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Roman triumphal column in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey)
The inscription on the column's
plinth
is now virtually illegible.
The
Column of the Goths
(
Turkish
:
Gotlar Sutunu
) is a
Roman victory column
dating to the third or fourth century A.D. It stands in what is now
Gulhane Park
,
Istanbul
,
Turkey
.
[1]
History
[
edit
]
The name of the 18.5 metre high free-standing Proconnesian
marble
pillar which is surmounted with a
Corinthian capital
derives from a
Latin
inscription at its base, commemorating a Roman victory over the invading
Goths
: FORTUNAE REDUCI OB DEVICTUS GOTHOS ("To
Fortuna
, who returns by reason of victory over the Goths"), which has been shown to have replaced an earlier Latin inscription.
[1]
The dating and original dedication of the column are uncertain.
Most likely, the column was erected to honor the victories of either
Claudius II Gothicus
(r. 268-270) or
Constantine the Great
(r. 306-337), both of whom are noted for achieving victories over the Goths. According to Byzantine historian
Nicephorus Gregoras
(
c.
1295-1360), the column was once surmounted by a statue to
Byzas
the
Megarian
, the semi-legendary founder of Byzantium. A notice on location states “6th century historian Ionnes of Lydia mentions that the column head carried the sculpture of
Tyche
…” and suggests ".. a pagan goddess, it might have been removed following the approval of Christianity as the official religion.” It then quotes the (much later) Nikephoros Gregoras and the Byzas statue.
At any rate, it represents the oldest monument of the Roman era still extant in the city,
[2]
possibly going back to the city's history as
Byzantium
and preceding its refoundation as
Constantinople
.
See also
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References
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Sources
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External links
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