Vezirköprü İmparator Yemini’nin Tekrar Gözden Geçirilmesi

Öz

İmparator Yemini içeren az sayıda epigrafik belge arasında Augustus Dönemi’nde kaleme alınan Ve­zir­köp­rü yazıtı en bilinenidir. Burası Pompeius tarafından kurulan ve yazıtta adı geçen Neapolis ile özdeş­tir. Bu Paphlagonia kenti sonra Neoklaudiopolis adını almıştır. İ.Ö. 3 yılına ait imparator yemini 1900 yılında Franz Cumont tarafından bulunmuş olup deşifras­yonu için şimdiye ka­dar onun okuması temel alınmaktaydı. Yazar İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzesi’nde ko­ru­nan ya­zı­tı tekrar göz­den geçirerek bazı düzeltmeler ve yeni yorumlar sunmaktadır. Ayrıca ya­zı­tın günü­müz­deki durumu hakkında geniş bilgi verilmektedir. İnceleme sonucunda Cumont’un okumalarının büyük oranda doğru olduğu tespit edil­miş­tir. Ayrı­ca Cu­mont’un bazı okumaları düzeltilmiş ve özellikle satır 5, 11, 13, 25, 41’de yeni oku­ma­lar su­nul­­muş­tur. Cumont’un bazı önerileri ise ya taşta yeterince yer olmadığı veya harflerin yanlış okunmuş ol­maları nede­niyle ­­reddedilmiştir (satır 4, 22, 39). Yazıt taşıyıcı üzerinde yapılan inceleme sonucu ay­rıca Cu­mont tara­­fından verilen taş ölçülerinin de yanlış olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Makalede ayrıca ya­zıtın içer­di­ği edebi, coğrafik ve tarihi bilgiler hakkında yeni yorumlar yapılmaktadır. Buna göre söz konusu im­pa­rator yemininin ken­tin siyasi sta­tüsünde değişiklikler yapıldığında yürürlüğe gir­di­ği düşünül­mektedir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İmparator Yemini,Augustus,Neapolis,Vezirköprü,Neoklaudiopolis,Andra¬pa,Pytho¬doris,Otopsi,Düzeltmeler

A Re-examination of the Imperial Oath from Vezirköprü

Abstract

The present article is a re-examination of the Greek text of the imperial oath from Neapolis, found in Vezirköprü by Franz Cumont in 1900. Until now the inscription, which is kept in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, has not been subjected to a revision. Although the stone itself has suffered additional damage since its discovery, the inscribed text is still easily legible. Most of the readings proposed by Cumont are shown to be correct, and in several in­stances the present author is able to confirm and improve readings where Cumont had been in doubt (ll. 5, 11, 13, 25, 41). Nonetheless, several of the previous restorations are impossible, either because there is not sufficient room for them, or because remains of letters contradict these readings (ll. 4, 22, 39). In addition, it is shown that the dimensions and the shape of the stone given by Cumont are incorrect. The re-examined text forms the basis of four comments on the literary, geographical and historical context of the inscription. It is argued that the oath was taken at a critical point in time when the city changed political status.

Keywords

• Imperial oath,Augustus,Neapolis,Vezirköprü,Neoklaudiopolis,Andrapa,Pytho¬doris,autopsy,re-examination

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