Epigraphy

Commagene is well-known to both specialists and the wider public for the monuments and inscriptions of the royal dynasty, especially those of the king Antiochus I (I cent. B.C.). Outside this group of inscriptions, we have, for the Hellenistic period, only a few pieces of evidence inscribed in Greek and no evidence inscribed in any other language; for the Roman period, more documents have come to light, but their number remains limited and their nature is not always helpful for reconstructing the social and political life of this region. In the absence of literary sources, the surveys and the ongoing archaeological campaigns in Keber Tepe and its territory are essential, not only for reconstructing the evolution of this settlement, but also for providing new epigraphic material and, in this way, casting light on various aspects of the socio-political, religious and cultural life of the region.

The potentiality of this field of research is shown by a few epigraphic finds which have been recovered since the beginning of the investigations. A fragment of marble slab mentions someone (whose name is lost), who probably held important offices in connection with two civic bodies: boule and demos. This is the first evidence we have of civic institutions in the ancient city of Doliche and, in general, in Commagene. An interesting group of finds consists of various fragments of tiles which bear the stamp ΔΗΜΟϹΙΑ. Tile stamps and tile bricks with the word ΔΗΜΟϹΙΑ (or an abbreviation which stands for it) are widespread across various areas of Greece, Southern Italy and Sicily. This word can indicate a tile kiln owned by the polis or, alternatively, a production of tiles destined for a public building. The tile stamps from Doliche and their diversity can contribute towards a better understanding of this class of material and may shed light on the economy of the city during the imperial period.

Prof. Dr. Margherita Facella