Athlete inscription found in ancient city

MERSIN

A 13-line inscription, thought to be 2,000 years old, honoring a wrestler of that period, has been unearthed in the ancient city of Anemurium, one of Mersin's important cultural tourism points

Located along the Mediterranean coast in the Anamur district, excavations, research and restoration works are carried out throughout the year in the ancient city of Anemurium by a team of academics and students from many disciplines and universities, under the leadership of excavation head Professor Mehmet Tekocak.

New discoveries that excite the teams continue to be made in the city, which has many traces dating back 2,000 years with its historical texture. Last year, a statue of a clothed woman from the Roman period was found in the Harbor Bath of the ancient city.

This year the excavation team reached a 13-line athlete honor inscription, measuring 120 cm in height and 50 cm in width. The inscription, completely revealed after a month of work, mentions the name of a wrestler called “Kaikilianos,” who won the wrestling match held every five years, organized by someone who lived in that period on their behalf.

When they looked at the inscriptions found earlier, there were indications that the ancient city of Anemurium was a center for training athletes in ancient times, Tekocak said, and added, “We know that these athletes participated in both national and international competitions and won awards there. Therefore, Anemurium was an important center for training athletes in ancient times, as well as being a port city located on the Eastern Mediterranean maritime trade route."

Emphasizing that, just like today, sports had a universal and unifying aspect in ancient times, Tekocak stated that the inscription was a very important and new piece of data for the city in this sense.

Tekocak also added that the inscription was very exciting for them because it was the first time they had found a complete 13-line inscription.