Published November 17, 2025 | Version v1
Journal article Open

The Stone Memory of Space: Inscription–Architecture Integration and Urban Memory Engineering in Phaselis

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Akdeniz University

Description

This study analyzes twenty-two inscriptions along the main street of ancient Phaselis, ap­proach­ing them not solely as philological documents but as architectural components that structure urban memory. Guided by H. Lefebvre’s concept of produced space and K. Lynch’s theory of urban imagea­bility, the anal­ysis examines whether the spatial relationship between inscription types and ar­chitectural contexts reflects intentional civic strategies. Statistical evaluation reveals a clear hierarchy in architectural integration: impe­rial dedications show structural incorporation at 66.7%, hon­orific inscriptions at 25%, and ag­onistic honors at 0%. Chronological clustering indicates that integration is con­centrated between 93 and 146 CE, reaching its peak during Hadrianus’ syn­chronized monumental pro­gram in 130/131 CE. These patterns demonstrate that epigraphic place­ment was shaped not only by local aesthetic or pragmatic considerations but also by broader imperial frameworks influenced by the stability of the Pax Romana and the public sphere of the Second So­phistic. The study conceptualizes inscriptions as an interface that links memory, space, and civic rep­resentation, showing that epigraphic documents functioned as active archi­tectural agents within Ro­man urban design. In doing so, it establishes a theo­retical model for understanding how the epigraphic landscape of Phaselis participated in the production and perpetuation of urban memory.

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Additional details

Dates

Submitted
2025-07-10
Accepted
2025-11-10
Available
2025-11-17

Software

Repository URL
http://www.libridergi.org

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