Historical Geography and Socioeconomic Structure of the Upper Bakırçay Basin in the Early Roman Imperial Period According to the Testament of Epikrates

Öz

The 116-line-long inscription, commonly referred to in academic circles as the “Testament of Epikrates” was discovered near the Kırkağaç district of Manisa province. Since its publication, this inscription has attracted the attention of numerous researchers. In addition to providing various insights into the administrative and financial structure of the province of Asia during the Early Roman Imperial period, to which it has been dated, it also contains valuable data on the historical geography and socioeconomic structure of the Upper Bakırçay Basin in this period. While some of the toponyms mentioned in the inscription were already known, others appear for the first time. Based on the definitions in the inscription, certain opinions can be proposed regarding the localization of these toponyms. Similarly, the expressions in the inscription provide insights not only into the economic structure of the region during the Late Hellenistic and Early Roman Imperial periods but also into its social and cultural structure. Accordingly, it has been determined that the city of Nakrason, to which the inscription belongs, was located near the modern town of Bakır, and it is proposed that the village of Tibbe mentioned in the inscription should be identified with Maltepe, situated in the vicinity of this town. The data provided by the inscription indicate that the principal economic activities in the region were the cultivation of olives, vineyards, and cereals. It is further understood that, in addition to the local population, Roman settlers who had migrated to the area also played an active role in these agricultural activities.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Upper Bakırçay Basin
• Historical Geography
• Roman Imperial Period
• Testament of Epikrates
• Romanization

Epikrates’in Vasiyetnamesine Göre Erken Roma İmparatorluk Dönemi’nde Yukarı Bakırçay Havzasının Tarihsel Coğrafyası ve Sosyoekonomik Yapısı

Öz

Akademik camiada “Epikrates’in Vasiyetnamesi” olarak bilinen 116 satırlık yazıt Manisa’nın Kırkağaç ilçesi yakınlarında bulunmuştur. Yayınlanmış olduğu tarihten itibaren birçok araştırmacının dikkatini çeken bu yazıt tarihlendiği Erken Roma imparatorluk döneminin Asia eyaletindeki idari ve mali yapıya dair çeşitli bilgiler içerdiği kadar bulunmuş olduğu Yukarı Bakırçay havzasının bu dönemdeki tarihsel coğrafyası ve sosyoekonomik yapısına dair de değerli veriler içermektedir. Yazıtta sözü edilen toponimlerin bazıları daha önceden bilinse de bazıları ilk kez karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Yazıttaki tanımlamalardan bu toponimlerin lokalizasyonları hakkında bazı görüşler öne sürülebilmektedir. Yine yazıttaki ifadelerden bölgenin Geç Hellenistik ve Erken Roma imparatorluk dönemlerindeki ekonomik yapısının yanı sıra sosyal ve kültürel yapısına ilişkin bilgiler edinilebilmektedir. Buna göre yazıtın ait olduğu Nakrason kentinin modern Bakır kasabası yakınlarında olduğu tespit edilip yazıtta adı geçen Tibbe köyünün ise söz konusu kasaba yakınlarındaki Maltepe ile eşleştirilmesi gerektiği önerilmektedir. Yazıttaki veriler, bölgede başlıca ekonomik faaliyetlerin zeytin, bağ ve tahıl tarımı olduğunu göstermektedir. Söz konusu tarımsal üretimde, yerel halkın yanı sıra bölgeye sonradan yerleşmiş Romalıların da aktif rol aldığı anlaşılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yukarı Bakırçay Havzası
• Tarihsel Coğrafya
• Roma İmparatorluk Dönemi
• Epikrates’in Vasiyetnamesi
• Romalılaşma

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