DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4679#0249
8. THE SIBLIANOI. 223
Now an examination of the country in 1891 suggested the opinion
that the Siblianoi possessed no proper polls, but retained the old
Anatolian village-organization Ch. IV § a and 7. At least three large
and important village centres (/cco/^at) are found in this district, one
at Tchandir-Tchiflik near the bridge and the village Sungurlu, a
second at Boz-Eyuk, and the third high up on the side of Ak-Dagh
at Khoma.
The first of these is marked out by its situation as the ancient
Vims, indicated on the Peutinger Table on the road from Eumeneia
to Apameia (12 m.p. from the former and 14 from the latter1).
Nothing else is recorded of this obscure village till we come to the
latest class of Notitiae, beginning with the JSrova Tactica which dates
shortly before 968. There we find a bishop of Oikokome, that is to
say, of Justinianopolis (Olkokco/it]? tJtol ' I ovaTLviavovnoXecos); and we
cannot hesitate to identify the Greek oTko- with the Latin vieus.
When the whole ecclesiastical system was remodelled by Leo VI (886-
91 ]) after the devastation and disorganization of the long Saracen
wars, this new bishopric was instituted and added at the end of the
list. Now, by the regular rule, we must understand that the double
name of this new bishopric indicates not a single town with two
names, but two separate towns, one the older centre and one the
newer centre of population. We generally find that one of these was
a town in the plain, and the other occupied a safer and less accessible
position on the hills. In the present instance we have found Oiko-
kome to be a place in the open plain, and now we must look for
Justinianopolis.
We may feel confident that (1) Justinian's city is likely to have
been a place of some importance, for his foundations were made with
great skill; (2) it was probably a fortress forming part of the series
of defences built by him along the important lines of communication ;
(3) some reference to it is likely to occur in the military history of
the Empire. On the southern slope of Ak-Dagh2, high above the
Siblian valley and the Vicus. is a place which satisfies all these con-
ditions. The village of Khoma lies there about 400 ft. above the
1 Measuring along the road on the The road from Tchandir along the right
railway map I find the distance from bank by Gok-Gol, Taparlar, and Besh-
the ruins beside Tchandir-Tchiflik just Bunar is longer.
thirteen English miles from Apameia, 2 Ak-Dagh rises east of Eumeneia
and barely twelve from Eumeneia. I and north of the Siblian territory,
take the road as crossing the Maeander dividing the valley of the Maeander
at Tchandir Bridge, and going by Boz- from that of its tributary the Glaukos
Eyuk, which is the most direct route. Ch. VII § 1.
Now an examination of the country in 1891 suggested the opinion
that the Siblianoi possessed no proper polls, but retained the old
Anatolian village-organization Ch. IV § a and 7. At least three large
and important village centres (/cco/^at) are found in this district, one
at Tchandir-Tchiflik near the bridge and the village Sungurlu, a
second at Boz-Eyuk, and the third high up on the side of Ak-Dagh
at Khoma.
The first of these is marked out by its situation as the ancient
Vims, indicated on the Peutinger Table on the road from Eumeneia
to Apameia (12 m.p. from the former and 14 from the latter1).
Nothing else is recorded of this obscure village till we come to the
latest class of Notitiae, beginning with the JSrova Tactica which dates
shortly before 968. There we find a bishop of Oikokome, that is to
say, of Justinianopolis (Olkokco/it]? tJtol ' I ovaTLviavovnoXecos); and we
cannot hesitate to identify the Greek oTko- with the Latin vieus.
When the whole ecclesiastical system was remodelled by Leo VI (886-
91 ]) after the devastation and disorganization of the long Saracen
wars, this new bishopric was instituted and added at the end of the
list. Now, by the regular rule, we must understand that the double
name of this new bishopric indicates not a single town with two
names, but two separate towns, one the older centre and one the
newer centre of population. We generally find that one of these was
a town in the plain, and the other occupied a safer and less accessible
position on the hills. In the present instance we have found Oiko-
kome to be a place in the open plain, and now we must look for
Justinianopolis.
We may feel confident that (1) Justinian's city is likely to have
been a place of some importance, for his foundations were made with
great skill; (2) it was probably a fortress forming part of the series
of defences built by him along the important lines of communication ;
(3) some reference to it is likely to occur in the military history of
the Empire. On the southern slope of Ak-Dagh2, high above the
Siblian valley and the Vicus. is a place which satisfies all these con-
ditions. The village of Khoma lies there about 400 ft. above the
1 Measuring along the road on the The road from Tchandir along the right
railway map I find the distance from bank by Gok-Gol, Taparlar, and Besh-
the ruins beside Tchandir-Tchiflik just Bunar is longer.
thirteen English miles from Apameia, 2 Ak-Dagh rises east of Eumeneia
and barely twelve from Eumeneia. I and north of the Siblian territory,
take the road as crossing the Maeander dividing the valley of the Maeander
at Tchandir Bridge, and going by Boz- from that of its tributary the Glaukos
Eyuk, which is the most direct route. Ch. VII § 1.