provided a “new theoretical paradigm to guide the
Wallerstein drew his inspiration for the theory of world systems from two key
influences: Karl Marx and Andre Gunder Frank. Karl Marx explained history through a
series of economic steps from feudalism to capitalism (Sorinel 2010:220). Marx’s theory
of internal relations viewed, “all things, structures, ideas, people, commodities, etc.” in
69
relation to each other for they would not exist without this network of relations (Ollman
1971:39). The idea of interdependence is a useful model when examining world systems
in antiquity. Andre Gunder Frank originally proposed a system in which the core and the
periphery were divided in order to analyze the economic relations between the two. His
theory was to explain the nature of capitalism through the wealthy core and the
impoverished periphery where the core was active in exploiting the periphery (Gunder
Frank 1966:18-19). Thus, Wallerstein drew from both of these ideas to form the world
system theory in 1974 that focused on the capitalist economy. In Rough Cilician society,
this theory can be useful in terms of examining the economic and political factors of this
periphery society in regards to their relationship with the core of Roman society.
structures, member groups, rules of legitimation, and coherence” (1974:347). While the
feudal system was tied to religion, capitalism transcends that boundary to encompass
various political, cultural, and economic structures in a society. This system focuses on
the various factors that revolve around resources and labor. This relationship is based on
the balance between the superior and inferior entities and their fight for domination.
Wallerstein further adds that, “its life is made up of the conflicting forces which hold it
together by tension and tear it apart as each group seeks eternally to remold it to its
advantage” (1974:347). The core and the periphery are inherently different on a multitude
characterized by high-profit goods extracted from the free labor provided by the
from the periphery (Ekholm and Friedman 1993:61). This relationship fosters the
dependency of the periphery on the core (Chase-Dunn and Hall 1991). The theory of
world systems is useful in that it divides the world into a complex web of interconnected
While this framework recognizes that periphery states are inferior to that of the
core, it must be noted that these core states owe their advantageous position to their
relationship with these lesser states (Hopkins 1982:10). The successful and continued
as the periphery depends on the core for its own development. The core evolved from
trade and coerced labor from periphery societies while the periphery benefited by the
within the political landscape. These semiperipheries are composed of elites and
merchants who try to take advantage of new economic opportunities in the region
(Alexander 2008:390). In turn, periphery societies can evolve into core societies while
the core can devolve into the periphery. The instability of these systems leads to a cycle
in which centers on rise and fall of societies in power (Ekholm and Friedman 1993:63).
As stated by Stein, “the diversity of economic, political, social, and ideological processes
capitalist societies has been heavily debated by scholars (Schneider 1977). Beginning in
the early 1980s, archaeologists began to question its use in non-capitalist systems
(Alexander 2008:384). Some archaeologists have discounted the theory for its overtly
economic focus and denounce the use of this modern theory in an ancient setting
(Kardulias and Hall 2008). Others such as Price note the necessity of developing a
sufficient argument for the incorporation of archaeology and the economic system before
applying this theory to a pre-modern society (1986). Wallerstein himself stated that
precapitalist societies tended to either quickly collapse to transform into major world
empires (1979:156-160). With these concerns in mind, archaeologists adapted this theory
for studying the social complexity of ancient systems (Algaze 1993; Hall and Chase-
Dunn 1993; Kardulias 1999; Stein 2002). This theoretical framework offers insight into
the interregional polities for understanding local and regional political and economic
exchange. In an effort to elucidate the factors that influence the study of social change in
ancient societies, archaeologists began to focus on agency and social identity (Stein
2002:905). This effort supports the notion that individuals and small groups play a large
role in social change and interaction. The paradigm for interregional interaction must
recognize that all participants in a system contribute to its complexity and evolution
(Stein 2002:906). Instead of viewing the ancient world in terms of core and periphery
systems, this model illustrates the complex nature of these interconnected communities
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(Ma 2003:15). This dynamic centers upon internal as well as external processes such as
local and long distant trade of goods, people, and knowledge (Stein 2002:908-909). The
Roman world was composed of a series of separate but interrelated entities which were
connected socially, politically, and economically. The factors underlying the nature of
their interaction must be fully elucidated in order to fully examine the relationship
of ancient societies through their material remains utilizing aspects of revised world
and Hall, social systems can be analyzed through not only trade but warfare, political
interactions, religion, and all forms of contact in a world system (1993:856). One
applicable way to approach revised world system theory with the paradigm of
ancient societies. For this chapter, analyses of the economic and political meanings
behind the architecture implanted from Rome to western Rough Cilicia will be conducted
through the lenses of this revised theory embedded with multi-level signaling theory.
various entities. This theory can be used to analyze communication and the social and
material benefits to individuals, groups, or communities from these actions (Bird and
variety of contexts and aspects of social behavior past or present. Analysis of the
meanings and benefits behind such communication provides a deeper meaning of human
endeavors. The transfer of information from one culture to another can have political,
economic, and cultural significance depending on the content of that message. Overall,
Simply put, signals are transferred from senders to receivers. Senders emit a
signal which can come in the form of a social or material display such as a political
gesture or a costly display. The message is intended for the receiver who then assesses
the message and the meaning behind the signal. This type of communication can be used
by the sender to accrue certain benefits from those receiving the information
(Wandersnider 2013). This communication can also convey the capabilities and
characteristics of the sender to the receiver. A signal can be viewed from the individual
level and from the community level depending on who is sending and receiving the
benefit that particular individual and at the community level the signal is meant to benefit
the community as a collective whole (2011:2). When the message is received, it is then
up to that individual or group to assess the signal and determine whether to ally or avoid
the signaler.
Signaling theory was not developed by one individual but evolved out of the
fields of ecology, economics, anthropology, and biology to explain human behavior and
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variation (Plourde and Glatz 2011:35). It was from these various fields that cultural
practices were analyzed in terms of group benefit and cooperation (Wandsnider 2013). It
was first used in anthropology by Neiman to analyze Maya pyramids and stelae in the
interpretation of the Maya collapse (1997). The use of this theory in anthropological
understanding discernable signals found in various societies. Recently, it has been used to
analyze various issues such as the political development in the New World (Boone 2000),
cultural variation in subsistence behavior (Bird and Smith 2005), social structure in the
contact-era of New Guinea (Roscoe 2009), and even animal signals (Maynard-Smith and
Harper 2003). Mostly notably, this theory provides a basis for exploring communication
goods” [2005:222]
In the last decade, signaling theory has also diverged into another distinct theory
with one focus. Costly signaling focuses solely on human behavior and communication in
terms of expensive material culture. The materialistic social cues projected out into
society can be used to understand a variety of factors behind those actions. This
theoretical framework is distinct in that it focuses on the elaborate signals associated with
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extravagant or revered materials or objects. Thus, the material display of wealth (wearing
talented, honorable, intelligent, logical, etc.) (Wandsnider 2013). According to Bird and
Smith this type of costly signaling involves, “the communication of attributes that are
relatively difficult or expensive to perceive directly and that vary in quality, intensity, or
degree between signalers (either groups or individuals)” (2005:224). The cost of these
signals is great in that the sender must spend a significant amount of resources in this
effect to project this communication to the receiver (Wandsnider 2013). Thus, this action
such costly, and sometimes seemingly wasteful, endeavors (Bird and Smith 2005:221).
individual level, signals are emitted to convey a message about the individual. In most
cases, this communication is to advertise the abilities and qualities of that particular
2011). The advertisement of such qualities may be necessary if they are difficult to
perceive. On the other hand, a group can also send out signals, which are emitted to
convey a message about the group as a collective whole. At this level, a signal is sent out
as a collective message with the contribution of multiple individuals. Simply put, this is a
collective action and represents the solidarity of a community. This action requires the
unity of various individuals in a community, which also emits an image of power out to
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the receiver (Roscoe 2009:98). In the case of Late Hellenistic Greek cities and later
Greco-Roman cities, individuals were constantly competing for prestige and power.
The noteworthy aspect of this type of communication is that they are displayed by
senders who can afford, both socially and financially, to send these costly signals. Only
prestigious individuals or groups are able to emit such costly and difficult endeavors in
social benefits that might be gained through symbolic representations of self with
The cost of this communication is supposed to reflect the honesty and validity of the
message to the audience (Plourde and Glatz 2011:35). This is one way for the sender to
emit to the receiver that the signal is accurate and honest. In a way these extravagant
signals can be viewed as a handicap to the sender due to the excessive, and at times
wasteful, use of resources necessary for such costly signaling. However, these signals are
always tied to a particular agenda for the social benefit of the sender. It is through these
endeavors that the signaler hopes to accrue a social, political, or economic gain.
