They used a milestone from the Roman period, approximately 1800 years old, as a seat without realizing it.

In the Fatsa district of Ordu, a stone monument inscribed with an inscription, which is believed to have been erected around 239 AD during the Roman Empire, has been used as a seat in the courtyard of a mosque for 56 years. The stone, identified as an important historical artifact, was removed from the mosque courtyard and taken to the Ordu Museum.

A stone was found during the excavation of the foundation of the Laleli Central Mosque, built in 1968, located in the Bolaman neighborhood of Fatsa district. At that time, the residents suspected the stone because there were writings on it. When the citizens, who facilitated the necessary discussions, could not reach a conclusion, they decided to place the stone in the mosque’s courtyard as a seat because of its proper structure.

They sat on thousands of years of history

Since the 1970s, residents sat on the stone, unaware of its significance and meaning, resting, and congregating with guests for years. However, Aydın Bal, a literature teacher at Fatsa Cahit Zarifoğlu Anatolian High School, who is a local resident, noticed the writings on the stone years later and informed Cevat Erbil, the Director of Culture and Social Affairs at Fatsa Municipality. After initial examinations involving academics from Ordu University, the Latin text was translated by Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Sami Öztürk, a specialist in ancient Greek and Latin epigraphy from the History Department of Marmara University. Thus, the nature of the artifact was understood.

Its history dates back approximately 1800 years

The Latin milestone, which belongs to the Roman Empire and is estimated to have been erected in 239 AD, bears the name and titles of Emperor Gordian III. The stone also indicates that Gordian III renovated the road and includes a reference to the second mile at the end of the inscription. This indicates that the stone was placed at a distance approximately 3 kilometers from the starting point of the road during the Roman period.

“Milestones erected throughout the lands of the Roman Empire, indicating roads, distances, and routes, while also honoring the emperor”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seçkin Evcim, a faculty member in the Department of Art History at Ordu University, specializing in Early Christian and Byzantine Arts, stated that the found stone is an important artifact and that it is difficult to find examples in the Black Sea Region. After their examinations, Evcim stated that they realized the stone is a milestone from the period of Roman Emperor Gordian III. “The stone is from around 239 AD. Milestones were widely erected throughout the lands of the Roman Empire, particularly in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, indicating roads and routes, and honoring the emperor who constructed or repaired the road. Extensive studies have been conducted regarding these in Anatolia. We looked at the previous studies and determined that this stone had not been published before,” he said.

“A very difficult geography for finding the stone”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Seçkin Evcim noted that, “Here, there is information that the emperor renovated the Roman road passing through here, and it is stated that it belongs to the second mile, which corresponds to a distance matching Bolaman and Yalıköy coasts. Thus, the road passing through Laleli neighborhood was located right at the beginning of the Roman roads continuing from Bolaman coast into Central Anatolia. From this perspective, the inscription is significant for determining the routes of the Roman period in the region and providing information about the history of this period. Moreover, the region truly has a geography that is very difficult for finding these types of artifacts. Thus, being able to identify this was very important for us. In this way, an important artifact has been contributed to the cultural history of Fatsa,” he stated.

Evcim added that similar stones might still be found in the region, but their identification could be challenging due to geographical difficulties, and emphasized that people should be sensitive regarding such matters. He highlighted the importance of supporting surface surveys that facilitate the discovery of such artifacts and thanked Fatsa Mayor İbrahim Etem Kibar for his support.

“We did not know the stone had such an ancient history, but we were suspicious”

Ismail Yıldız, a local resident, stated that they used the area in the mosque courtyard for tea drinking and socializing, while the milestone was used for sitting, saying, “We did not know its historical significance, but we were suspicious, so we held discussions a few times. No one talked to us about its history. The stone has been here since 1968.”

“No one enlightened us after reading the inscription; we just used it as a seat”

Mahmut Türkmen, who worked on the mosque’s construction and has been a member of the congregation since that day, stated, “This stone appeared when the mosque foundation was being made; we noticed this inscription, held discussions, but did not get results. No one mentioned the stone’s past. We used it as a seating stone. We used it for chatting and hosting guests. We sat on it, but we did not know it was a historical stone like this. No one enlightened us after reading the inscription.”

“We have not appreciated its value”

Ismail Tepe, another local resident, expressed, “We have used it as a seat for years, but now it will be taken away, and I am saddened. Such an artifact is leaving our hands, yet we did not value it.”

After the necessary examinations and discussions, the stone was removed from its location in the mosque courtyard with the help of municipal teams and officials and taken to the Ordu Museum Directorate for exhibition.