ROMANIZATION OF URBAN SPACES IN EPHESUS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY HİDAYET VOLKAN TOPAL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE SEPTEMBER 2020 Approval of the thesis: ROMANIZATION OF URBAN SPACES IN EPHESUS submitted by HİDAYET VOLKAN TOPAL in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History of Architecture, the Graduate School of Social Sciences of Middle East Technical University by, Prof. Dr. Yaşar KONDAKÇI Dean Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Fatma Cânâ BİLSEL Head of Department Architecture Prof. Dr. Suna GÜVEN Supervisor History of Architecture Examining Committee Members: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lale ÖZGENEL (Head of the Examining Committee) Middle East Technical University History of Architecture Prof. Dr. Suna GÜVEN (Supervisor) Middle East Technical University History of Architecture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur ÖZTÜRK Columbia College Chicago Art and Art History Assist. Prof. Dr. Pelin YONCACI ARSLAN Middle East Technical University History of Architecture Assist. Prof. Dr. İdil ÜÇER KARABABA İstanbul Bilgi University Interior Design PLAGIARISM PLAGIARISM I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last Name: Hidayet Volkan TOPAL Signature: iii ABSTRACT ROMANIZATION OF URBAN SPACES IN EPHESUS TOPAL, Hidayet Volkan M.A., The Department of History of Architecture Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Suna GÜVEN September 2020, 309 pages Expansion of the Roman sphere of influence over various societies and heterogeneous cultures prompted a unique acculturation in the provinces that is referred to as Romanization. The imperial cult, in general, is considered to be both an indicator of this cultural change and an agent that took an effective role in the process of acculturation. The imperial cult in the provincial context of Asia provides a remarkable case to grasp the acculturation under Roman rule, as a catalyst of defining individuals’ and communities’ identity, creation of collective memory, and an effective way for the locals to make sense of the intrusion of a foreign authority into their world. Eventually, this cultural change resulted in the metamorphosis of the urban spaces that especially manifested in the creation of convenient places for the accommodation of the imperial cult. In this thesis, the analysis of the imperial settings in which the architectural forms of the imperial cult were generated is treated as a convincing resource to grasp the process of Romanization and the various reactions of the local population to a new context. With a focus on the Augustan administrative-cult center, the project analyzes the role of the architectural language of the imperial cult in the metamorphosis of urban spaces in Roman Ephesus. In doing so, an experiential analysis of the urban spaces is iv provided to have a thorough understanding of the Augustan cult center within its larger urban context as a smaller component of a grander scheme. Keywords: Ephesus, imperial cult, Romanization, urban armature v ÖZ EFES’İN KENTSEL MEKANLARININ ROMANİZASYONU TOPAL, Hidayet Volkan Yüksek Lisans, Mimarlık Tarihi Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Suna GÜVEN Eylül 2020, 309 sayfa Roma nüfuz alanının çeşitli toplumlar ve farklı kültürler üzerindeki yayılımı, eyaletlerde Romanizasyon olarak adlandırılan özgün bir kültürleşmeye yol açtı. İmparatorluk kültü, genel itibarıyla, hem bu kültürel değişimin bir göstergesi hem de kültürleşme sürecinde etkin rol almış bir unsur olarak kabul edilir. Asya eyaleti bağlamındaki imparatorluk kültü, bireylerin ve toplulukların kimliklerinin tanımlanmasında, kolektif belleğin yaratılmasında bir katalizör ve yerel halkın yabancı bir otoritenin kendi dünyalarına girmesini anlamlandırmasında etkili bir yol olarak, Roma yönetimi altındaki kültürleşmeyi kavramak için dikkate değer bir veri sunmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, bu kültürel değişim, özellikle imparatorluk kültüne uygun ortamların yaratılmasında tezahür ederek kentsel alanların başkalaşmasına neden olmuştur. Bu tezde, imparatorluk kültünün mimari biçimlerinin üretildiği imparatorluk ortamlarının analizi, Romanizasyon sürecini ve yerel halkın yeni bir bağlama yönelik çeşitli tepkilerini kavramak için ikna edici bir kaynak olarak ele alınmıştır. Bu çalışma, Roma dönemindeki Efes kentindeki kentsel mekanların dönüşümünde imparatorluk kültünün mimari dilinin rolünü, Augustus dönemi idari-kült merkezine odaklanarak incelemektedir. Böylelikle, Augustus dönemi kült merkezini kendi geniş kentsel vi bağlamında, daha büyük bir düzenin küçük bir bileşeni olarak, derinlemesine anlamak amacıyla kentsel mekanların deneyimsel bir analizi sağlanmıştır. Anahtar Kelimeler: Efes, imparatorluk kültü, Romanizasyon, kentsel armatür vii DEDICATION To my father viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Prof. Dr. Suna Güven, for her inspirational guidance, everlasting patience and invaluable criticism throughout the preparation of this study. Without her support and encouragement at every step of this journey, it would not have been possible to make this thesis what it is. I am also grateful to the members of the examining committee, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lale Özgenel, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Öztürk, Assist. Prof. Dr. Pelin Yoncacı Arslan and Assist. Prof. Dr. İdil Üçer Karababa, for their invaluable comments, reviews and outstanding contributions to this study. I also owe my thanks to Dr. Aygün Kalınbayrak Ercan for her insightful suggestions and comments. I would also like to extend my gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sabine Ladstätter, Filiz Öztürk and other members of the Austrian Archaeological Institute for accepting me in the excavation team in Ephesus, as three seasons of participation in the excavations provided me with an in-depth awareness of the site, which otherwise, I would have never able to get. The experiences that I had in the excavations exceedingly contributed to this thesis. Moreover, I thank Prof. Dr. Musa Kadıoğlu for having me in the excavations in Teos, which surely endowed me with enthusiasm and awareness for undertaking this study. A special thanks to my father, Cengiz Topal, a hard-working archaeologist devoted to his profession, with whom I have been visiting the archaeological sites of Anatolia including those in the most remote places ever since I learned to walk. His towering figure and achievements are certainly the main source of inspiration for this study. I can never express my gratitude enough to my mother, Şaduman Topal, without whom this thesis would have never been completed. She always provided me with motivation and her unwavering support during the hardest times and in every aspect of my life. ix I also would like to thank my uncle, Hasan Topal, a prominent architect, who has been an influential figure for me to have studied architecture, which, in the end, led me to have this thesis. I should express that I am deeply indebted to my beloved siblings, Deniz and Özgür, who were always there for me in times of need. They are my true companions in this life. I also would like to extend my gratitude to my late grandfather on my father’s side, Hidayet Topal, whom I was named after. His impacts on my life with his selfless sacrifices including both during the decades he spent in Germany as a gastarbeiter and beyond are ineffable. Besides, I would like to express my gratitude to my late grandfather on my mother’s side, Ahmet Kavuncu, who had been an influential role model for me. I should also thank my grandmothers on my mother’s side Şahizer Kavuncu, and my father’s side, Hamide Topal, who have always supported me with their prayers and good wishes, which mean a world to me. Moreover, I will always be grateful to my friends Salih Semih Gökçe, Barış Bircan, Yusuf Özdil and Türker Özkan for being an important part of my life. I am very fortunate to have been accompanied with them. Last but not least, I would also like to thank Tuğba Uluger for her endless support, assistance and encouragement throughout the preparation of this study and beyond. x TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ............................................................................................................ iii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ iv ÖZ ............................................................................................................................... vi DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................... ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ xi LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. xiii LIST OF MAPS ......................................................................................................... xx LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................... xxi CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................