AGORANOMOI IN HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN ASIA MINOR

Authors : Ahmet Türkan

Pages : 549-563

Doi:10.46931/aran.1688322

View : 103 | Download : 167

Publication Date : 2025-12-17

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article examines the institution of agoranomia in the cities of Asia Minor during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, focusing on the appointment procedures, duties, and civic status of agoranomoi. The primary sources of the study consist of epigraphic documents such as honorific inscriptions, council decrees, and lead weights. These documents represent a chronological range between 4th century BC and the 3rd century CE. The geographical scope of the study is limited to western and inner-western Anatolia, corresponding to the areas where these inscriptions were identified. Within these geographical and chronological boundaries, the article traces the historical transformation of the office of agoranomos from its origins in the classical polis to its integration into elite-dominated urban hierarchies of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Although formal elections appear to have continued, some documents suggest that alternative methods such as hereditary succession or sequential appointment by higher authorities were other methods. Moreover, agoranomoi were not only responsible for overseeing market activities, but also for regulating prices during times of scarcity, enforcing local laws, supervising the construction and maintenance of public buildings, and participating in religious rituals. The documents show that the institution of agoranomia functioned as a flexible and adaptable intermediary between local civic traditions and imperial administrative structures.
Keywords : Agoranomos, Agoranomia, Küçük Asya, Hellenistik ve Roma Dönemleri

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL