Gephyra (May 2011)
Three new sarcophagi from Kios (Gemlik)
Abstract
Three sarcophagi (fig. 2) dated to the Roman Imperial Period were recently unearthed in Gemlik (ancient Kios) (fig. 1) in a rescue excavation conducted by Bursa Museum’s Directorate. Several small objects found in these sarcophagi, grave goods, were delivered to the Archaeological Museum of Bursa, while the sarcophagi are today in the garden of the Directorate of Technical Works (Fen İşleri Müdürlüğü) in Gemlik. The sarcophagi resemble each other in their iconography and stylistically. Upon the tabulae ansatae there are three inscriptions, two are on the façade of the chests of two of these sarcophagi, the other is on the long side of the lid of the third. Amongst the finds from the first sarcophagus was a gold coin dated to the reign of Valerianus I and Gallienus. An intaglio carrying a depiction of Isis and Sarapis was found in the second sarcophagus which was carved on behalf of Marcus Iulius Aelianus Iulianus for Kladaios, both his friend and doctor, and for his freedman Harmodios. The inscription on the lid of the third sarcophagus records the owner as Aurelius Numerius and that he was a councillor in the city, providing the first attestation of a βουλεύτης in Kios. The high penalty of 100,000 denarii for tomb violation is not commonly found in the inscriptions.
