Signs of ‘independence’ uncovered in Termessos
ANTALYA
Research conducted at the ruined gate area of Termessos ancient city, located within the Güllük Mount National Park in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, has revealed an inscription declaring the city’s independence as well as a text related to “divination and fortune telling.”
Excavations at Termessos, situated in a difficult mountainous landscape resembling an eagle’s nest, are being carried out under the Culture and Tourism Ministry ’s “Heritage for the Future Project” under the supervision of Professor Mustafa Koçak, a faculty member at Antalya Bilim University.
As part of the studies, Koçak and Professor Fatih Onur from Akdeniz University’s Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures identified inscribed blocks at the city gate, which had been recorded in documents by foreign researchers who visited the site in the 1880s and were still standing at that time but have survived to the present day in a collapsed state.
The inscriptions, largely eroded and unreadable among the ruins at the gate, were identified and reconstructed through digital modelling and 3D visualization techniques. With the help of various technological tools, the text on the stones was made legible.
It was determined that one of the inscriptions at the city gate, located at a point visible to all who entered the city, was an “independence inscription.”
The inscription was found to include the phrase: “May the rights of the free Termessians remain forever.”
It was also established that Alexander the Great, during his eastern campaign, was unable to breach the city’s walls, which is reflected in the historical characterization of Termessos as a strongly defensive settlement.
During the investigation, researchers also discovered a divination inscription describing the use of knucklebones as dice.
The text explains a fortune-telling practice using knucklebones marked with numbers on their surfaces, used as dice, with interpretations guiding decisions. Expressions such as “Do not travel today,” “Do not set out on the journey you intend,” and “Go where you want to go” were identified in the inscription.
Excavation head Koçak told state-run Anadolu Agency that the inscription is significant in demonstrating the independence of Termessos.
Koçak noted that both written sources and coins indicate Termessos was an independent city, saying: “It was like this both during and before the Roman Imperial period. The independence of Termessos is also declared to everyone entering the city through this inscription at the gate. In the coming years, we plan to restore this gate and ensure that the independence inscription is seen by visitors as it was in antiquity.”
He added that the inscription would attract visitors’ attention, stating: “When this gate is restored, those who see the inscription ‘May free Termessos remain forever’ will understand they have entered Termessos.”
Onur said the divination text describes a system using five or seven knucklebones thrown like dice.
Onur explained that in the five-dice system, there are 56 variations, and in the seven-dice system, there are 120 variations, with readings based on the numbers that appear after the throw.
He noted that the system found at Termessos is the seven-dice version, adding: “We have three blocks of this type. One is visible at the entrance. Based on the numbers obtained from knucklebones thrown by a person setting out on a journey, expressions such as ‘Do not travel,’ ‘Do business’ or ‘Do not do business’ are given. This is conveyed in a poetic language.”
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TR