Third Roman Hippodrome in Anatolia Unearthed Beneath the City of Kayseri

Archaeological research conducted in central Türkiye has uncovered the remains of a Roman-era hippodrome beneath the modern city of Kayseri — marking the third known example of such a monumental structure in Anatolia. The discovery offers rare insight into the architectural and social fabric of ancient Caesarea, the capital of the Kingdom of Cappadocia and a key urban center of the Roman Empire.

The find was made during a multi-stage research project led by experts from the Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, who combined historical cartography, travel records, and modern geophysical analysis to locate traces of the buried structure.

Early travel notes and maps — including those by Gregorios Bernardakis, Levides, Arşak Alboyacıyan, Vital Kunet, and Friedrich Hild — were carefully examined. Bernardakis’s 19th-century map notably depicts a structure labeled “Circus”, the Latin term for a Roman chariot-racing arena. By correlating this historical map with current aerial imagery, researchers identified the likely position of the ancient hippodrome.

Further analysis of orthophotos and historical aerial photographs obtained from the General Directorate of Mapping confirmed that the site had been used as a city landfill between the 1950s and 1980s, accumulating nearly 20 meters of fill material.

Following the directive of Kayseri Metropolitan Mayor Dr. Memduh Büyükkılıç, a series of archaeogeophysical surveys were conducted, conclusively revealing the presence of a large, elongated structure beneath the surface. Measurements suggest the hippodrome was approximately 450 meters long, placing it among the larger known examples of its kind in Roman Anatolia.

As a result, the Kayseri Regional Board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage officially designated the area as a third-degree archaeological site on September 25, 2025 (Decision No. 9093). Archaeologists are now preparing detailed stratigraphic and dating studies to determine the exact construction phase and use of the complex.

Historical Context:
The roots of modern Kayseri stretch back to the Hellenistic city of Mazaka, which was later moved and renamed Eusebia under the Ariarathid dynasty. When Cappadocia became a Roman province under Emperor Tiberius (14–37 CE), the city received the name Caesarea, becoming a key administrative and cultural hub of the region.

The discovery of a hippodrome beneath the city reveals that Caesarea, like other major Roman centers such as Antioch and Smyrna, hosted grand public entertainment venues reflecting the empire’s architectural ambition and civic life.

Ancientist

Cover Image: Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality