@article{article_1080451, title={Friendship and Rivalry: Local Relations and Cultural Environment in Constantinople and Nicomedia in the Light of Libanius’ Orations and Letters}, journal={Anatolian Research}, pages={125–142}, year={2022}, DOI={10.26650/anar.2022.1080451}, author={Karakuş, Onur Sadık}, keywords={Libanius, Constantinople, Nicomedia, Roman Empire, Sophists}, abstract={Nicomedia and Constantinople, the two largest cities of the Roman Empire on the Marmara coast, drew attention as very rich and developed metropoleis in the 3rd and 4th centuries. These two cities, which were successor capitals, also attracted the aristocrats, scholars, orators and statesmen of the period with their cultural environment. The sophist Libanius of Antioch, who lived in both these cities, gives very valuable information about these cities. Orations and letters of Libanius provide quite detailed information on remarkably interesting topics such as friendship relations, local rivalries and factions, schools, educators, social networks and the local policies of the emperors in these two great cities. By putting Libanius in the center, this study aims to show the local relations in Constantinople and Nicomedia in the 4th century, as well as the socio-cultural environment and the differences between these cities. In addition, the contributing factors of the cultural environment that allowed Nicomedia to compete with Constantinople, the new residence of the emperors, until the devastating earthquakes in Nicomedia, were also discussed.}, number={26}, publisher={Istanbul University}