A NEW ROMAN IMPERIAL PORTRAIT FROM SYEDRA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.12.3.2025.1359Keywords:
Roman Imperial Period, Asia Minor, Syedra, Portrait, NeroAbstract
This study examines the marble portrait head of a man unearthed during excavations in the ancient city of Syedra, located in the Alanya district of Antalya in Türkiye. During the excavations of filled soil on the south wall of the Heroon, a well-preserved portrait head was found in 2023. Archaeological studies indicate that Syedra has been inhabited since the 9th century BC despite those researches about the city are still insufficient. Therefore, the dating and identification of the portrait found in the city have critical importance. The portrait under examination spans a significant historical period, encompassing the reigns of Roman emperors from Tiberius (14 – 37 AD) to Nero (54 – 68 AD). However, a detailed analysis of the work suggests that the portrait may have produced during period of Nero’s reign. This dating is important as fewer portraits have been found in Cilicia compared to other parts of Asia Minor in the archaeological excavations carried out so far, and none of them have been dated to the Neronian period. The current study introduces this portrait, offering a comprehensive analysis on its history, identity, and historical significance.
Downloads
References
BEAN/MİTFORD 1970
Bean, G.E./Mitford, T.B., Journeys in rough Cilicia 1964-1968 (Wien: Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften).
BERGMANN 2013
Bergmann, M., Portraits of Emperor – Nero, the Sun, and Roman Otium. In: Buckley, E., Dinter, M.T. (eds.), A Companion to the Neronian Age (Wiley-Blackwell), 332-363.
CURTİUS 1939
Curtius, L., Ikonographische Beiträge zum porträt der Römischen Republik und der julisch-claudischen Familie, IX-XI, Römische Mitteilungen 54, 112-144.
ÇALIK 1997
Çalık, A., Roman Imperial Sculpture from Cilicia (London: King’s College).
DE SOUZA 1997
De Souza, P., Romans and Pirates in a Late Hellenistic Oracle From Pamphylia, The Classical Quarterly 47/2, 477-481.
DEMİRER/ÇINAR/SEZGİN KARAKAŞ/KOÇ
Demirer, Ü./Çınar, Ü./Sezgin Karakaş, N./Koç, A., Antalya Museum (Ankara: Dönmez offset Müze Eserleri Turistik Yayınları).
DRİNKWATER 2019
Drinkwater, J.F., Nero: Emperor and Court (Cambridge University Press).
ERGÜRER 2024
Ergürer, H., Syedra Antik Kenti’nde Demir Çağı’nın Varlığına İşaret Eden Seramik Bulgular. In: Ergürer, H.E./Türkmen, S./Ergürer, H. (eds.), Syedra I - Ismail Karamut’a Armağan Kitabı - Studies In Honor Of Ismaıl Karamut (Bilgin Kültür Sanat Yayınları), 53-62.
GÜZEL 2018
Güzel, S., Syedra Tarihi ve Sikkeleri (Unpublished Master’s Thesis).
HEBERDEY/WILHELM 1896
Heberdey, R./Wilhelm, A., Reisen In Kilikien (Kaiserlichen Akademie Der Wissenschaften).
HUBER 1993
Huber, G., Syedra (Verlag Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften).
KILINÇ 2012
Kılınç, O., Adana Arkeoloji Müzesi’ndeki Roma Dönemi Heykelleri Kataloğu, (Unpublished Master’s Thesis).
KİENAST/ECK/HEİL 2017
Kienast, D./Eck, W./Heil, M., Römische Kaisertabelle: Grundzüge einer römischen Kaiserchronologie (Wissen Verbindet).
KLEINER 1992
Kleiner, D.E.E., Roman Sculpture (Yale Publications in the History of Art).
LENAGHAN/LORDOĞLU 2024
Lenaghan, J./Lordoğlu, N., Portraits of the Sons of Germanicus, Examples from Ephesos and Aphrodisias. Observations on Provincial Reception and Diachronic Use, Asia Minor 4, 45-69.
İNAN/ROSENBAUM 1979
İnan, J./Rosenbaum, E.A., Römische und Frühbyzantinische Porträtplastik aus der Türkei: Neue Funde (Verlag Philipp Von Zabern).
MALİTZ 1999
Malitz, J., Nero (Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell).
MACKAY 1968
Mackay, T.S., Olba in Rough Cilicia (Bryn Mawr College).
MACMULLEN 1959
MacMullen, R., Roman Imperial Building in the Provinces, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 64, 207-235.
MITCHELL 1987
Mitchell, S., Imperial Building in the Eastern Roman Provinces, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 91, 333-365.
ÖZGAN 1995
Özgan, R., Die Skulpturen von Stratonikeia (Bonn:Dr. Rudolf Habelt GMBH).
ÖZGAN 2013
Özgan, R., Roma Portre Sanatı I (Ege Yayınları).
ÖZGAN 2022
Özgan, R., Heraklia Pontika’dan Bir Portre, Arkhaia Anatolika 5, 1-23.
TEPEBAŞ/DURUGÖNÜL 2013
Tepebaş, U./Durugönül, S., Arkaik – Roma Dönemi Heykeltraşlık Eserlerinin Kataloğu ve Değerlendirilmesi. In: Durugönül, S., (ed.), Silifke Müzesi Taş Eserler Kataloğu: Heykeltraşlık ve Mimari Plastik Eserler (Bilnet Matbaacılık), 35-153.
TEPEBAŞ 2016
Tepebaş, U., Tarsus Müzesi’ndeki Hellenistik – Roma Dönemi Tanrı ve Erkek Heykelleri. In: Durugönül, S. (ed.), Tarsus Müzesi Taş Eserleri: Heykeltraşlık ve Mimari Plastik Eserler (Oksijen Basım ve Matbaacılık), 57-81.
ROSE 1997
Rose, C.B., Dynastic Commemoration and Imperial Portraiture in the Julio-Claudian Period (Cambridge University Press).
SHOTTER 2004
Shotter, D., Tiberius Caesar (Thame: Routledge).
SMİTH 2013
Smith, R.R.R., The Marble Reliefs from the Julio-Claudian Sebasteion (Darmstadt: Verlag Philipp Von Zabern).
TOSUNLAR et alii 2022
Tosunlar, M.B./Karaoğlan İ./Tozluca, D.O./Selek, K.M./Sözel, S./Kılınç, S.Y./Şaşmaz, M.E., Knidos Antik Kenti Symmachos Heroon Yapısı Mimari Elemanlarının Durometre Sertlik Testi ve P-Dalgası Geçiş Hızı Testi İle İncelenmesi. In: Keskin, C. (ed.), 2019-2020 Yılı Arkeometri Çalışmaları (Ankara), 63-75.
WALDHERR 2005
Waldherr, G.H., Nero (Rengesburg: Friedrich Pustet).
ZANKER 1983
Zanker, P., Provinzielle Kaiserporträts: Zur Rezeption der Selbstdarstellung des Princeps (München: Verlag der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal, we use CC BY-NC-ND license (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs) wich only allowing others to download your works and share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can’t change them in any way or use them commercially.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
