The inscription dedicated to Emperor Hadrian was found in Blaundos, known as Garrison City

An inscription dedicated to Emperor Hadrian has been found in the ancient city of Blaundos, which was named “Garrison City” because Alexander the Great’s soldiers settled there during his campaign in Anatolia.

Hadrian, known as one of the emperors of the Roman Empire who loved to travel, ruled from 117 to 138 AD. Born in Hispania Baetica (modern-day Spain), Hadrian strengthened the borders of the empire, established new cities, and developed existing ones.

The ancient city of Blaundos is located in Uşak.

One of the cities he helped to flourish was Blaundos, where the people erected an inscription praising Emperor Hadrian. Recently, Turkish archaeologists uncovered this inscription on the Colonnaded Street.

The marble inscription, measuring 80 centimeters in length and 35 centimeters in width, contains the phrase “Savior and founder Emperor Hadrianus Olympios.”

Uşak Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism, Sabri Ceylan, regarding the Colonnaded Street, stated, “This section attracts a lot of interest from our visitors. We started to open the east-west oriented street at the beginning of this month. So far, we have found four column bases. Additionally, an inscription dedicated to Roman Emperor Hadrian has emerged during the ongoing excavations. The examination of the historical context of this inscription is ongoing. This inscription documents Hadrian as an important figure as an emperor.”

“We can say that the street is the heart of the ancient city. The colonnaded street area of the ancient city continued to maintain its significance and grandeur during the Byzantine period, just as it did in Roman times. After documentation, we plan to restore and carry out survey work here to bring the ancient street back to life.”

Cover Photo: Mehmet Çalık/Anadolu Agency