Anatolian Civilizations and Historical Sites - TEDA

ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS:10x19 antik kentler 8/1/11 10:51 AM Sayfa
The Roman Period 30 BC-AD 395
The Roman State, which emerged in Italy, grew and became a large
empire. By 30 BC, it had also included Anatolia into its vast
territories, thus leading to the end of the Hellenistic Period and the
start of the Roman Period in Anatolia, with Augustus. This period
continued until Rome was divided into two parts in 395. After the
Pergamon King Attalos III left all of his territories to Rome in 133
BC, Rome became the ruler of all of Anatolia. The treasure of
Pergamon was transferred to Rome, while its territories were
annexed into the first state of Rome: the Asian State.
During this period, another kingdom which became stronger in
Anatolia was the Pontos Kingdom. Having fought with this kingdom
for a long while, Rome included it into its territories as well. The
king of Bithynia, Nicomedes died in 74 BC and like the king of
Pergamon, bequeathed that his territories be given to Rome.
Pontos, Cappadocia and Commagene were left as vassal kingdoms
committed to Rome. These kingdoms were later annihilated and
Rome became the absolute power of Anatolia.
Like in the Hellenistic Period, Anatolia retained its favorable
position during the Roman Period. Anatolian cities were among the
richest and most important centers of art during that period
(around the 1 st and 2 nd centuries BC). Temples, main streets, baths,
houses, areas surrounded by columns, theaters, stadions and
remnants of many grandiose structures found in most of the ancient
cities of Anatolia today, give us some tangible information about the
architecture of the Roman Era.
Although the art of Rome started as the art of the city of Rome, later
it became the art of the State of Rome. This art later influenced
Byzantine in the east and Europe in the west. One of the most
important reasons in the development of Roman art was the
transition from a kingdom to a republic. Sulla, Julius Caesar,
Augustus and the subsequent emperors shaped the art with the
policies of their periods. As the emperor’s cult gained importance in
the life of Rome, temples were built, arches were established and
many sculptures were erected in the name of the emperor.
Architecture had special importance in Roman art. These structures
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