Between the Text and Monument: Unveiling the Architectural Historiography of the Temple of Augustus and Roma at Ancyra

Date

2025-2-10

Author

Kutkan Öztürk, Yeşim

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This dissertation undertakes a comprehensive historiographical examination of the Temple of Augustus and Roma at Ancyra, employing a focused methodology that integrates textual analysis with material evidence. Analogous to a physical excavation, the research inspects a variety of sources, including historical records, travel literature and archaeological documentation, uncovering embedded facts, perceptions and biases that have shaped the temple’s evolving narrative. Grounded in the interdependence of textual and material evidence, the study investigates how the Augusteum has been perceived, represented and re-interpreted across shifting sociocultural and political landscapes. It critically explores the impact of early European encounters with the monument, tracing its reception in travel literature and antiquarian discourse, often influenced by nationalistic and Eurocentric perspectives. Additionally, the study investigates systematic expeditions, assessing their role in shaping the temple’s historiography. Special emphasis is placed on local contributions, particularly the documentation of the Res Gestae inscriptions and advocacy for the temple’s systematic preservation, which played a crucial role in its integration into Turkey’s national heritage discourse during the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic. Employing an interdisciplinary methodology, this research combines original-language sources and their translations, meticulous textual and visual analyses, and a critical reassessment of conventional historiographical narratives. By highlighting the interplay between historical memory, architectural heritage and textual representation, it offers a fresh perspective on the Augusteum’s enduring significance. Ultimately, it contributes to broader discussions on identity, monumentality and architectural historiography, illustrating how political and ideological shifts influence the remembrance, interpretation and preservation of ancient structures.

Subject Keywords

Roman Ancyra, Temple of Augustus and Roma, Augusteum, Architectural Historiography, Travel Literature

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/113474

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis