Troia bölgesi Skepsis ve Hamaksitos şehirlerinin tarihi ve arkeolojik araştırmaları

Abstract

SUMMARY IN ENGLISH İNGİLİZCE ÖZETAN ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON THE CITIES OF SCEPSIS AND HAKAXITOS IN THE TROAS REGION We are presenting this study, which has been based on the hypotheses, proposals and questions that concluded from our undergraduate thesis of 1988 titled `Limantepe - Larisa of Troas`, as our graduate thesis on the historical geography of the cities of Scepsis and Hamaxitos of Troas, By nature, this topic has a wide scope; real conclusions can only result from an overall study of the knowledge derived from different branches of the historical field. At this very stage, we could only.combine the knowledge from antique sources, travel books and modern sources with that from already known and newly found archeological material. When the style-critiques of the ceramics collected during surveys finish, their healthy inclusion within the issue will be possible. Throughout history, the Troas region used to be the center of the east-west migrations due to its location on the Dardanelles and its closeness to the Aegean islands. The findings of possible future excavations in this region may illuminate the hypotheses on the migrations and the antique inhabitants of Anatolia..We have started this research on the region, on which the archeo logical data is insufficiant, from an indication in history, namely that of the unification of the cities of the region by Antigonos in 310 BC under the `synoecism`. The will to find the reason for the unification necessitated a research on the history of each individual city from a sociological point of view in the light of archeology. The first city that we have studied in this graduate thesis is the coastal city of Hamaxitos. There are various opinions on the exact location of the city within the region. The main reason for this variety is the contradictor; statements in the antique sources, especially in the writings of Strabon. There are mainly three propositions that concluded from the interpretations of these sources and surveys made by W. Leaf and J.M. Cook, namelyBeşiktepe, Göztepe and Lecton. During the 1990 Smintheion excavat ion we made surveys to Beşiktepe and Göztepe with the excavation crew. The ceramic examples from Beşiktepe spans the period from 6. century BC to the Hellenistic, and even to the Roman period. Among the material froıc Göztepe, there are examples starting from if century BC and reaching up to the Roman times. Our result ing impressions on the topography of the site and the surface ceramic foundings led us to the idea that Beşiktepe, which is located within a 3 km distance to the GUlpmar village of Ayvacık, Çanakkale, is the most probable of these three propositions. As opposed to J.K. Cook's proposal of Beşiktepe as the Hellenistic period Hamaxitos, we propose, within the light of our Hellenistic period ceramic foundings, that Hamaxitos, mentioned in 2 century BC Delphic enrollments, could have been refounded on the same site after synoecism. On the other hand, another proposition this time by W. Leake that Hamaxitos is in Tuzla, also worths examination before deciding on the exact location of the city. In this limit ed study, we could not go so deep into the problem of location and thus settled the matter down by finding passing solution out of hypotheses only to pass to the examination of the activity of the city throughout its history and its relations with other cities to find small hints on the social history of the city. The problem of location will be re-examined in a further study. Scepsis, the second city that we have studied, is located on the inner parts of the region. The city has first been sited by E. Clark on Kurşunlu Tepe. Although the archeological material that we gathered during our survey to Kurşunlu Tepe is not of the sort that could effect the already existing chronological and historical knowledge future excavations will illuminate the issue. Anong the material that we have collected are Hellenistic and Roman ceramic pieces. Additionally, as can be observed on the surface, and especially on the summit of the hill, there are traces of the foundations and blocks of stone that remained from large buildings. In Strabon's texts, it is claimed that the first settlementof Scepsis is Paleoscepsis, which is sited `by Cook on îkiztepe, from where the people have later moved down to the Scepsis on the Kurşunlu Tepe. When this is considered in comparison with histo rical events, it coincides with 1200* s BC and the earlier Thracian immigration. Since we do not yet have early period archeological material and since the cities have not yet `been excavated, we can not support the hypothesis that the people of Scepsis are Lelegian or Kilikians. A clear identification of the people of Scepsis is further hindered by the immigrations of the Aeol colonies in 7 century BC and of the Milesian colonies in 5 century BC In any case, it can he stated that the importance of the city of Scepsis comes from its location in a very fruitfull valley like the Scamander valley and a high strategic position that over looks the whole teritory. The political events that colors the lifespan of the city and the continuity of its life under the same name all through different periods can directly he connected to its relative isolation when compared tc the more cosmopolitan coastal trade cities. This statement may also help us to speculate on the social life of similar cities that have been located on the inner parts of the region. Still, its being included in Antigonos' 'synoecism1 like the other small cities leads us to the examinat ion of the relation of the city with other cities of the region.