Surveying the pontic landscape through the fortresses of the mithradatids

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2016

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: EMİNE SÖKMEN

Danışman: Deniz Burcu Erciyas

Özet:

This thesis aims to reveal the military and administrative roles of these fortresses that are scattered within the territory of the Mithradatic Kingdom. With this aim, Geographical Information Systems are used to examine the geographical distribution of the fortresses and their relationships with agricultural areas. The effects of the fortresses on agricultural activities and rural settlements are evaluated and a hypothesis is proposed, with the help of the historical information on their administrative role. Since most of the information about the Kingdom is acquired from the period of the last king Mithradates VI, the war against Rome, as that marked this period, is also elaborated on because it offers information on the military roles of the fortresses. This study is the first to holistically examine Hellenistic Period defense units within the network of military and administrative relations in Anatolia and it provides data for comparisons in future studies.