28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An 1800-year-old inscription was discovered in Hadrianaupolis indicating the existence of the Asclepius cult

An inscription pointing to the existence of the cult of Asclepius was found in the ancient city of Hadrianaupolis, which was used as a settlement in the Late Chalcolithic, Roman, and Early Byzantine periods in Eskipazar, a district of Karabuk province in the Black Sea region of Turkey.

The excavations, initiated in 2003 under the chairmanship of Associate Professor Ersin Çelikbaş, a lecturer in the Department of Archeology at the Faculty of Letters of Karabuk University, continue for 12 months of the year without interruption.

An inscription that states “Ailios Deiotaros presented the Savior Asklepios” was found on a piece of rock during the ongoing excavations in a square planned structure unearthed last year.

Photo: AA

“Asclepius is the god of medicine in ancient times”

Associate Professor Ersin Çelikbaş told Anadolu Agency that the inscription is very important for the archeology of Hadrianaupolis and the Black Sea.

Çelikbaş said, “In the inscription is writing, -presented the Ailios Deiotaros to Asclepius the Savior-  We had guessed the existence of Asklepios here, but now that the inscription has been found, we have clearly identified the existence of the cult of Asclepius in Hadrianaupolis. Asklepios is the god of medicine in ancient times. In places where there is the culture of Asclepius, there are usually healing houses, that is, hospitals of the ancient period,” he said.

Noting that the healing houses of the ancient period were seen in Bergama and Allianoi, Çelikbaş continued as follows:

“We can say that the cult of Asclepius was detected for the first time in the Black Sea. We saw the figures of the god Asklepios on the coins minted by Hadrianaupolis. The figures on the coins do not express the cultural existence of a place one hundred percent. We saw patera and snakes on a votive column. We thought it was related to Asklepios, but The discovery of the inscription clearly revealed that there really was an Asclepius cult in Hadrianaupolis.”

“One of the most important cult centers of the Roman period”

Reminding that the Akkaya thermal spring is within the borders of Hadrianaupolis, Çelikbaş said, “Usually, the Asklepios is around the hot water springs. The biggest reason why the cult of Asclepius is here is probably that it is near the Akkaya thermal spring. We can say that Hadrianaupolis was one of the most important cult centers of the ancient period, especially the Roman period.

Hadrianaupolis ancient city
Photo: AA

Stating that the inscription belongs to the 2nd century AC, Çelikbaş said, “This means the early imperial period. We can say that Hadrianaupolis was an important Roman city and a cult center in the early imperial period,” said.

Hadrianaupolis Ancient City

The ancient city, which was founded in the 1st century BC and was used as a settlement until the 8th century AD, is located 3 kilometers west of the district Eskiyapar.

The ancient city of Hadrianaupolis is often described as the “Zeugma of the Black Sea region” because of the mosaics unearthed there. In the ancient city, structures such as two baths, two churches, a defense structure, rock tombs, a theatre, an arched and domed structure, a monumental cultic niche, city walls, villas, other monumental buildings, and some cult areas have been found.

Related Articles

Neolithic Age Adults and Children Buried Under Family Homes were not Relative

3 May 2021

3 May 2021

An international team of scientists found that Children and adults buried next to each other in one of the oldest...

The oldest grave in northern Germany 10,500 years old

14 October 2022

14 October 2022

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known human remains in northern Germany in a 10,500-year-old cremation grave in Lüchow, Schleswig-Holstein. The...

The ruins of a thousand-year-old Buddhist Temple will be opened to the public in Kyrgyzstan

13 September 2022

13 September 2022

The unearthed remains of an ancient Buddhist temple in Kyrgyzstan will open to the public in mid-September as part of...

4,000-year-old Snake-Shaped Pottery Handle Found in Taiwan

20 February 2024

20 February 2024

National Tsing Hua University archaeologists in Taiwan have discovered a snake-shaped pottery handle dating back approximately 4000 years. Researchers uncovered...

The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: The Dark Age of Ancient Scrolls Ends

2 May 2025

2 May 2025

Artificial intelligence, often envisioned for future applications, is now playing a pivotal role in unraveling the mysteries of the past....

Norwegian Boy in Search of Granddad’s Wedding Ring Finds 1500-year-old Roman Jewellery

11 August 2021

11 August 2021

Sander Magnus Vang (12) needed to find his grandfather’s lost wedding ring. Instead, he found a 1500-year-old ring. The golden...

Japan-Persia Ancient Ties

20 June 2021

20 June 2021

Japanese and Persian ancient ties go back to the 7th century. Silk Road connected Japan with countries and regions far...

Archaeologists have discovered a 2800-year-old Urartian Castle in eastern Turkey

17 June 2021

17 June 2021

Archaeologists discovered the ruins of a castle going back 2,800 years on a mountain 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea...

Ancient Babylon Excavation Uncovers 478 Artifacts Including Cuneiform Tablets, and Cylindrical Seals

16 October 2024

16 October 2024

The Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) announced that 478 artifacts were uncovered during an excavation expedition in...

Ancient Ruins of an Ancient Capital Found in Beijing

15 March 2021

15 March 2021

After two years of excavation, Chinese archaeologists recently exposed Zhongdu, the capital city of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) next to...

Ancient City Cistern Found Near Croatia’s Iconic Fountain

15 February 2024

15 February 2024

An island-speckled coastline and ancient walled towns place Croatia among the world’s best-beauty cities. But there’s even more to this...

Ancient Christian Mosaics Unearthed in İznik as Pope Leo XIV Prepares Historic Visit

18 May 2025

18 May 2025

A set of remarkably preserved mosaics, believed to date back to the early Christian era, have been discovered during foundation...

2,700-Year-Old Fragrance Containers Stretching From Egypt to Anatolia

27 April 2021

27 April 2021

The 2,700-year-old  fragrance containers reflecting the ancient Egyptian culture are exhibited for the first time in the private treasure room...

History of 8,500 years waits for a museum

19 June 2023

19 June 2023

The conservation process of the Yenikapı shipwrecks, which were discovered during the Marmaray project and considered the largest collection of...

Archaeologists uncover a 1,500-year-old Lost Mayan city in the Yucatan

28 May 2022

28 May 2022

Researchers have presented their findings after discovering the remnants of an ancient Mayan city on a building site in Mexico....