Archaeologists from Artuklu University have uncovered the remains of a 1,600-year-old Roman military structure during excavations in the ancient town of Hasankeyf, southeastern Türkiye.
The excavations are ongoing at Hasankeyf Castle, led by associate professor Zekai Erdal from the Department of Art History at Mardin Artuklu University (MAU).
Hasankeyf Castle was built on a solid rock mass at an average height of 135 meters from the edge of the Tigris River. Excavations in Hasankeyf, one of the world’s oldest settlements, first began in the 1980s with an aim to bring its hidden history to the surface. The Castle, also known as “Hisno Koyfa”, meaning rock fortress, had a religious function during the Byzantine rule that lasted for about 300 years. Later it was conquered by Emevis, Abbasids, Hamdanis, Mervanis, Artuks, Eyyubis, and Ottomans respectively.
Under the direction of a specialized team, archaeological excavations are still underway this year. The meticulous excavation efforts of the teams have yielded the remnants of a military edifice that dates back 1,600 years, to the era of Roman Emperor Constantius II.
The discovery this year is especially noteworthy because it validates ancient accounts that mention a late Roman military installation in Hasankeyf that had not yet been identified.
Excavation head associate professor Zekai Erdal told Anadolu Agency (AA) “In fact, we can give this good news: Historical sources mention a military structure and castle from the Late Roman period in Hasankeyf. However, no traces of this Late Roman structure had been found in previous research. This was merely information recorded in archive records. As of 2024, remains of a structure dating back to the fourth century, said to have been built during the reign of Constantius II, have been uncovered,” he said.
He said the team identified the structure through comparisons of stone sizes and construction techniques with other large palaces and buildings from the same period, in consultation with experts on Roman architecture.
Erdal pointed out that it was built using the Isodom wall technique characteristic of the Roman period, with very narrow joint spacing.
Constantine II, the son of the first Christian emperor, was an Eastern Roman Emperor who ruled in the fourth century, making the newly discovered structure approximately 1,600 years old.
Cover Image: AA