As outlined by Bird and Smith, there are multiple factors associated with
signaling theory that need to be understood before applying this theoretical framework to
ecological theory and focus on four main conditions. The first condition centers upon the
fact that various members of a group have different attributes that may only be
77
distinguished in a signal. These attributes may only be reliably projected in the form of a
beneficial not only to the receiver of this information but also to the sender. It is
necessary that the sender to be honest in their signals and for the receiver to accurately
interpret those signals. Third, it is accepted that the sender and the receiver would have
conflicting interests in various situations. In some cases, it would be beneficial for the
sender to be somewhat deceitful at the expense of the receiver. Finally, the cost and
subsequent benefit of signaling depends upon the quality of the signal itself. While the
cost may be great, the benefit may be greater if the sender is successful in the endeavor. It
is when all of these conditions are met that costly signaling can be a useful theoretical
framework.
when analyzing the role of this type of architecture in urban development. The
city (and maybe state) revenues (Wandsnider 2011). Architecture, especially monumental
architecture, could be used to signal the power and wealth of an individual and group as it
would have required a significant amount of money and labor to construct. While this
architecture can be costly, the rewards have the potential to withstand time as they can be
in use for a long time and seen by multitudes of people. For a new community, this can
create and strengthen group identity against other groups (Abrams 1989). Constructing
this type of monumental and costly architecture sends a clear message that the
of Rough Cilicia.
For the purposes of this research, multi-level signaling will be utilized along with
revised world system theory in an effort to understand the development of western Rough
Cilicia and the role of the Romanized architecture in these cities. Signaling theory at the
local and regional scales, integrated with a modified world systems thinking at the super
necessary to ensure the expectations of this theory are met for this particular test case. As
outlined by Bird and Smith and discussed above, there are four main factors associated
with signaling theory as it applies to a social situation (2005:224). The signal must: 1)
convey attributes about the senders that would otherwise be difficult to perceive, 2)
provide a benefit for the receivers who receives this information, 3) benefit the sender at
the expense of the receiver based on their varying interests, and 4) be of high quality. If
these four expectations can be met in the application of multi-level signaling theory to
monumental bath architecture, then it would prove this theory a worthwhile framework in
this research. Overall, these variables must be met for signaling theory to be proven as a
useful tool in which to study architecture and state formation. Each of these four
conditions will be expanded upon below before applying this theory to the study of the
city of Antiochia ad Cragum as a sender to various agents of Rome, local city dwellers,
The first condition when accessing the reliability of signaling theory in a social
application centers upon the attributes of the individuals involved in the situation.
Individuals or groups would seek to showcase these underlying attributes by the act of
signaling to the potential receivers. For this theory to be applied successful to the study of
bath architecture during the Roman Imperial Period, there must be underlying attributes
of the Rough Cilician city that would be difficult to be perceived by the Roman Empire.
Possible characteristics signaled could include pro-social orientation shown in the ability
of the city to mount a sign of their collective efforts. These attributes could perhaps only
be observed by the receivers of this information through the information signaled in this
process.
Signaling Benefits
The second criterion involves the potential gain of information from signaling.
This action presents the receiver with information that benefits the receiver in how they
interact with the sender in the future (Bird and Smith 2005:224). Further, this signaling
benefits the sender in turn by increasing their position in their relationship with the
receiver. The relationship of the Roman Empire with the cities of western Rough Cilicia
was a complex with both sides vying for political and economic benefits from their
relationship with one another. Thus, I must show that both sides benefited from actions
The third condition outlined by Bird and Smith focuses on the conflicting interests
of the two groups. Their conflicting interest must be great in that the successful deceit of
the receiver would benefit the sender in taking such a risky action (Bird and Smith
2005:224). The sender would be motived by the potential gain of the deceitful action in
order to complete the signal. Further, this signal would benefit the sender at the expense
of the receiver (Bird and Smith 2005:224). In order to apply this theory to the case of
Antiochia ad Cragum, I need to demonstrate that the cost of deceit was likely quite high
Finally, the last attribute stipulated by Bird and Smith involves the cost of the
signal and the potential benefit of the transfer of this information from the sender to the
receiver. The signal must be of high quality in order to insure its accuracy. The
acceptance of the transfer of information is directly dependent upon the honesty of the
signal. While this action can be seen as wasteful, the high cost ensures the reception of
the message. Thus, the signal is costly to the sender in hopes of yielding the intended
results of such signaling. If these four criteria are met, this study may validate this theory
Before presenting the data on the two bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum,
I will first review information on the occurrence of baths in western Rough Cilicia. The
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Rough Cilicia Survey Project (RCSP) was a multidisciplinary study led by Nicholas Rauh
that identified more than 50 Roman Period sites and extensively documented a total of 14
sites from 1996 to 2004 (Figure 4.1; Rauh and Slane 2000:319; Rauh et al. 2009:254).
This architectural survey examined the region of western Rough Cilicia roughly 60
kilometers along the coast and 10 kilometers inland, which stretched from the ancient site
of Iotape to Charadros (Townsend and Hoff 2009:2). Out of the 14 recorded cities, seven
sites were classified as primary sites based on their known historical significance amount
of architecture including temples, bouleuteria, agoras, and baths (Hoff 2013:144). “These
include Iotape, Selinus, Cestrus, Lamus, Nephelis, Asar Tepe/Juliosebaste, and Antiochia
ad Cragum” (Hoff 2013:144). Each of these cities was under Roman authority, at least to
an extent, during the Imperial Period from the 1st century to the 4th century AD. The
primary city status of these sites would have indicated their autonomy and power in the
region (Wandsnider 2013:177). Public architecture was an indicator of status, and Roman
these urban cities, bath architecture was the most common type of architecture found, and
several of these cities had two or more bath complexes (Table 4.1). Even a secondary
site, the veteran community of Juliosebaste, was outfitted with at least one bath for its
inhabitants. The number and size of these Roman baths located in the remote region of
western Rough Cilicia points to the importance of this monumental architectural type in
this province.
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Figure 4.1. Satellite map of the work areas for the Rough Cilicia Survey Project
have been active in choosing the type of architecture constructed in their region (personal
common in each of the cities and at times the most ornate type of architecture. To add to
this idea is the fact that there are no theaters or stadia found in this region (Townsend and
Hoff 2009:16). Theaters and theatrical productions were a popular pastime for Romans
and were found throughout the Roman Empire. However, no theaters are recorded in
western Rough Cilicia nor are there space found for this architecture (Hoff 2013:145).
Interestingly, the landscape of this region would have been ideal for the building of
theaters. Architects of theaters took advantage of the landscape by building theaters into
productions could have taken place in spaces such as bouleuteria but there is no historical
evidence noting that theaters existed in the region. The lack of theaters, commonly
associated more with the masses, may symbolize the elite power in western Rough Cilicia
and their influence in choosing architecture which fit with their tastes (Townsend and
Hoff 2009:16).
and the rituals of bathing were such a popular phenomenon in western Rough Cilicia.
Regardless, evidence points to the fact that the inhabitants of these newly Romanized
cities were active in choosing architecture that, “appealed to their cultural tastes and
sensibilities” (Hoff 2013:145). The appeal of baths and social bathing would have
benefited the community and encouraged social interaction among its inhabitants
points of civic life and citizen interaction in the public sphere, combining leisure, sport,
religion (most bath-gymnasium complexes included a sanctuary for the imperial cult),
education and sociability, all in one building” (2009:83). So while this type of
architecture was expensive, it was also a necessary civic institution in Roman life.
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Sites Status Size in Temple Bouleuterion Agora Bath
hectares
Cragum (3)
(2)
(1)
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)
Table 4.1. Primary and Secondary Sites in Rough Cilicia (after Rauh et al
2009:288).
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Summary
The research reviewed in this chapter endeavored to present the impact of the
inclusion of the region of western Rough Cilicia into the Roman Empire through the
integration of the theories of revised world system and multi-level signaling. The
theoretical framework of these two theories was elucidated to present a holistic approach
Revised world system theory can be useful in the study of both short and long term
change in the development of the new province. Thus, multi-level signaling theory can
serve as a mechanism to study the communication among the two entities. This chapter
outlined those two theories as well as the expectations for multi-level signaling in this
thesis. Bath architecture, a popular institution in western Rough Cilicia, was presented
through the data collected by the Rough Cilicia Survey Project (RCSP). This
multidisciplinary study recorded the vast number of baths in the region and showcased
the wide appeal of this architecture to the inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia. These
theories will further the study of the role of baths in the economic and political
development of this region within the Roman Empire. The next chapter will present the
data collected on the bath architecture found at Antiochia ad Cragum during the 2012 and
CHAPTER FIVE
ANTIOCHIA AD CRAGUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT AND
BATH DATA
Introduction
Michael Hoff, Professor of Art History at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and
working in concert with Project Co-Directors Nicholas Rauh and Birol Can, has been
underway since 2005. With the contribution and collaboration of architects, geographers,
conservators, and archaeologists, this project has helped to further our knowledge of
ancient western Rough Cilicia. This project seeks to understand western Rough Cilicia in
Cragum during the Imperial Roman Period. Bath architecture was a major architectural
type found in these cities. As bathing complexes are the most abundant and diverse types
of architecture in this region, I found it beneficial to analyze the role of the baths in these
new Greco-Roman societies focusing on the bathing complexes at the site of Antiochia
ad Cragum as a case study for this research. This chapter consists of a description of the
physical layout of the site along with the fieldwork that was conducted during the 2012
and 2013 field seasons. A description of the methods used to record the two bathing
complexes will be detailed along with the presentation of the bath data.
