A New Proposal on the Localization of the Pontic Temple State of Ameria in the Light of Archeological and Epigraphic Data
Murat Tekin
Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Faculty of Science and Literature, Department of History, Tokat/TÜRKİYE
Keywords: Hellenistic Period, Ameria, Emeri, Temple State, Moon God Men, Pharnaces I.
Abstract
According to what is learned from Strabon, Ameria was one of the three important cult centers along with Komana Pontika and Zela in Pontos during the Hellenistic Period. These cult centers, which are called the temple state by today’s researchers, are currently located within the current borders of Tokat province.
Ameria temple state belonged to the moon god Men, and the founder of this god’s cult here was Pharnaces I. This is why this god was named Men of the Pharnaces, or Men-Pharnakou. We can say that we have a great deal of knowledge about the god in question thanks to the research carried out on the god Men to date. On the other hand, it is not possible to make the same claim through the research about the location of the temple of the god mentioned in Pontos. Therefore, while the god Men or the cult of Men-Pharnakou was more prominent in the publications relating to Ameria in a way, explanations about where Ameria was always remained in the shadow of this god or the cult in question.
In the context of ancient sources, in line with the information obtained from Strabon, who made the first and mere explanation regarding the location of the temple state of Ameria, only two suggestions have been put forward regarding the localization of the place in question until recently, which, in my opinion, lack solid evidence. Recently, due to its phonetic similarity with Ameria, a link was established between Emeri, the former name of Bağpınar village in the Erbaa district of Tokat, and a suggestion was made that Ameria could be Emeri, however, either there was no evidence to support this or the evidence was presented and evaluated by non-experts, resulting in incomplete and erroneous results. In this study, an analysis will be made regarding the location of Ameria, which has not been emphasized much until today, in line with the archaeological and epigraphic data obtained from the village in question.