Archaeological excavations around the ancient hippodrome of Antakya, built during the Roman period in Hatay, now southern Türkiye, have revealed that a palace in the area was reconstructed after being destroyed in the past.
The excavations at the hippodrome, located in the Küçükdalyan neighborhood of Antakya, along with nearby palace and temple sites, are being carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
A team of 20, led by professor Hatice Pamir from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University’s Department of Archaeology, is investigating artifacts from the Roman and Hellenistic periods.
Intensifying their work in the palace area, where previous excavations uncovered pipes, musical instrument fragments and dice, the team is studying the remnants that have been unearthed.
Excavation leader Pamir stated that the palace dates back to the A.D. fourth century. She noted that significant findings have emerged from the excavations in the area, saying: "We first conducted geophysical studies in the area and obtained some data. Following the data, we began excavation work. The palace, which narrates Antakya's life intertwined with earthquakes, was rebuilt after undergoing significant destruction."
Pamir emphasized that traces of three different periods have been found in the structure, adding: "One of the beautiful results we reached this year in the excavations is that we observed column shafts and block stones being used in the reconstruction process of the palace. This provides clues for future research on the palace."
She also mentioned that excavations at the hippodrome are ongoing, adding: "There is a structural element that divides the area where races were held. In those studies, we obtained data indicating that the structure was built in A.D. 115 and found siphon systems suggesting that the surface was covered with pools. There is also evidence indicating that the surface was covered with mosaics. This provides important information on how we can visualize the hippodrome in three dimensions."
Pamir added that plans are underway to establish an archaeological park encompassing the hippodrome and its surroundings after the studies are completed.