Antiochia ad Cragum (Antioch on the Cliffs) was one of the largest Roman
(Figure 5.1). The city was established by Antiochus IV of Commagene (AD 38 to 72)
during the reign of the Roman Emperor Gaius (Hoff et al. 2006:100). The site is next to
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the modern day village Güney Köy and is roughly 13 kilometers south of the town of
Gazipaşa. In ancient times, it was also known as Antiochetta and Antiochia Parva (Little
Antiochia) to distinguish it from other cities also named Antiochia. The name Antiochia
ad Cragum is Latin for Antiochia ad Kragos which refers to the city’s location on what
was known as Kragos Mountain in antiquity (Rauh et al. 2000:167). The site itself sits on
top of high cliffs approximately 300 meters above sea level and is strategically placed
between the slopes of the Taurus Mountains and overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
The site includes a monumental gateway, a colonnaded street and agora, three
bathing complexes, two churches, numerous temple tombs, a domestic quarter, a temple,
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and a basilica (Rauh et al. 2013:64). Along the western slope of the ancient city was a
250,000 meter squared pristine harbor rightly called the “pirates’ cove” as it was one of
the centers for Cilician pirates in antiquity. The site occupies a hilly area with steep
slopes and minimal alluvial soil (Blanton 2000:52). During the Rough Cilicia
found that the site was mainly inhabited from the Late Roman into the Byzantine Period
(Rauh et al. 2000:167). This survey was also able to determine that the inhabitants of the
city were active in shaping the landscape of the city by creating terraced platforms, which
In antiquity, the site would have been entered from the east gate, a massive
structure which stands 250 meters tall and was constructed of quarry stone of micaceous
slate mixed with limestone and smashed tiles (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:18). The vaulted
roof is not preserved but the two columns remain and provide a picture of how
monumental this structure would have been in antiquity (Figure 5.2). Before entering the
main gate into the city, visitors would have passed by the extramural bath that is located
east of the site (Figure 5.3). This is one out of the three baths that would have been
enjoyed by the Antiochia ad Cragum population. A valley with several natural springs
separates the bath and the gate. Continuing west is a long colonnaded street roughly 150
meters east-west and 15 meters north-south (Blanton 2000:53). This street would have
been lined with multi-storied shops built into the terrace with a clearly defined staircase
to the upper shops (Figure 5.4 and 5.5). The granite shafts that decorated the colonnaded
street were exotic imports from the Troad and Mysia (Spanu 2013:101).
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Further east of the site is the great bath and potential second temple at the site.
The great bath was over 18 meters high and was partially destroyed during a series of
earthquakes in antiquity. It is situated on a flat hilltop that would have been visible from
the sea as well as from the city center. South of these structures are a number of temple
tombs that sit on a high ridge overlooking the sea (Blanton 2000:53). To the north is the
domestic settlement as indicated by the large amounts of surface pottery which date to the
Early Roman to Byzantine Periods. Constructed on one of the highest points at the site at
the northeastern end of the city is a Corinthian temple, which was possibly dedicated to
an Antonine or Severan emperor (Figure 5.6; Hoff et al. 2006:104). Placing the temple at
the most principle part of the city followed the tradition in Roman city planning
(Anderson 1978:171). This prostyle temple is oriented north-south and was decorated by
a striking pediment which depicts two winged Nikai surrounded by an oak wreath portrait
of an emperor (Figure 5.7; Hoff et al. 2006:103-104). Down slope to the south of the site
are the remains of the third bath, additional temple tombs, and the harbor (Figure 5.8). To
the southeast are two churches and a basilicia, which point to the early conversion of the
populations of Rough Cilicia to Christianity (Figure 5.9). The region of Cilicia was the
birthplace of Paul the Apostle, and it is known from historical sources that Antiochia ad
Cragum was listed as sees of bishops in the notitia episcopatuum (Rosenbaum et al.
1967:viii).
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This site contained a total of three baths in order to meet the demands of the
population, estimated to have been roughly 8,000 inhabitants in antiquity (Hoff personal
population was roughly 9,030 and would have peaked in the 2nd and 3rd centuries
(2000:77). The Rough Cilicia Archaeological Survey Project (RCASP) surveyed the area
between eastern Pamphylia and western Rough Cilicia and recorded an immense amount
Cragum, as well as the number of baths at other western Rough Cilician cities, points to
2012 and 2013 during the Antiochia ad Cragum Archaeological Research Project Field
School (ACARP). This field school is led by faculty from the University of Nebraska,
Atatürk University based in Erzurum, Turkey, and Clark University based in Worcester,
Massachusetts. Each year the field school instructs roughly 35 students in archaeological
conservation. During the summer of 2012, students participated in the excavation of the
Corinthian temple, the colonnaded street, and the great bath. Under the guidance of Dr.
Hoff and with the assistance of one graduate student, I conducted a preliminary survey of
the extramural bath. During the summer of 2013, the focus of the field school shifted to
the great bath and an adjacent building that might be a second temple. A preliminary
survey of the great bath was conducted, and I also assisted the Turkish team and surveyor
in mapping the building. The fieldwork for both summers provides insight into the
Fieldwork Goals:
2. Clear the problematic brush in the survey area of the great bath.
Survey of the Extramural Bath and Initial Excavation of the Great Bath, 2012
The 2012 field season was conducted from July 15th to August 14th. During this
never been fully researched or excavated before. First Dr. Hoff and I surveyed the bath to
determine the architectural styles present in the building. This work included walking in
and around the building while recording the features of the bath. The various features in
the rooms were observed in order to determine the use and function of each room. It was
during this documentation that we were able to elucidate the various functions of each of
the rooms in the bath and denote the overall layout of the bath. Next, a record was kept of
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the material types used in each of the rooms such as limestone, brick, marble, and
micaceous slate. A record of the use of various architecture styles including vaults, apses,
arches, and niches was also noted. Finally, other attributes such as the adornments and
With the assistance of a graduate student, I mapped the extramural bath. This
work began by measuring the dimensions of all of the rooms. A tape measure was placed
at the exterior corners of the walls to measure the size of the rooms. These data were then
used to determine the overall size of the bath. An analysis of the location of the bath
within the urban center and its relationship with other monumental architecture will be
taken into consideration in the interpretation. Thus, this work cumulated with an overall
understanding of the construction materials and adornments present in the bath along
Excavation also began at the great bath during this field season. In 2001, the
Rough Cilicia Survey Project (RCSP) noticed tesserae from a floor mosaic, which had
been plowed up by a local farmer. The team notified the Analya Archaeological Museum,
which sent out archaeologists two years later to uncover more of the mosaic. In 2012, the
museum approved the project to start to clear the mosaic, located in the forecourt of the
great bath. Thus, an archaeological investigation was started at this bath, which revealed
1,500 square meters of the mosaic. Excavation began at the exterior of the palaestra and
moved inward to reveal the wall foundations surrounding the complex. The units were
excavated in arbitrary levels down to the wall remains and the mosaic. The mosaic, which
was uncovered in a piecemeal fashion, was then carefully cleaned with water and soft
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brushes. To preserve the mosaic for future research, it was set in a special mortar and
covered with sand and blankets. At the end of the field season it was postulated that only
40 percent had been uncovered so far. It was during this excavation that a section of a
shallow, long pool was also uncovered in the middle of the forecourt of the bath complex.
The 2013 field season was conducted from July 16th to August 15th. During the
2013 fieldwork season, I conducted a preliminary examination of the great bath and the
excavation continued on the palaestrae area. The area around the bath was heavily
overgrown with weeds and brush, and the first two weeks were spent clearing it out with
machetes. As with the extramural bath, Dr. Hoff and I walked in and around the great
bath noting the various architectural features of this monumental building such as the
vaults, apses, arches, and niches. I recorded the types of the materials utilized in the
construction of the bath along with the bath layout. From this initial survey, we were able
to determine the sizes of each of the rooms and postulate the functions of each of the
rooms. Finally, other attributes such as the adornments, inscriptions, and mosaic were
recorded. Along with the Turkish surveyor team, the great bath was also mapped. These
sketches were then rendered in AutoCad to produce a preliminary map of the great bath.
The excavation of the mosaic continued on from last year which uncovered the
west half of the mosaic. When the mosaic was fully uncovered, it was mapped and
photographed. It was during the 2013 season that the shallow, oval pool was fully
excavated to reveal the extent of the pool. As with the east half of the mosaic, at the end
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of the excavation it was repaired with mortar and covered with sand and blankets for
This investigation of the great bath also resulted in the excavation and collection
coinage, roof tiles, bronze jewelry, and a life-sized Aphrodite head sculpture that was
primary uncovered during the excavation of the shallow pool and the clearing of the
mosaic floor. The artifacts were mapped, photographed, and collected for further
analysis.
