January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 1

Janus.

One thousand nine hundred years ago, Hadrian most likely celebrated the new year (year871 Ab urbe condita) in Nicomedia, the capital of the province of Pontus and Bithynia inworth-west Asia Minor. After a short stay in Nicaea (see previous post here) Hadrian andhis army continued to march towards Byzantium along the Gulf of Nicomedia. Hadrianinaugurated the year 118 as consul for the second time (COS II) and appointed asordinary consul his great-nephew Pedanius Fuscus, who is assumed to have initially beenregarded as Hadrian’s heir.

Bridge built by Justinian on the Nicaea-Nicomedia road.

Nicomedia was one of the most important port cities in the ancient Mediterranean. It was foundedaround 264 BC by King Nicomedes I of Bithynia on the site of the ruined Greek colony of Olbia, aMegarian city founded in the 8th century BC. It was built across several hills rising from the Gulf andwas urbanised in accordance with the Hellenistic model. Nicomedia enjoyed an advantageous position

January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 2

on the land between two important cities, Byzantium and Nicaea, and major sea routes betweenEurope and Asia as well as the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It served as the capital of thekingdom of Bithynia and later of the Roman province of Bithynia-Pontus with Nicaea as its rival. UnderDiocletian Nicomedia became the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. The importance of Nicomediawas also due to its marble-quarries and the marble trade centred in Nicomedia was famousthroughout the whole region.

Nicomedia on the Peutinger Table.

Despite several destructive earthquakes, its strategic location made the city a significant trading,military and artistic centre throughout the ages. In 29 BC, the emperor Augustus allowed theBithynians to build a temple to himself and to the goddess Roma (Dio Cass. 51.20.7) makingNicomedia the imperial cultic centre of the province. Temples dedicated to Demeter, Isis, Zeus andMagna Mater are also attested in ancient written sources.

At the time of Hadrian’s visit, the province of Bythinia-Ponthus had been governed by proconsuls for150 years. It was formed when the last Bithynian ruler bequeathed his province to Roman authorityduring the late Roman Republic. The Romans then joined the former kingdoms of Bithynia (made aprovince by Rome 74 BC) and Pontus (annexed to Bithynia 63 BC) to form a single province.

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During the reign of Trajan, the Roman writer Pliny the Younger was assigned to the province asgovernor and stayed in Bythinia for two years. While in office, he corresponded with the Emperor todiscuss the situation in Nicomedia. In his letters, he mentioned several public buildings of the city,such as a senate-house, an aqueduct, a forum, a temple of Cybele and spoke of a great fire, duringwhich the place suffered much. He also reported on the Nicomedian aqueduct, a project in which thecity had invested but was left unfinished (Ep. 10.37).

Pliny to Trajan: Sire, the people ofNicomedia spent 3,229,000 sestercesupon an aqueduct, which was left in anunfinished state, and I may say in ruin,and they also levied taxes to the extent of2,000,000 sesterces for a second one.This, too, has been abandoned, and to get a water supplythose who have wasted these vast sums must go to a newexpense. I have visited a splendid clear spring, from whichit seems to me the supply ought to be brought to the town[and have formed a scheme that seems practicable].

Trajan to Pliny: Steps must certainly betaken to provide Nicomedia with a watersupply; and I have full confidence youwill undertake the duty with all due care.But I profess it is also part of your

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diligent duty to find out who is to blame for the waste ofsuch sums of money by the people of Nicomedia on theiraqueducts, and whether or no there has been any servingof private interests in this beginning and then abandoningof [public] works. See that you bring to my knowledgewhatever you find out.

The remains of Nicomedia’s aqueduct in the outskirts of Izmit.

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The 4th-century writer and teacher of rhetoric Libanius spoke of Nicomedia as “the city of Demeter”and catalogued the city’s magnificent buildings destroyed by the earthquake of AD 358. Otherbuildings included large baths, a nymphaeon, a theatre, gymmasia, numerous fountains, a circus andan agora.

What city was more beautiful? Its public buildings weresplendid, its private contiguous, rising from the lowestparts to the citadel, like the branches of a cypress, onehouse above another, watered by rivulets and surroundedby gardens. Its council-chambers, its schools of oratory,the multitude of its temples, the magnificence of its baths,and the commodiousness of its harbour I have seen, butcannot describe. Libanius

January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 6

Reconstruction of ancient Nicomedia, done by Onur Şahna, taken from Çalık Ross A., Ancient Izmit,2007.

