Ancient diploma found in Perre

ADIYAMAN

The excavations carried out in the ancient city of Perre in the southeastern province of Adıyaman have unearthed a soldier’s bronze military diploma dating back 1,898 years.

Perre, which was one of the five largest cities of the Commagene Kingdom, also preserved its importance in the Roman period. It was reported that the bronze diploma was given in 123 A.D.

“In the translation of the diploma, which is in the form of a bronze plate, it was identified that Calcilius Antiquus, who had served in the military for 20 years in Syria, was granted Roman citizenship and the right to marry,” Adıyaman Museum Director Mehmet Alkan said.

“We found a bronze plate when we were about to finish the excavations in the ancient city of Perre. Its translation revealed that the bronze plate was a military diploma. It was written in Latin, and we saw that the person named Calcilius Antiquus served in the Syrian state for 20 years, and therefore, it was a diploma in which he was given Roman citizenship and the right to marry at the same time. We saw that this diploma was given in 123 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Hadrian,” he added.

Alkan said that there is information that 100,000 diplomas were printed, adding, “It is said that 100,000 copies of these diplomas were printed in the world. However, we learn that there is information about most of them being melted in furnaces. It is known that there are 800 of these diplomas in the world and more than 650 of them have been studied. It is an exciting development that the last of these ones was found here. With the discovery of this diploma, our excavation ended this year.”