The great bath dates to the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD and is approximately
360 square meters. The large bathing complex is categorized as the, “bath with a central
rectangular gallery” or “hall type” plan as it has a long central gallery or plaza with
unsymmetrically placed rooms (Figure 5.10; Yegül 2010:178). The bathing rooms are
organized in two main rows which are connected to the ambulacrum, the hallway on the
east side of the bath. While approximately half of the building is in a dilapidated state, it
is possible to preliminarily examine the function of each of the rooms (Figure 5.11). The
layout of the complex is functional and mirrors the organization of the baths found in
Eastern Pamphylia and Rough Cilicia (Garis 2001:47). This bath plan is unique and is
also seen at the nearby sites of Anemurium (Bath 1) and Syedra (Bath 1) (Rosenbaum et
al. 1967:27).
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There is at least one entrance on the eastern side of the bath that leads into the
apodyterium, the dressing room (Figure 5.12). This narrow and long room, designated as
room one, was barrel vaulted and led into room two, which was also barrel vaulted and
connected with each of the rooms in the large bath. This room had a rectangular arched
niche in the wall between two rooms (rooms seven and eight) to the west (Figure 5.13).
To the southwest of this room was room three, another barrel vaulted room, which also
had a rectangular arched niche in the wall between two rooms (rooms six and seven) to
the north. Room five on the second room of baths had a doorway connecting it with room
four. Room five also had a corridor connecting it to room four to the east of it. Baths six,
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seven, and eight consist of a row of baths, which were connected to one another by the
main room, room two, and arched doorways. These rooms were symmetrically arranged
and likely consisted of the main baths in the building. Room six was square and was
rather small in comparison with the others. Bath seven was one of the most elaborate of
the rooms with a large window on the northwest wall with three niches below it, one
curved niche in the center surrounded by two rectangular niches. There were also two
curved niches on the other two sides of the walls in this room. To the northeast of this
bath and next to the entrance was room eight. This bath had one arched window on the
northwest wall, which was slightly higher than the one found in bath seven. Bath nine
was one of the smallest rooms in the bath and located on the northwest side of the bathing
complex.
To the east is the large plaza area, designated as room ten, with the mosaic floor
and shallow frigidarium. This area of the bath was roofed and enclosed on three sides to
form an open-air courtyard. The shallow 8 meter long, oval pool had two stairways
leading into the pool, and there was also built in benches along the sides of the pool
(Figure 5.14). This marble lined frigidarium would have been uncovered and exposed to
the sun. The plaza and frigidarium were connected to the rest of the bath by two
entrances on either side of the room. Running north to south, there was a drain to carry
the waste water out of the bath and into the valley (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:72). This
layout allowed direct access to all of the other rooms in the bath and it also allowed
bathers to easily move from one room to the next. This bath plan was versatile as bathers
were able to decide which rooms to visit and the order of them (Yegül 1992:301).
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Figure 5.11. Overview of the great bath. Figure 5.12. Great bath facing northeast.
Figure 5.13. Interior of bath facing east. Figure 5.14. Shallow pool in the plaza.
Construction Materials
could construct buildings (Ward-Perkins 1981). However, the region of Rough Cilicia
lacked the volcanic sands necessary to make concrete, and traditional materials were
utilized instead. Thus, the great bath was constructed with the use of local resources
similar to other baths in western Rough Cilicia. Local stone, micaceous slate, brick, and
limestone were used to construct the various sizes of each room (Figure 5.15). The
substructure was constructed of quarry stone. Brick was the most effective building
material that was somewhat comparable to concrete and was used to construct the high
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vaults in the bath. Bath seven was unique in that its vault was constructed out of
limestone. These materials would have been faced with flats stones and covered with
smooth plaster, which contained brick dust. Brick dust was composed of crushed up brick
and used as an aggregate for ancient mortar (Acun and Ersen 2005:295). There is also
evidence of fresco remains near the apse of the building (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:27).
Marble panels, likely long removed by later city inhabitants, were used to decorate the
bath, which points to the expensive nature of this bath. Compared with nearby buildings,
the quarry stone work was neatly constructed and dressed (Figure 5.16).
Figure 5.15. Construction material Figure 5.16. Close up of the quarry stone.
Mosaics
The 1,500 square meter marble mosaic decorated the floor of the plaza and
surrounds the shallow pool in the great bath complex. As of the 2013 excavation, the
rectangular mosaic consists of 12 large panels that each have their own distinct design
motifs (Figure 5.17a-f). Each of the panels were placed directly next to each other and are
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roughly square. The polychrome mosaic was made of tesserae from local limestone and
marble. The geometric designs and associated materials at the bath date the mosaic to the
late 2nd to early 3rd centuries AD. Excavation of this mosaic floor found that it continues
from the palaestra into the great bath. This find suggests that the geometric mosaic may
decorate the interior floor of the bathing complex as well. This was an unprecedented
Figures 4.17. Mosaic panels: (a) number two, square and diamond; (b) number 6,
square and line; (c) number 10, star (d) number 12, eight pointed star with multi-
color rosette; (e) number 14, eight pointed star with twisted-ribbon rosettes; (f)
number 15, variation of star motif. Images courtesy of Brian Cannon.
This polychrome mosaic predominately consisted of white, red, blue, olive-green,
and yellow colors. The geometric motifs use various sizes of diamonds, circles, squares,
interlaced circles with the white tesserae serving as the background for the blue tesserae.
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The one of the most common motif found on the mosaic panels is the star design.
Variations of an eight pointed star are found on several of the panels. Mosaic number 12
is one of the more elaborate panels found at the bath (Figure 5.17d). The design centers
upon an eight pointed star composed of two squares. In the center of the star is a multi-
color rosette surrounded by the outline of a white circle. Surrounding the entire panel are
four flower designs. Mosaic number 14 also depicts a large eight pointed star surrounded
by four square designs filled with twisted-ribbon rosettes (Figure 5.17e). The twisted-
ribbon rosettes are also known as the Solomon's knot motif and are commonly used in
this mosaic. Variations of the rosette motif are also used in a number of the panels and
Inscription
There was one dedicatory inscription on the great bath that was recorded and
translated during the 2013 field season. The dedication was on a statue base that likely
decorated a niche on the east wall of the bath. The inscription was written on one block,
which is now broken down the middle so that the remaining lines are on two blocks and
one fragmented piece in between the two blocks (Figure 5.18). The first line or lines of
the inscription have been destroyed except for some letters on the right end of the
inscription. Unfortunately, there is not enough left of the first few lines of inscription for
it to be translatable. The first block, the left side of the inscription, is 495 millimeters in
length and 180 millimeters in width with a depth of 550 millimeters. The inscription itself
is 430 millimeters in length. The second block, the right side of the inscription, is 355
millimeters in length and 170 millimeters in width with a depth of 530 millimeters. The
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inscription itself is 340 millimeters in length. The fragment piece has a length of 100
Translation:
... and the brothers, the sons of Sourbios ... Sourbios [set up] Asklepios to the
fatherland.
While this inscription is only a fragment of the original dedication, some insight
can be gained from the translation of the last two lines of the text. The top line has
several letters missing but appears to be part of several names associated with the
ethnicity of the people mentioned in the text. The και indicates the beginning of a name
sequence associated with σουρβιος. Σουρβιοι is in the plural masculine nominative form
which indicates that it is a name. However, the name Σουρβιοι is not found in any form in
the Lexicon of Greek Personal Names and therefore cannot be considered a Greek name
(Jennifer Irving, personal communication 2014). It is also not a known Latin name which
suggests that the dedicators are non-Greek and non-Roman. The name Σουρβιοι is most
likely Luwian and points to wealthy, indigenous benefactors for the construction of the
bath complex.
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acccusative en
ndings. On th
he small mid
ddle fragmennt of the blocck reveals thhe letters of
Lambda
L and Epsilon
E for this
t translation (Jenniferr Irving, perssonal commuunication 20014).
This
T text mak
kes clear refeerence to Assclepius, the Greek god oof medicine, healing andd
clleanliness. Asclepius
A is often
o associaated with baathing ritualss and commoonly mentionned
in
n dedicatory inscriptionss on bathing complexes ((Bassett 19996:501). The last part of the
in
nscription cleearly reads τῆ
τ πατρίδι, which
w is in thhe dative sinngular form. This is
trranslated as “to
“ the fatheerland.”
Figure
F 5.18. Great bath inscription
n. Figure 55.19. Aphrodite sculptu
ure.
