Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin / Akdeniz University, Antalya
- Written by Portal Editor
Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin – To further prepare for our project, "A Journey of Understanding and Culture Along Roman Roads" specifically regarding the extant remains of Roman roads in Lycia we arranged to meet with Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin of Akdeniz University, Antalya, at his private residence near Antalya.
During preliminary telephone conversations with Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin, we had already discussed the general aims and purpose of the project; consequently, both parties were now looking forward with great interest to our first face-to-face meeting.
Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin is a classical philologist and epigrapher whose reputation extends far beyond Turkey’s borders; he was born on May 11, 1939, in Elbistan (Maraş), Turkey.
After completing his studies in classical philology at Ankara University from 1963 to 1967, Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin pursued his doctoral studies (1969–1973) at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität in Münster. Şahin earned his doctorate in 1973 with a dissertation titled "New Finds of Ancient Inscriptions in Nicomedia (Izmit) and the City's Surroundings."
Having served as a lecturer at Akdeniz University in Antalya since 1981, Sencer was appointed to a professorship in 1986.
Thanks to his time at the University of Münster, he maintains very close ties to this day with Elmar Schwertheim of the university's Asia Minor Research Center, as well as with Reinhold Merkelbach of the Institute for Classical Studies at the University of Cologne. The primary focus of Şahin's research lies in the ancient inscriptions and epigraphs found on Greek and Roman monuments within the cities of Asia Minor.
This work has resulted in a series of publications, which ultimately led to the founding of the journal *Epigraphica Anatolica* in collaboration with Ekrem Akurgal, Reinhold Merkelbach, and Hermann Vetters.
Furthermore, Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin co-publishes *Gephyra* a scholarly journal dedicated to the history and culture of antiquity within the territory of modern-day Turkey together with Johannes Nolle.
In recent years, Prof. Dr. (em.) Sencer Şahin and Akdeniz University in Antalya supported by funding from TÜBİTAK (the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) have conducted extensive fieldwork to map the Roman road network in the interior and along the coast between Fethiye and Antalya.
Of particular significance in this context was the discovery of the so-called *Stadiasmus Patarensis* a commemorative stele bearing inscriptions detailing road routes in Lycia which likely once served as the pedestal for an equestrian statue of Emperor Claudius.
For the first time in history, a monument of this kind containing a comprehensive list of nearly every road in the region was brought to light.
Based on the deciphered routes, meticulous and detailed fieldwork was undertaken to specifically trace the documented road alignments, which have subsequently been mapped and documented over the course of the last three years. While some sections of the route have been built over by modern road networks, particularly away from the coast, there remains a multitude of well-preserved segments some of which are still used by locals to this very day.
Using photocopies of maps, we familiarized ourselves with several of these segments; in doing so, we also learned of surviving structural elements and ruins situated along these routes.
We were able to delve quite deeply into the subject matter, and consequently, we decided to embark on an excursion to the region between Kaş and Myra over the coming weeks. Our objective is to explore the route alignments and road conditions on-site, with a view to incorporating them into our project: "A Journey of Understanding and Culture Along Roman Roads."
1. *Die Inschriften von Perge* [The Inscriptions of Perge] Bonn: Habelt
2. *Die Inschriften von Arykanda* [The Inscriptions of Arykanda] Bonn: Habelt, 1994
3. *Bithynische Studien* [Bithynian Studies] Şahin, Sencer. – Bonn: Habelt, 1978
4. *Neufunde von antiken Inschriften in Nikomedeia (Izmit) und in der Umgebung der Stadt* [New Discoveries of Ancient Inscriptions in Nicomedia (Izmit) and the Surrounding Area] Şahin, Sencer, 1974
5. *Katalog der antiken Inschriften des Museums von Iznik (Nikaia)* [Catalogue of Ancient Inscriptions at the Iznik (Nicaea) Museum] Şahin, Sencer. – Bonn: Habelt
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