Galatia

  • Galatia was a Roman Province which is now located in Central Anatolia Region of Turkey.

1. History

  • Pre-Roman history:
    • 281 BCE Brennius the Gaul invaded Greece with a large Gallic army.
    • c. 270 BCE Three Celtic Tribes from Gaul, part of Brennius’ army, invaded Galatia under Leotarios and Leonnorios. Their Army consisted of 10,000 soldiers and their families. They were defeated by Antiochus I of the Greek Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE), but allowed to settle as client kingdoms and became powerful allies of Antiochus the Great.
    • The Gauls founded the Kingdom of Galatia, with twelve Tetrarchs and three hundred Senators holding regular Council at Drynemeton, 20 miles (32km) southwest of Ancyra.
    • The three Celtic tribes each founded a city: The Tectosages founded their capital at Ancyra, the Trocmii founded their city of Tavium and the Tolistobogii founded their city of Pessinus.
  • Acquisition by Rome:
    • 189 BCE The Galatian War: The Roman Consul Gnaeus Manlius Vulso invaded Galatia in alliance with the King of Pergamum and defeated the Galatian Gallic army numbering 50,000 men, imposing Roman Rule from then on, although the kingdoms were retained as client kingdoms.
  • Timeline of this Province:
  • After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
    • 25 BCE It became a Formal Province after the last King Amyntas died.
    • His son built the Monumentum Ancyranum to venerate Augustus.
    • 72 CE The Province was reduced in size.
  • After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
    • 386-395 CE Galatia was Divided into ‘Galatia Prima’ and ‘Galatia Secunda’.
  • After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
  • Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Chief archeological Finds:
    • Monumentum Ancyranum:
    • Three Roman Marble copies of Greek Statues:
      • Originally made in Bronze by Attalus I of Pergamon (241-197 BCE) after his victory over the Gauls of Galatia in 189 BCE: They depict the Galatian Gauls, although they were found in the gardens of the Villa Ludovisi in Rome, originally the Gardens of Sallust (1st century CE Roman Historian), they are now on show in Rome:
      • The Ludovisi Gaul:
        • Displaying a Man holding his dying wife whilst killing himself, now in the Museo Nazionale di Roma, Palazzo Altemps, Rome.
      • The Dying Gaul:
      • The Kneeling Gaul:
        • On display in the Louvre, Sully, Ground Floor, Room 17, Paris
  • Historic Battle Sites:
    • 189 BCE ‘Battle of Mt. Olympus’ near Ankara, and ‘Battle of Ancyra’ two weeks later. However, the exact locations are unknown. The Defeat of the Galatian Gauls by the Roman Republic and King of Pergamon were recorded by Livy in the History of Rome, book 38, chapters 17-23.

2. Geography

  • Capital City:
  • Chief Cities:
  • Location Today:
    • Central Anatolia Region, Turkey.
  • Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Climate and Temperature Today:
    • Steppe climate
      • With a great difference in temperature between day and night.
      • The Anatolian Plateau receives little annual rainfall and sometimes experiences droughts. Agriculture and livestock farming takes place near rivers and underground streams.
    • Summer
      • Extreme heat with no rainfall, and duststorms blowing frequently. In April to May Locusts ravage the eastern region. Average temperature is 23°C.
    • Winter
      • Extreme cold with snow. Average Temperature is -2°C. In Eastern Anatolia snow lies on the ground between November until the end of April. (Here, the average temperature is -13°C)
  • Main Geographical features:
    • The Anatolian Plateau
      • This is a landlocked basin which averages 1,640 ft (500m) elevation.
      • Two large basins on the Plateau are the Konya Ovasi and a basin containing the large salt lake, Tuz Golu. There are Wooded areas to the northwest and northeast of the Plateau.
  • Main Rivers:
    • Rivers flow from the Southern Mountains towards the Black Sea.
    • Their are frequent Basins (Ova in Turkish) where the rivers flow into a lake which drains both underground and by evaporation, leading to salt lakes.
      • Kizihrmak River (Red River) is Turkey’s longest River at 842 miles (1355km), and drains into the Black Sea.
      • Yesihrmak River (Green River) is 322 miles (519km) long and also drains into the Black Sea.
  • Mountain Ranges:
    • The Anatolian Plateau is surrounded by mountains:
      • Taurus Mountains to the South.
      • Pontus Mountains to the North (Northern Anatolian Mountains)
      • The Eastern Highlands containing Mt Ararat, where Noah’s Ark is said to have landed after the Biblical Flood.
      • In the West, the mountain ranges are lower.
  • Islands: None

3. Political Organisation

  • Province Type:
  • Governor:
  • Tribes and Population:
    • The Gallic Celts from Gaul, the Galatians.
  • Language:
    • Celtic Galatian (Gaulish): St Jerome (347-420 CE) reported the Galatians of Ancyra and the Trevii of Trier spoke the same language. (ie. Gaulish)

4. Military Organisation

  • Legions: None
  • Navy: None
  • Defensive Works: None
  • Main Threats: None

5. Economy

  • Chief Exports:
    • Angora Cats, Angora Rabbits and Angora Goats. All three are ancient naturally occurring breeds from the Ankara region.
  • Agriculture and Fishing:
    • Farming and raising Livestock.
  • Manufacturing:
  • Mines:
    • Copper, Tin, Iron, Silver.
  • Mints:

6. Transport

7. Relationship with Rome

  • Very loyal Province.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

  • Paul the Apostle
    • He visited Galatia accompanied by Silas and Timothy on his Second Missionary Expedition where he fell ill. (Epistle to the Galatians 4:13.). On his third journey (Acts 18:23) accompanied by Barnabus, he was venerated by the Galatian crowds, whilst preaching the Gospel.

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

 

Galatia (capital Ankara, Turkey)

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