Sculpture
S
Durin
ng the 2013 season
s excav
vation of the shallow poool at the greaat bath, a lifee-
was
w chipped and
a scarred from time an
nd wear, thee sculpture w
was clearly iddentified as
Aphrodite,
A th
he goddess off love and beeauty. The bbody of the ggoddess scullpture (alongg with
Cragum
C in a lime
l kiln in order to creaate mortar. A
As previouslyy mentionedd, the region of
104
western Rough Cilicia was converted to Christianity in the late 4th century and the
inhabitants were eager to destroy any remnants of the pagan past. As Aphrodite was a
Greek deity, the sculpture was an easy target for the early Christian zealots. While the
body of the sculpture was missing, the find was incredible and validated that sculptures
While the extramural bath has not been excavated, preliminary research suggests
that it was constructed in the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD. This bath complex is
described as having the “row arrangement” plan as its main rooms are arranged in a row
(Figure 5.20). The bathing rooms are organizing in one main row, which is connected to
the one long room, perhaps serving as a palaestra or courtyard. As is typical of bath
architecture in Asia Minor, this complex was mainly composed of rectangular and square
rooms. This symmetrical layout is well-organized and would have made it easily
accessible, allowing bathers to easily move from room to room. This plan was also the
most basic and economical in terms of bath layouts (Garis 2000:14). As such, this was
the most commonly used plan in Rough Cilicia and nearby regions (Garis 2000:18). For
example, this bath plan is also seen at the nearby sites of Iotape (Bath 2) and Selinus
(Baths 1 and 2) (Garis 2000:66-67). While this bath is only partially preserved, it is
possible to preliminarily examine the bath layout and the functions of each of the rooms.
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Figure 5.20. Extramural bath from northeast. Figure 5.21. Interior of tepidarium.
The extramural bath is named so due to its position directly outside of the city
gateway. It location right along the road leading into the city suggests that any visitors
would have passed directly by it. The building is small and measured approximately
33.65 meters by 22 meters. All of the rooms ran north-south and were barrel vaulted.
There is at least one entrance on the west side of the bath that leads into room one, which
is likely the apodyterium, the dressing room. Room one along with the other three
parallel rooms were connected to one another through a small corridor and the palaestra
or courtyard. Directly next to the apodyterium to the west was room two. This room was
domed and was likely the frigidarium of the bath. Following the natural circulation of
baths, room three was the warm bath room, the tepidarium (Figure 5.21). This room
consisted of one niche on either side of the walls with three niches on the back wall. On
the other side of the bath was room four, the caldarium. It was a square room with three
niches on the back wall and two on either sides of the west and east walls. While traces of
the hypocaust system have yet to be uncovered, this room was likely the caldarium due to
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its position in the bath. At the opposite end of the bath was room five. The wall of this
room was built into the terrace. While its function is questionable, room five may have
served as the praefernium. These long parallel rooms allowed the bather to move through
each room and exit through the apodyterium. The palaestra mirrors these rooms on the
south side of the building. This bath was small and simple but had all of the necessary
While this building’s purpose as a bath has been disputed, there are several
indicators that secure its function as a bathing complex. This building is situated on a
high terrace next to an aqueduct and natural spring, which would have been necessary to
supply sufficient water for a bath. There are also several drainage canals for the removal
of the waste water that would have been carried into the valley. Like a large majority of
Roman baths, this one faces south in order to take advance of the sun in heating the bath
(Ring 1996:99). This use of radiant heating allowed for the open rooms in addition to the
heat provided by the hypocaust system. Further, the size and placement of the rooms
indicate their use as bathing rooms. This bath contains numerous small rooms of various
sizes that are connected to each other through a small corridor. Roman baths are known
to have incorporated rooms of various sizes to serve as the different baths. It also
incorporates all of the typical architectural features of a bath including brick vaulting,
apses, and niches. Overall, while the building and its hypocaust system have yet to be
Figure 5.22. Local construction materials. Figure 5.23. Niche next to entryway.
Construction Materials
Similar to the large bath, the extramural bath was also constructed with the use of
local resources similar to the large bathing complex. Local stone, micaceous slate, brick,
and limestone were used to construct the various sizes of each room (Figure 5.22). Mortar
served as the facing on the walls. Compared to the large bath, this building lacks the use
of fine materials such as frescos, marble, and brick dust. The stone work on this building
was also not as neatly constructed as the great bath. However, excavation may reveal the
exotic materials that were used in the construction of the great bath.
Adornments
There are no known inscriptions or adornments at the extramural bath. The only
decorative feature of the bath was a large niche next to the entrance to the bath (Figure
5.23). This niche measured 45.21 millimeters height and 19.56 millimeters width. Due to
its size and position next to the entryway, it likely held a dedicatory statue and
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inscription. Further research and excavation at the extramural bath may reveal these
unknown features.
Summary
This chapter outlined the 2012 and 2013 fieldwork at the great and extramural
baths at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum. The fieldwork methods included surveying and
mapping of both of the baths and the excavation of the great bath to provide a preliminary
study of the two bathing complexes that had only been minimally researched before this
endeavor. This work produced a dataset for the interpretation of these two monumental
structures within the greater context of the cultural history of the western Rough Cilician
region. These data will be presented and analyzed in the next chapter to examine the role
of this architecture in the relationship between the core of Rome and periphery of
CHAPTER SIX
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION: ANTIOCHIA AD CRAGUM AS A CASE STUDY
FOR BATH ARCHITECTURE IN WESTERN ROUGH CILICIA
Introduction
type and its role in the formation of Roman provinces under a theoretical framework. An
analysis of the various entities within the baths will first be interpreted, which include the
construction materials, adornments, mosaic, and inscription. These data will then be
examined under the theoretical framework of both revised world system and multi-level
signaling to better understand the Greco-Roman cities in western Rough Cilicia. Whereas
Rome would have been eager to exploit this new region for taxation purposes and other
economic benefits such as the timber resources and agricultural goods, the inhabitants of
western Rough Cilicia would also have been eager to collect the economic benefits
provided by the new states such as financial support for the growing infrastructure in the
region in terms of architecture, road improvements, and regional security. This chapter
will also examine the assumption that bath architecture was used in western Rough
Cilicia cities to signal to the state of Roman its new allegiance. This research centers
upon the two main bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum as a case study for this
analysis.
As outlined in chapter five, the two baths studied were remarkably different in
terms of construction, size, and overall grandeur. The great bath was richly decorated
with marble, mosaics, and sculptures. It was also a monumental building that once stood
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at over 18 meters high. In comparison, the extramural bath was significantly smaller with
no known use of costly materials marble, mosaic, or sculptures. However, the extramural
bath has never been excavated or fully researched before and these expensive
possible to examine both baths in the context of their design as a costly and specialized
type of Roman architecture. Each of the attributes of the baths presents data about not
only the provinces within the Roman Empire but of the western Rough Cilician society.
The great bath at Antiochia ad Cragum was truly monumental and grand. Located
at the end of the colonnaded street, it would have been viewed by everyone who visited
the city as well as from quite a distance. This was one of the largest buildings at the site
and points to the importance of this architecture in the city. As it was monumental and
grand, its facilities were likely used by the elites and citizens of the city. As there were
two other smaller baths in the city, one could postulate that this particularly grand bath
was used by the higher tier of society who would have been also expected to contribute to
The layout of the great bath is known as the, “bath with a central rectangular
gallery” or “hall type” plan as it has a long central space with unsymmetrically placed
rooms. This plan is quite unique in comparison to other baths found throughout the
Roman Empire. However, it is a layout that is quite common within the province of
western Rough Cilicia. Similar plans are found at the nearby sites of Anemurium and
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Syedra, which could suggest several things (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:27). The use of this
particular layout in the region could suggest that the inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia
were active in modifying this Roman architecture to their preferences. Elites likely would
have been in charge of deciding the type of architecture to fill the landscape with. Bath
architecture was a highly popular phenomenon in the region and its organization could
have been determined by the citizens. As suggested by Yegül, these baths also served
several functions due to their open and large plans. They likely provided the space for
social community gatherings and meeting places (Yegül 2010:178). On the other end of
the spectrum, this plan may have been replicated in the region by architects who would
have repeated this organization in each of the baths that they constructed. In most cases,
architects had an influence on the construction and appearance of these baths (Boersma
1999:192). Either theory is plausible because we have no clear evidence of why this was
a popular layout for baths in western Rough Cilicia. Overall, these regional
characteristics point to the popularity of these public baths, which were considered to be
The construction materials used for the great bath were local and traditional
resources used in the construction of most of the architecture found at the site of
Antiochia ad Cragum. The use of local stone, micaceous slate, brick and limestone were
to be expected for this large bath. It was common practice throughout the Roman Empire
to use easily obtainable and local materials to reduce the cost of construction (Boersma
1999:192; Ward-Perkins 1981:273). However, the construction was meticulous and well-
made by skilled architects. As noted previously, the bath was constructed with more care
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than other nearby buildings. Further, there is evidence that marble panels once decorated
the bath, which points to the high cost of its construction. The use of marble would have
only been used in the most luxurious building which, “stood as proof of the munificence
of wealthy local euergetes as well as of the more or less direct interest of the emperor in a
city’s affairs” (Spanu 2013:102). Frescos were also recorded by an early investigation of
the bath although they no longer remain (Rosenbaum et al. 1967:27). The use of imported
material would have been costly in terms of not only the quality of the material but the
transportation of it out to the city. While the bath was primarily constructed out of local
resources, it would have also been finely decorated with exotic materials such as marble
Finely decorated with geometric mosaic panels, the palaestra of the bath served as
a place for the bathers to socialize and exercise. While work at the mosaic is preliminary,
it is possible to attempt to interpret the nature of this polychrome mosaic and its designs.
In antiquity, mosaic workshops made tesserae and hired contract craftsmen to work at
sites to produce mosaics. The use of the same motifs and variations of the motifs can be
found throughout the Roman Empire and throughout the time span of the empire
various motifs to reflect on when recreating mosaic patterns. Many of the geometric
motif patterns, such as the checkerboard and interlaced circle, became popular throughout
the Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD which helps to date the construction of the great
bath (Packard 1980:340). The similar variations of the designs found at the great bath at
Antiochia ad Cragum are also found in other cities in western Rough Cilicia. This is
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evidence for the likelihood that there was a local mosaic workshop supplying the mosaic
materials and qualified craftsmen for producing these ornate mosaics. The mosacist was
likely non-local who would have studied the most current Italian trends to produce this
work. The production of this large, intricate mosaic also points to an overall economic
rise for the city itself as well as the elite class who would have contributed to its
construction.
The inscription found at the great bath was a monumental find as it provides
insight into the construction of the bath. The dedicatory inscription was on a statue base
that likely decorated a niche near the entrance to the bath. While fragmentary, two lines
of the inscription were translatable and read, “... and the brothers, the sons of Sourbios
...Sourbios [set up] Asklepios to the fatherland.” As Sourbios was a non-Greek and non-
Latin name, it is most likely Luwian. While Greek and Latin functioned as a lingua
franca in this provincial city, the native Luwian would have been the dominant language
in the region (Elton 1996:27). In fact, epigraphical evidence from sites in western Rough
Cilicia shows that Luwian names predominated over Greek and Latin names, which
demonstrate the prevalence of the strong indigenous culture in this region (Rauh et al
2009:297). This dedicatory inscription points to wealthy, native benefactors for the
construction of this monumental bathing complex. While it is difficult to estimate the cost
of the construction of the great bath, it would have been a massive undertaking that only
the most elite lineages could afford to bear. The inscription would have been seen by
everyone who visited the bath and would have served as a reminder of the generosity of
the benefactors.
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Finally, the sculpture of Aphrodite signals the great cost of the bath and its fine
decoration. The decoration of the mythological figure in the bath would be for the delight
of the visitors as well as remind them of the patrons who contributed to the construction
of the complex (Bassett 1996:502). This statue would have symbolized the wealth and
power of the city of Antiochia ad Cragum for its ability to afford such a monumental
display. While the sea-born goddess is often associated with love, cleanliness, and
bathing, she also manifests other Greek ideals (Bassett 1996:501; Marcovich 1996:55).
Aphrodite is commonly associated with politics as a patron of harmony, and there are
numerous examples of Greek politicians and magistrates offering dedications for the
“The goddess was given epithets which reveal the reason of the dedications: she
portrayed in arms and as the wife of the Greek god of war Ares (Marcovich 1996:48).
Aphrodite could have played a similar role in the Greco-Roman cities in Asia Minor. In
this regard, the goddess could have been important for the integration of imperial power
along with the local elites at Antiochia ad Cragum (Edwards 1994:711). Further, the
numerous niches in the great bath would have displayed statues of other mythical figures
as well as portraits. Throughout the Roman world, portraits of the imperial family,
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homage to elite power (Bassett 1996:504). Similar statues and portraits would have
The extramural bath is located just outside of the city gate to the east. The
location of the bath has multiple implications in the overall layout of the city. While the
bath is technically not included within the city, it is located only a few hundred meters
from the city gate and therefore would have been viewed by anyone visiting the city of
Antiochia ad Cragum. Before entering the city, the extramural bath would have been one
of the first buildings that visitors saw. While it is a modest and simple bath in comparison
with the great bath, it would have signaled to visitors that the city had the resources to
build and maintain multiple bathing complexes. Its position and modest appearance also
points to who would have used the bath. While at this time it is unknown who would
have bathed here, this bath could have been used by either visitors to the city or perhaps
non-citizens who lived outside of the city. In comparison to the great bath that would
have likely been used by the elites and citizens of Antiochia ad Cragum, this extramural
bath may have been reserved for the lower end of society.
The bath plan is categorized as the “row arrangement” plan as the bathing rooms
are situated in a simple row. This layout was common in western Rough Cilicia and
nearby regions perhaps owing to its functionality. This bath arrangement allowed for the
bathers to easily move from one room to the end and chose their bathing order. Beyond
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the flexible movement from room to room, this layout was basic and could have been
easily constructed by architects in comparison with more complex baths. As such, the
construction of this bath would have been less costly than other bath architectural types.
However, in terms of the construction, upkeep, and maintenance, this would have still be
a costly building for the city of Antiochia ad Cragum and its elite benefactors.
The extramural bath was composed of local materials such as local stone, brick,
micaeous slate, and limestone. These resources would have been readily available for the
architects to use in the construction of this bath and the most economical in terms of
transportation. While the great bath utilized these materials as well, it also incorporated
more costly and exotic resources such as marble and frescoes, which appear to be missing
from this extramural bath. This small bath was not as neatly constructed in comparison
with the great bath. The use of local limestone limited the type of carved decoration
found on the great bath due to its poor workability (Spanu 2013:103). Currently, there are
no known adornments or inscriptions associated with this bath. However, there is a large
niche next to the entryway that likely held a dedicatory statue and inscription. This
suggests that an elite individual may have sponsored funds for the construction of this
Having described the two bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum, I now turn
city institutions as a means to, in effect, communicate to agents of Rome, the province of
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Rough Cilicia, and to its citizens and nearby non-citizens. As discussed in chapter four of
this thesis, Bird and Smith outlined four main factors that must be met when applying the
theory of signaling to human interactions. For this theory to be applied in the study of
bath architecture in the formation of the Roman province of Rough Cilicia, these
conditions must be analyzed under the implications of the relationship between the core
construction of bath complexes in order to signal several attributes of their society to the
various agents of Rome. These traits were likely unobserved by Rome and therefore had
Cilicia wanted to signal their collective power to that of the core. The construction of a
bathing complex was a timely undertaking that would have required the cooperation of
the city council along with the provincial governor. These baths showcased the abilities
of the inhabitants to work as a collective whole to produce and support this type of
collective effort impossible for an individual to realize on their own, yet would benefit
the group as a whole (Roscoe 2009:70). The ability of wealthy elites to donate large sums
of money for the construction of public architecture for the benefit of the city is
With the numerous outbreaks of rebellion by the tribal Isaurians in the Taurus
Mountains, it would have been crucial for the inhabitants of the coastal cities of western
Rough Cilicia to present a united and peaceful front to the Roman Empire. The security
of the periphery was a constant concern for the core, as the instability of the provinces
directly impacted the stability of the empire (Woolf 1990:48). The ability to produce such
architecture would have signaled several attributes of Rough Cilician society to the
agents of the Roman Empire. Bath architecture, a necessary component to any Roman
city, would have signaled their successful status to the Roman Empire as well as to the
indigenous groups that rejected Roman rule. The ability to mount this significant
collective action would be emitted as a signal of strength and the community solidarity,
which would have likely been overshadowed by the rebellions. Thus, these underlying
signaling to be perceived by the rest of the empire. Bath architecture in this case seems to
be a classical case for signaling theory because of its longstanding endurance and its high
that the signaling provides benefits for both parties involved in the interaction. The
signalers, that of Antiochia ad Cragum society, would have to benefit from emitting the
signal, while the receivers, that of the Roman Empire, would have to benefit from
receiving the information projected in the signal. First and foremost, the Roman Empire,
composed of the senate, governors, and citizens as well as the provinces would benefit
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highly regarded Roman institution, would be used to showcase the pacification and
acceptance of Roman authority. The adoption of this architecture would not only show
their willingness into Roman society, but the grandeur of these baths would show their
costly investment in this civic institution. The Roman Empire, constantly quelling
Bath architecture would also benefit the inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia in a
number of ways. While signaling their allegiance to Roman through the costly production
of this architecture, the inhabitants of these cities would hope to benefit from this
interaction by increasing their position with that of Rome. The province, tied to the
Roman Empire politically and economically, would use this architecture to attract trade
and settlement to the region. Visitors provided a significant source of local revenue to
these communities (Mitchell 1993:206). Having the amenities of a typical Roman city
would show their inclusion within the empire and would likely attract populations into a
city over one that lacked such public buildings. Further, the provincial governors often
supplied funds for building projects in the province they were connected to which would
have lessened the burden on the city councils (DeLaine 1999:70-73). As noted
previously, cities often competed with one another for prestige and with imperial
approval came new honorific titles for the favored cities (Mitchell 1993:206).