Nicomedia was the home of the intellectual Arrian (Lucius Flavius Arrianus) who was to be Hadrian’slife-long friend. Like Latinius Alexander, who had generously facilitated the passage of Hadrian and hisarmy at Ancyra (see post here), Arrian, as a local dignitary, may have played a similar role in his city.Arrian was a Stoic philosopher and a student of Epictetus at Nicopolis in Epirus where the pairprobably met. About 12 years younger than Hadrian, Arrian shared many of Hadrian’s passions,notably a love of mysticism.

An earthquake would strike the province three years after Hadrian’s visit and Nicomedia wouldsustain much damage. Hadrian would take a major part in funding the rebuilding of the city. Thismajor incident would be depicted on city coins with the image of the goddess of the city kneeling

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before the emperor who would be honoured as Restitutor Nicomediae (restorer of the city). Nicomediawould also adopt the name of Hadriane and honoured Hadrian as saviour and benefactor. Moreearthquakes would strike the city under Antoninus Pius and Commodus but the most devastating forthe city would be the earthquake of AD 358.

Sestertius of Hadrian of the “restitutor type” with the legend RESTITVTORI NICOMEDIAE on thereverse. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Several other Roman emperors would later visit and winter there with their army during campaigns inthe east. From the beginning of the 3rd century onwards, Nicomedia would become a military base forthe army with a garrison and a fleet of ships stationed in its harbour. Eastern campaigns were to playan important role in the economic and political life of Nicomedia.

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The Kocaeli Archaeology and Ethnography Museum.

There has not yet been any systematic archaeological excavation conducted in Izmit as ancientNicomedia lies buried under the modern settlement, now the most important industrial centre ofTurkey. However archaeological surveys and rescue excavations have been carried out since 2000.These surveys, conducted by Kocaeli University, are revealing new information about the history andeconomy of Nicomedia.

January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 9

Marble statues representing the seasons. From right to left: Summer, Winter and Fall. 2nd or 3rdcentury AD.

During works to remove the debris of collapsed buildings after the massive Marmara earthquake ofAugust 1999, a number of historical artefacts were found underground in the city’s Çukurbağ district.The finds from Çukurbağ consist of polychromic reliefs and sculptures of the Roman period depictingscenes of daily life, military battles, gladiator games, chariot races and theatrical performances aswell as mythological figures such as Hercules, Athena and Nike. A striking aspect of the Çukurbağsculptures is their well-preserved and lively painted colours, a rare example in Roman art (read morehere).

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Two of the Çukurbağ reliefs discovered in 2001: the left one shows the goddess Roma, Nike andRoman officials in a processional scene.

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The excavation site at Çukurbağ today, following the demolition of a modern building. The place isbelieved to have been Diocletian’s palace.

Building blocks and column stones were also found during construction works in the earthquake zone.Among them, a remarkable three-metre tall headless statue of Hercules was found in 2001. Builderswho discovered the headless Hercules treated it as garbage for fear that their construction workwould be stopped by local authorities. Fortunately, that is precisely what happened and the statue isnow under protection and on display at the Kocaeli Archaeological Museum. In addition, excavationworks conducted in 2016 have revealed 17-step stairs of a Roman temple (read more here).

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Headless statues of Hercules and Athena found in Izmit.

Along the contours of Nicomedia’s hilly site, stretches of the northern city walls (with Byzantine andTurkish restorations and additions) can still be seen. They were with rows of brick alternating withrows of stone.

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The interior city walls of Nicomedia.

At the northeastern limit of the walls, are the remains of a 10-meter high tower locally known as SaintBarbara Tower.

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January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 15

The remains of a high tower along the northern city walls.

From Nicomedia, Hadrian would continue to march towards Byzantium where he would spend part ofthe winter of AD 118 before heading to Dacia to deal with troubles on the Danube frontier and toconduct negotiations with the king of the Roxolani.

Ancient bridge (with later modifications) along the Nicomedia – Byzantium route.

Meanwhile; in Rome, New Year’s vows were made by the Arval Brethren for the good health of theEmperor (January 3, AD 118).

Sources & references:

A. Birley, Hadrian, the Restless Emperor, Londres-New York 1997. pp. 85.The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites: NICOMEDIA NW Turkey

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Güney, H. 2012. The resources and economy of Roman Nicomedia. Unpublished PhD dissertation,University of Exeter.Libanius: “On Nicomedia, destroyed by an earthquake” (link)Tuna Şare Ağtürk, Painted reliefs from Nicomedia: life of a Roman capital city in colour (link)

January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 17

January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia(#Hadrian1900) | 18

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