The ancient city of Hadrianapolis is a multi-layered settlement area belonging to the Roman and Early Byzantine periods, located in the Viranşehir locality within the borders of the Eskipazar district of today's Karabük province. This city, known as “Hadrianapolis of Paphlagonia” in antiquity, is located in a large geography surrounded by the villages of Budaklar, Büyükyaylalar, Çaylı, and Beytarla. The area in Budaklar Village, Hacı Ahmetler Neighborhood, where the remains of the city are concentrated, is also called Viranşehir.
Due to the scarcity of studies on the socio-economic structure, cultural history, and archaeology of Northwestern Anatolia in classical antiquity, the ruins of Hadrianapolis are not well known.
History
The ancient city of Hadrianapolis is a settlement dating back to the Roman Imperial period and was named after Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD). Although there is more than one city named “Hadrianapolis” in Anatolia, this settlement within the borders of the Eskipazar district of Karabük is considered one of the important cities of the ancient Paphlagonia region.
The city was founded or restructured under Roman rule in the late 1st or early 2nd century AD. During this period, urbanization activities accelerated in the region, and new cities were established to spread Roman cultural and administrative influence. It is believed that Hadrianapolis was also shaped within the framework of these policies.
Archaeological data show that Hadrianapolis became an important religious center from the Roman period, especially during the Early Byzantine period (4th-7th centuries AD). The churches built in the city, iconographic scenes carved in mosaics, and votive inscriptions suggest that the region was a center for Christianity. After the liberalization of Christianity, these religious buildings were intensively constructed in the city.
It is understood that Hadrianapolis lost its importance and was abandoned after the 7th century A.D., especially after the Arab invasions into Anatolia and the loss of Byzantine control in these border regions. The ruins of the city, especially the mosaic floors and architectural blocks, shed light on the ancient history of the region.
Ancient City Ruins (Türkiye Culture Portal)
Architectural Remains
Although there are more than one center in the city, Roman remains are concentrated in one area. This area is a sacred place with an aedicula carved on a rock face. Although the architectural remains of the Roman Period are limited, the remains of the Early Byzantine Period are dense. There are three Early Byzantine church remains in the ancient city, and all of them belong to the 6th century AD. Two of these churches were unearthed as a result of illicit excavations. There are also the remains of a cistern standing with its vaults. Blocks belonging to the Roman and Byzantine architectural texture were used as spolia in various parts of the district. The earliest church was built on a site at the exit of the city, 2 kilometers west of Eskipazar.
Hadrianapolis Ancient City (Eskipazar Municipality)
Mosaics and Inscriptions
Four important mosaics were discovered in a 15×23.5 meter church during the studies conducted since 2003. These mosaics depict female, male, animal, and fruit figures. An important feature of the mosaics is the personification and names of "Phison", "Geon", "Euphrates", and "Tigris", the four rivers in heaven according to Christian belief. This type of composition has not yet been found in Anatolia.
There is also a votive inscription in the mosaic area on the floor of the church. This inscription reads "Dedication of the faithful palace guard Himerios and the honorable and precious Valentina". Studies have shown that Himerios was a "Skholarios", i.e., an Imperial guard, and that this name only appears philologically and prosographically in the 6th century AD. It is thought that Himerios and Valentina were married. However, the absence of a verb in this mosaic inscription suggests that the rest of the inscription may be elsewhere. The mosaics were temporarily covered with a special cover in 2003 to protect them from weather conditions.
Floor Mosaic (Eskipazar Municipality)
A detailed examination of the church revealed a Greek inscription of at least 10 lines on the outer surface of two stones in the lowest stone row of the atrium wall. Although this inscription is engraved as “damnatia memoriae”, the inscription is still visible. There is also a marble inscription in the form of a tabula ansata embedded in the floor at the entrance door of the church. This inscription reads “Here lies lordannes, whose memory is among the saints”.