Finally, the inhabitants would simply benefit from this public architecture. Baths
were a popular pastime for Romans and Rough Cilicians and bathing rituals provided,
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“physical, social, and mental pleasures” (Yegül 2010:10). Bathing complexes served as a
meeting place that encouraged sociability and interaction (Fagan 1999:4). While bathing
was a basic necessity in terms of health, it was also an enjoyable everyday luxury (Yegül
1992:30-31). Baths were a necessary institution for any Roman community in the vast
empire. Overall, both the signaler and the receiver would benefit from this
communication.
The conflicting interest between the Roman Empire and its provincial cities in
western Rough Cilicia is clear and evident. The Roman Empire depended upon its distant
provinces for the trade of material goods. The importance of the movement of exotic
goods into Rome is evident from the extensive trade routes in the region. Further, the
empire required money from the provinces in the form of taxation. The Roman practice
of taxing the provinces was one of many tools in order to successfully dominate its vast
territories. The tributary system was enacted as soon as a province was included into the
empire, and the poor inhabitants of these cities were often taxed the most (Garnsey and
Saller 1987:9). It was in the best interest of the empire to control the region of western
Rough Cilicia through taxation at the expense of its newly conquered inhabitants.
On the other end of the spectrum, the inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia were
active in seeking benefits from their new Roman rulers. The local elites in the region
were most likely to benefit from their relationship with the Roman Empire. It was a
common practice for the Roman Empire to seek the loyalty of their far-flung provinces
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by developing relationships with the elites of society (Woolf 1990:46). The association of
the local aristocracy with the power of Rome strengthened both in economic and political
terms (Rose 1997:117). These relationships would benefit both as it would secure the
region for the empire, while promoting and increasing the wealth of the elites. As noted
by Woolf,
“…the extension of the empire itself was in effect the extension of a system of
power in which poleis and their ruling classes were allocated an important
place… Roman rule also generated a new degree of hierarchy in the system,
Thus, it is the elites who would have the most to gain from deceitful signaling to
the empire. Despite the rebellions and power struggles, it would have been in the best
interest of the elites to project the image of a peaceful province to the empire and
provincial governors. Constructing public architecture such as baths would emit a signal
that the cities were prosperous and peaceful, which may have been less than honest at
times. According to Ando, “residents demonstrated their faith in the system when they
played by its rules and especially when they attempted to exploit them” (2000:374).
Baths would have been a value type of architecture in order to promote their elite
inclusion in the empire (Townsend and Hoff 2009:16). Overall, the Roman Empire and
the inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia had significant conflicting interests and were
The signaling of the acceptance of Roman rule can be seen in the costly display of
the construction of Roman baths in the region. Bath architecture, an expensive and timely
endeavor, would signal that the inhabitants of the province, including those of Antiochia
costs were high in antiquity and would not have been a small matter for the community.
It has been estimated that a medium size temple in North Africa during the 2nd century
AD would have cost roughly 60,000 to 70,000 sesterces (Duncan-Jones 1990:177) or,
“the equivalent of the annual subsistence for some 500 people” (Wandsnider 2013:177;
Zuiderhoek 2009:25). The cost of a medium size temple would have been more or less
similar to the cost of a bathing complex. While this was an overtly large and lavish bath,
Overall, the initial construction and the subsequent upkeep would have been
costly in antiquity. Bathing complexes were commissioned and operated by the empire
and by the local, wealthy citizens for the benefit of the city. A common practice
throughout the Roman Empire was the combination of patronage from the empire and
from wealthy citizens in maintaining these costly complexes. Prominent citizens were
and statues recording their generous donations (Fagan 2002:174). This benefaction was a
form of patriotism for citizens who wished to display their loyalty for their city (Mitchell
1993:207). There were also other means in which to raise money as bathing complexes
were required to pay a tax to the empire. This included a small entrance fee and money
123
from the selling of oils, perfumes, and towels. Services provided by masseuses and
personal trainers also generated revenues. The upkeep of the baths was of great
importance for the health and entertainment of the Romans. These responsibilities
belonged to an administrator called a balneator. The main duties included cleaning the
rooms and heating the baths. The pipes and water reservoirs also needed to be routinely
inspected. A balneator would have had a staff to assist in the maintaining of the baths
required constant care for the welfare of the citizens. Finally, in fulfilling the four
conditions set out by Bird and Smith in the use of multi-level signaling, it is now possible
framework.
theory can help organize the analysis of the relationship between the core of Rome and
the periphery of western Rough Cilicia. The elements of these two theories will be
applied to the study of the two bathing complexes at Antiochia ad Cragum as an example
of the operation of the state. This type of monumental architecture can also be used to
analyze the relationships between the citizens of western Rough Cilicia with local
citizens and non-citizens and those in the semi-periphery such as nearby governors and
other poleis. These signals point to the relationship of the inhabitants of western Rough
Cilicia with that of Rome as well as the relationship of the communities within the new
province with one another. While these signals can be employed by individuals and
124
groups as a whole, this analysis will center upon the cities of western Rough Cilicia, and
On the large scale, monumental public architecture would have been used by the
city as a whole to communicate its allegiance to that of the Roman Empire. This message
would be intended for the Roman emperor, the senate, provincial governors, and Roman
citizens and non-citizens. This message would be sent to each of these entities within the
Roman Empire with various objectives in mind. The acceptance of this Romanized type
of architecture would first and foremost send the message that the citizens of western
Rough Cilicia were accepting of Roman rule in the region. The adoption of Roman
institutions and customs would be a clear signal of their willing acceptance of the new
government.
The Roman emperor would need to be recognized as the most powerful agent in
the empire. Building this costly type of architecture would signal to the emperor the
cities’ acknowledgment of his rule. The province benefited from this relationship as the
emperor had the power to control the revenue and offer tax exemptions to these
communities (Mitchell 1987:364). The senate would also be important in this regard as
they passed or rejected laws that could significantly impact the province as whole.
Further, senators often owned land in distant provinces and were known to have
were the next entity that had the power to influence the economics and politics in the
125
regions they controlled. These governors were perhaps most important as they had the
power to sway politics in the region and had the duty to report back to the empire.
Among the various responsibilities of these governors, their main duties were to
supervise their province and maintain judicial order (Marshall 1966:231). The nucleated
settlements in western Rough Cilicia also relied on their governors to maintain peace and
protect the province from the bandits in the highlands (Shelton 1988:271).
Roman citizens and non-citizens were also a factor in the overall communication
between the west and the east for recruitment purposes (Pomeroy 1997:108). For the
province of western Rough Cilicia, it was important that Roman citizens knew of the
peaceful nature and prosperity in this region in order to entice trade and the movement of
greater freedom of travel and communication from one part of the Empire to any other
part, and thus increased security, trade, and prosperity” (1988:288). The primary status of
a city would have also added to the attraction of the city to entice settlement in the region
as this superior title brought economic and political advantages for the community
(Marshall 1966:238). Overall, in regards to the various entities and agents within the
Roman Empire, it was necessary that the message of approval and acceptance was heard
from the cities within western Rough Cilicia in order to benefit from the Pax Romana.
At a more local level, this type of monumental architecture would have been used
as a tool to communicate with nearby provinces and cities. Throughout the ancient world,
elites would seek alliances with one another while simultaneously competing for power.
126
Architecture was an easy tool in these actions as grandiose agoras, gymnasiums, bath
complexes, and other public buildings formed the landscape of these cities. With the
benefaction of wealthy citizens, cities were able to compete with each other for prestige.
As stated by Dio Chrysostom, “one could hold one’s head up higher visiting another city
if one’s native city were known for its fine public buildings; it was painful to blush for
ramshackle shops and dilapidated bathhouses when the governor came to towns”
(Orations 40.9). Baths in particular symbolized imperial status, and “membership in the
broader Roman community” (MacDonald 1986:219). Thus, it would have been important
to build and improve the cityscape in order to project a powerful message to nearby
cities.
among the council, assembly, and important resident individuals (Wandsnider 2011:23).
