Uan important ancient city, sought after for nearly 200 years by many historians and explorers, was discovered in Turkey by the greatest of chance. As reported West FranceRobert Rockiki, a Polish diplomat stationed at the Turkish Embassy, discovered the ruins of Thebasa, a fortified city in Asia Minor more than eleven centuries old, located near the village of Pinarkaya, in central Anatolia.
“The discovery of Thebasa was somewhat accidental,” the diplomat told the local news agency Anadolu, which revealed the information on January 27, in remarks relayed by the regional daily. And for good reason, this history and archeology enthusiast had gone to the region to indulge in his favorite pastime, “histracking”, an activity which consists of searching for unknown historical sites by hiking. on steep paths, without focusing his research specifically on this ancient city.
A two-century-old mystery
“Turkey is the best destination in the world for this type of activity, because it is a country rich in historical monuments and natural wonders”, rejoiced Robert Rockiki, very happy to have solved a two-year-old enigma. centuries. Before him, the American explorer Gertrud Bell and the Austrian academician Gertrud Laminger-Pascher had also undertaken extensive research. But without success.
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Archaeologists will now be able to carry out research work within this ancient city, which was one of the most important cities of the ancient province of Lycaonia, a large region within Asia Minor. Thebasa is particularly known for having played a key role in the protection of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th century, against Muslim invaders.