14 February 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

1800-year-old marble inscription found in Turkey’s Aigai excavations deciphered

The 1800-year-old inscription, consisting of 3 pieces of marble, found in the excavations in the ancient city of Aigai in western Turkey’s province of Manisa, was deciphered.

The translated marble inscription describes the Aigai people’s distress as a result of Roman tax officials’ practices.

Aigai was established on the Gün Mountain in the Yund Mountain Range, which was named Aspordene in ancient times. The ancient city, whose name comes from the Greek word “aíga” (goat), is often referred to as “the city of goats”, which is not surprising considering its high altitude and rocky lands.

The inscription was found during the excavations in the parliament building in the ancient city of Aigai in 2005.

Photo: DHA

In the inscription, it is stated that the people of Aigai sent an envoy named ‘Fortunatus’ to the Roman emperor, reporting their complaint about the different collection of taxes from goat skin by each collector and demanding that this situation be resolved. It turned out that the Roman Emperor, who took into account the complaints and demands of the Aigai people, fixed the taxes taken from goat skin at a rate of 1 in 6 and stated that he would punish the tax collectors who did not comply with this rule.

Heading the excavations in the ancient city of Aigai, Manisa Celal Bayar University Department of Archeology Associate Professor Yusuf Sezgin drew attention to the importance of the inscription in proving that the economy of the city was based on goats and goat skins.

Associate Professor Sezgin said, “The first excavations in Aigai started in 2004. In the parliament building where the excavations started, 3 marble pieces belonging to an inscription were found the following year. The inscription was partially studied and translated by Professor Hasan Malay. But we lose our teacher last year. It was deciphered by doing detailed researchs on it. This inscription is very valuable, especially its presence in the parliament already reveals its value. The inscription confirms that the basis of the city’s economy was based on goats and goat skins,” he said.

Associate Professor Yusuf Sezgin said, "The marble inscription confirms that the basis of the economy of the city was formed on goats and goat skins."
Associate Professor Yusuf Sezgin said, “The marble inscription confirms that the basis of the economy of the city was formed on goats and goat skins.”

Associate Professor Sezgin continued: “Aigai literally means goat. It is geography suitable for goat breeding in its geography. For the first time, we have come to a situation where we can saying this with an inscription. It is an inscription written 1800 years ago and it was placed in the parliament. It must be one of the most important issues of the city. Determining the taxes collected by the Roman emperors and fixing them. Thanks to the inscription, the city’s relationship with goat skin confirmed our theories that the city’s economy was based on goat skin. In this respect, it is an important inscription that we have newly presented to the world of science.”

Brief History of Aigai

Aigai, also known as Aigaiai or Nemrutkale, is thought to have been founded in the seventh century B.C. in the ancient region of Aeolis, which includes the land between the modern district of Ayvack in Çanakkale and downtown Izmir. It was a member of the Aeolian dodecapolis, a 12-city confederation.

Aigai ancient city
Aigai ancient city

The city reached its golden age during the reign of the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty that ruled the land from three to two B.C. 

On account of a severe earthquake in 17 B.C., which caused irreversible damage to the Aegean coast as well as Aigai, the city was rebuilt in subsequent decades. Aigai was deserted in the third century A.D. and remained unoccupied for about a millennium. The archaeological discoveries in the area date back to the Eastern Roman period and support the theory that the city was resettled by the Byzantines and used as a small settlement for a Christian congregation.

You can find details about the ancient city of Aigai here.

Related Articles

Ancient Roman coin thought to be fake -certainly authentic and proves the existence of ‘forgotten’ leader Sponsian, study claims

26 November 2022

26 November 2022

History is littered with artifacts that were later discovered to be forgeries, but the opposite can also occur. A new...

A burial complex and an Ancient Dog Statue have been unearthed during excavations in Appio Latino quarter the Rome

8 January 2022

8 January 2022

Workers laying pipes for utility company Acea at Via Luigi Tosti in Rome’s Appio Latino quarter have unearthed an ancient...

Imperial cult temple discovered in Spello: It opens a new chapter in the Roman Empire’s transition from paganism to Christianity

6 January 2024

6 January 2024

American researchers have announced the discovery of an Imperial cult temple in Spello, Italy. The discovery was announced by Douglas...

Roman influence period artifacts discovered by history enthusiasts in northern Poland

16 March 2024

16 March 2024

Local history enthusiasts from the Wendrusz Historical and Exploration Society have discovered four fibulae, a ring, and fragments of decorations...

Remains of 14th-century Synagogue thought to be one of largest in region discovered in Poland

14 August 2023

14 August 2023

The remains of what is thought to be a sizeable 14th-century synagogue complex, including a mikvah, have been discovered during...

Archaeologists found gold coins from the time of Justinian the Great in Northern Bulgaria

3 September 2024

3 September 2024

Archaeologists have discovered five gold coins dating from the reign of Justinian the Great (483-565) in Debnevo, the largest village...

Polish Archaeologists uncover a ancient residence and mysterious mask in Libya’s ancient city Ptolemais

15 January 2025

15 January 2025

In Libya’s ancient city of Ptolemais on the Mediterranean coast, Polish archaeologists have uncovered a dwelling equipped with an advanced...

A New Study: The Great Sphinx of Giza may have been blown into shape by the wind

1 November 2023

1 November 2023

The theory, occasionally raised by others, that the Great Sphinx of Giza may have been a lion-shaped natural landform that...

From Researchers, a New İnterpretation of Norse Religion

26 February 2021

26 February 2021

Recent research on pre-Christian Norse religions shows that the variation in Norse religions is far greater than previously imagined. Ten...

Climate and Archaic humans caused the extinction of giant camels that lived in Mongolia 27,000 years ago, a study says

3 April 2022

3 April 2022

Camelus knoblochi, a species of giant two-humped camel, survived in Mongolia alongside modern humans—and perhaps Neanderthals and Denisovans—until about 27,000...

3,200-Year-Old Temple Mural of Spider God in Peru

25 March 2021

25 March 2021

Archaeologists in northern Peru have discovered a 3200-year-old mural. The mural was painted on the side of an ancient adobe...

The largest embalming cache ever found in Egypt unearthed at Abusir

10 February 2022

10 February 2022

Archaeologists from the Czech Institute for Egyptian Science have discovered a cache of artifacts related to the practice of Egyptian...

2,000-year-old graves found in ancient necropolis beneath Paris Train Station

24 April 2023

24 April 2023

Archaeologists have discovered 50 tombs in an ancient necropolis just meters from a busy train station in central Paris, and...

1,700-Year-Old Roman Ringstone Depicting Goddess Athena Discovered at Assos

30 August 2024

30 August 2024

A Roman Imperial Period ringstone depicting Athena, the mother goddess of the Assos ancient city, has been discovered in the...

Archeological park to be built at suburban Shanghai ancient ruins site in China

20 October 2021

20 October 2021

An archeological park will be built at the Qinglong Town ruins site of Baihe in Qingpu District as part of...