In the ancient city of Anemurium, one of Mersin's significant cultural tourism sites in southern Türkiye along the Mediterranean coast, excavation teams, working continuously each year, discovered for the first time during the 2024 excavations a 13-line inscription in the Harbor Bath. The inscription, believed to be 2,000 years old, honors a wrestler from that era.
Situated on approximately 600 acres in the Anamur district of Mersin, excavations, research and restoration efforts in Anemurium are conducted year-round under the leadership of professor Mehmet Tekocak on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Selçuk University of Konya.
The city, which preserves many traces from 2,000 years ago, continues to yield exciting new discoveries. Last year, a Roman period statue of a clothed woman was found in the Harbor Bath. This year, another remarkable find, a 120-centimeter-tall and 50-centimeter-wide inscription with 13 lines, was uncovered. The artifact honors a wrestler named "Kaikilianos," who had won first place in the second wrestling competition organized every five years by a local figure of the time.
Governor Ali Hamza Pehlivan, who visited the excavation team at Anemurium, stated: "This place is not only crucial for Mersin but for our entire country. It's one of the ancient cities that attracts attention and sheds light on human history. Archaeological excavations have been ongoing here for some time."
"The work has revealed that the ancient city dates back to the first century B.C. and had uninterrupted daily life until the A.D. seventh century. New discoveries are made every day, which excites us. Today, we are witnessing the unearthing of another thrilling artifact. A fascinating inscription was found inside a structure known as the Harbor Bath. The inscription contains intriguing statements."
"From this inscription, we learn that a competition was held here in the A.D. second century. This was a wrestling competition, in which an athlete named 'Kaikilianos' achieved success, and this inscription was made in his honor. This shows that the city was vibrant in that period, with events organized in sports, particularly in wrestling. We know from historical records and archaeological findings that competitions, both local and Olympic in nature, were held during those times. Awarding athletes who placed in these competitions highlights the value placed on sports."
Pehlivan also noted that various artifacts discovered will increase the attention on the ancient city. He said: "Our province is home to countless artifacts. Four of them are already on the UNESCO list. We have also started scientific work to propose three more heritage sites for UNESCO consideration, one of them being Anemurium. The inscriptions and artifacts unearthed, like this one, will significantly contribute to making this site a priority."
Tekocak, head of the excavation team, reiterated that they have been conducting excavations at the ancient city on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Selçuk University since 2018. He said: "In 2024, as part of the 'Heritage for the Future Project,' we carried out excavations in different areas of Anemurium, including Structure A in the city center and the Harbor Bath. Just like last year, the Harbor Bath has provided us with significant discoveries."
"Last year, we found a statue of a health goddess, and this year we found an inscription honoring an athlete. We have found a 13-line inscription, complete and intact, for the first time. The inscription is carved on an altar, offering a table or statue base. The exciting part is that the inscription tells us the name of the person who organized the competition, the winner and the category of the event," he added.
"We learned that someone named 'Flavianus' organized a competition every five years in his name. In the second of these competitions, 'Kaikilianos' won the adult category in wrestling. This athlete not only won a prize but was so significant that an inscription was made in his honor. A statue of the athlete likely once stood atop this inscription, perhaps this athlete competed in other events and won more awards elsewhere."
Tekocak pointed out that previous inscriptions suggest that Anemurium was a center for training athletes in antiquity. "We know that athletes from here participated in national and international competitions and won awards. Therefore, Anemurium, in addition to being a port city on the Eastern Mediterranean trade route, was also likely an important center for training athletes in antiquity," he said.
Tekocak also emphasized the universal and unifying nature of sports, both today and in antiquity, noting that Anemurium embraced this value, investing in it. He added that the inscription is a significant new discovery for the city.