Building these monumental public structures was also a highly technical process, which
required hiring specialized architects and engineers. These workmen would be well
informed of the proper building procedures necessary when constructing the technical
hypocaust system and bathing rooms in addition to managing the flow of water in and out
of the building. This would signal to nearby provinces and poleis that the city was
religious rituals,” and the construction of civic architecture, such as bathing complexes,
Monumental architecture would be an effective tool to advertise the wealth and unity of
In addition to the Roman Empire and nearby provinces, public architecture would
have also been used by the local elites to emit a message of unification to the citizens of
western Rough Cilician cities and resident non-citizens. The inhabitants of the city, both
and the messages emitted from its construction. Baths would have been elaborately
decorated with marbles and mosaics to remind the bathers of the power and prestige of
the empire (Yegül 1992). Beginning in the late 1st century AD and lasting for over 200
years, the Roman colonies were safe from Isaurian raids; however, in the mid- to late-4th
century AD, Isaurians renewed their attacks on the nucleated settlements along the coast
(Lenski 1999:423, 430). With the constant threat of rebellion in the interior of the
province, this public architecture attempted to emit the message of a strong, unified
Roman province to the region. The acceptance of Roman expansion and rule, symbolized
by its architecture, would demonstrate that they shared, “a vision of humanity that bound
Further, it would have reminded the bathers of the power of the local elites and
their relationship with Roman leaders. The elites had political power in these provincial
cities that was supported and strengthened by their relationship with Rome. In the act of
gaining the loyalty of new regions, local elites were enlisted to maintain control. Roman
rule was maintained, “more by the support of Romanized elites than by a substantial
128
Saller 1987:20-40). The Roman Empire strengthened the hierarchical order in these
societies by rewarding the loyalty of the aristocrats with wealth (Rose 1997:109). In this
effort, it would have been important for the elite class to show gratitude and loyalty to the
empire, which was symbolized through costly endeavors. As bath architecture would
have been built by and tailored for the top tier of society, it would likely symbolize the
power of the elite class within the new province and their allegiance with the Roman
Empire. Bath architecture would have been financially supported by the aristocrats as it
would serve as a forum for showcasing their generosity and high social status (Fagan
1999:222). The practice of benefaction shaped and supported elite behavior in the Greco-
Roman world (Mitchell 1987:334). Thus, this grand architecture openly adopted from the
Summary
The bath architecture in this research serves as a case study for the interpretation
of sociality formation in the province of western Rough Cilicia during the Roman
Imperial Period. The data provides evidence for the mechanisms involved in the
incorporation of the region into the Roman Empire and its subsequent development as a
province. Antiochia ad Cragum gives evidence for the importance of the cities in the
province in the context of the Roman Empire due to its extensive and costly urbanization.
While it is hard to estimate the exact cost of the baths at this site, the expense would have
been monumental for a Roman city. The expansion and development of western Rough
Cilician cities such as Antiochia ad Cragum signal a number of messages. The investment
129
of the region by the empire supports the notion that the security of the new province was
necessary for Roman expansion east. Baths were a highly popular type of architecture
and would have been crucial for the settlement of the region and in particular for Romans
“a way of life for the Romans. It was the setting in which they washed
themselves, took their exercise, spent their leisure time, were exposed to art and
cultural programs, made business and political contacts, and conducted their
Further, the contribution by local elites to this foreign building type would emit their
acceptance of Roman rule along with their cultural practices. Overall, costly baths
provide the proper context in which to examine the complex nature of Romanization in
Imperial Period when it was incorporated into the most powerful empire in antiquity. The
objective of this thesis was to explore the complex nature of the formation of this remote
region into a province in the Roman Empire by investigating the archaeological remains
of the monumental bath architecture found in this region. In particular, this work centered
upon the baths found at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum as a case study for this research.
These data, along with historical and anthropological frameworks, were interpreted to
add to our knowledge of the socio-political nature of the ancient Mediterranean world.
the interpretation of the expansion of Roman influence in the ancient world. To Romans,
baths were considered to be a basic necessity in any city as, “an institution rooted in the
rhythm and structure of their day, ensconced in the very concept of time” (Yegül 2010:5).
As bathing was an important element of a Roman’s day, it is no surprise that baths were
among the most abundant and diverse types of architecture found throughout their vast
mechanism of this incorporation of western Rough Cilicia into the Roman Empire. As a
part of the Antiochia ad Cragum Archaeological Research Project (ACARP) during the
summers of 2012 and 2013, two baths were studied to analyze the role of bathing
131
complexes in this new Greco-Roman society. The great bath and the extramural bath
were documented and mapped to serve as the basis for this research. These data were
interpreted along with historical and theoretical frameworks to provide an analysis of this
ancient history. From this research at Antiochia ad Cragum, I was able to come to several
incorporation of western Rough Cilicia into the Roman Empire. The large number of
baths in this remote region points not only to its popularity as a public institution but to
the inhabitants’ willingness to accept Roman cultural practices. The production of this
acceptance of Roman rule in the region. This message would have been intended for the
Roman Emperor, senate, and the provincial governors as an act of pacification. This
message was emitted through the construction and subsequent upkeep of these public
buildings in an effort to gain a number of benefits from the new relationship between the
local inhabitants of western Rough Cilicia with that of the Roman Empire. The
mountain tribes, would signal the subjugation of these peoples and the acceptance of their
organization into a Roman province. This would have been a necessary action to gain
funding for the urbanization of the region in terms of the building and maintenance of
roads and public institutions. This action would have also been undertaken in an effort to
lower the harsh and crippling taxes imposed on the province. Thus, in order to garner
132
money from the empire this new periphery province would have had to successfully
The construction of this architecture would also signal to local polies and
provincial governors the success of these cities. The ability to organize as a collective
whole was required to construct such monumental architecture and would send the
message that these cities were capable of handling such an undertaking. In antiquity, it
was common for cities to compete with each other for power and prestige which was
often emitted through their grand cityscape. The monumental baths in the region of
western Rough Cilicia projected the success of these cities in improving their landscape.
have also been used to attract settlement into the region as foreign populations would
Finally, this architecture would have signalized the acceptance of Roman rule and
cultural practices to nearby citizens and non-citizens. This was likely intended for the
hostile tribes in the Taurus Mountains, which had staged a number of rebellions during
the Roman Imperial Period. During the early years of Roman expansion into western
Rough Cilicia, the indigenous tribes were slow to accept Roman imposition and were
intend on preserving their independence and native practices. As argued by Houwink ten
Cate, these xenophobic populations may have never been fully pacified by the Romans
(1961:1). The inhabitants of the cities of Rough Cilicia, such as Antiochia ad Cragum,
emitted their support of their incorporation into the empire by constructing and
133
maintaining Romanized architecture. Bath architecture, a costly undertaking, would have
sent a powerful message of the allegiance of the indigenous elites with that of Rome.
Research of the baths at the site of Antiochia ad Cragum sought to reveal the
While this work was preliminary, additional research may be necessary to further
enhance our understanding of the complex social systems in Roman Rough Cilicia. The
research at the two baths could be expanded upon in a number of ways as this study was
limited due to time restraints and unforeseen logistical issues. The large number of
artifacts proved impossible to fully document and analyze under my timeframe. Under
Turkey’s Antiquities Law, all artifacts are required to stay in the country, which limited
the time to fully analyze the artifacts. A more detailed sketch of both the great and
extramural baths would be beneficial along with the artifacts that resulted from the
excavation of the great bath. Further excavation of the great bath and an excavation of the
extramural bath will likely produce valuable information in the study of Roman
examination of historical documents that reference the province of western Rough Cilicia
along with the city of Antiochia ad Cragum would also provide a more in-depth
Future research will need to further elucidate the costs and benefits of signaling
theory in order to fully study monumental architecture through this framework. Each of
134
the four factors required by Bird and Smith would need to be expanded upon to meet the
other western Rough Cilician cities may support their costliness and would showcase the
monumentality of this architecture. This additional data would likely add to our
knowledge of bath archaeology as well as its success as a costly signal. Testing the
support for future research into the benefits of this theoretical application on
this study suggests that this model is effective in examining architecture as a costly
role in the newly incorporated cities of western Rough Cilicia and was a costly signal of
its importance in this new position as a Roman province. However, the data collected
from the baths needs to be studied more in-depth to provide a more comprehensive study
enhance the support for bath architecture as a costly signal and how it is reflected in the
The research presented in this thesis demonstrates the significant impact on the
cityscape of western Rough Cilician cities as a direct result of Roman expansion and
135
urbanization. The two baths at Antiochia ad Cragum present a case study for the
importance of this type of architecture in the operation of the state. The data analyzed
under the anthropological theories of revised world system and multi-level signal help to
elucidate the complex nature of the ancient Mediterranean world. The core of Rome and
the periphery of Rough Cilicia were active in balancing political and economic power
with one another. Bath architecture was studied as a mechanism to understand the
cultural interaction between the two entities. As shown in this thesis, baths were a costly
type of architecture that were likely used as signals by western Rough Cilician
exploited its provinces through taxation and imposition, while the indigenous inhabitants
sought to benefit from the advantages of the Pax Romana. Bath architecture found at
Antiochia ad Cragum was a prime example of how provinces could reap these benefits by
projecting a strong image of solidarity and acceptance of Roman subjugation. In this case
study, the archaeological data from Antiochia ad Cragum interpreted within these
historical and theoretical frameworks, add to our knowledge of this region within the
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92
96
CASSIUS DIO
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53.26.2
DIO CHRYSOSTOM
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40.9
46.3
47.19
48.9
PLINY
Letters
9.36
Naturalis Historia
5.94
7.99
SENECA
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90.25
STRABO
Geographica
14.2.29
14.5.2
14.5.3
14.5.6
14.6.1
TACITUS
Annals
6.41.1
12.55.1
137
THEOPHRASTUS
De Causis Plantarum
4.5.5
VITRUVIUS
De Architectura
2.1.6
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