Romans and Greeks in Early Imperial Lydia and Phrygia

Abstract

This paper collects the evidence for corporate groups of “Romans and Greeks living at (village toponym)” in Lydia and western Phrygia in the early Roman imperial period. The author discusses seven honorific inscriptions and dedications, three of them very recently published; four derive from the near vicinity of Akmoneia in western Phrygia, reflecting the large number of resident Romans in the region. The author offers a detailed commentary on a newly published honorific inscription from Kastollos in Lydia, including various new readings and restorations (no. 1). The author discusses the precise meaning of the formula “Romans and Greeks” and the chronological and geographic distribution of the formula. Three of the seven inscriptions honour locals granted Roman citizenship by Mark Antony (no. 6) or Augustus (nos 1 and 3), and the author uses numismatic evidence to discuss the social standing of these newly enfranchised Roman citizens within their Lydian and Phrygian communities.

Keywords

• lidya
• frigya
• onur yazıtları
• roma vatandaşlığı
• roma eyaleti asya
• lydia
• phrygia
• honorific inscriptions
• roman citizenship
• roman province of asia