Excavations discover an agora in southeastern Türkiye

The ongoing excavations, conducted under the auspices of Mardin Museum, have discovered an agora, marketplace, with over 10 shops and workshops in the ancient city of Dara, located on the southern slope of the Tur Abdin Mountains of Mardin.

Historical significance of the ancient city comes from being a fortress city of the Eastern Roman Empire in northern Mesopotamia, which aimed to safeguard the Empire's border against the Sasanians.

The archaelogical works started 38 years ago unveiled remnants of a necropolis, church, palace, bazaar, dungeon, foundry, and aqueduct so far in the region, as well as over 10,000 arrowheads, glass, ceramics, and jewelry.

The ancient settlement has the second-longest wall in the region after Diyarbakir, as the director of Mardin Museum and the head of the excavation team, Abgulgani Tarkan told Anadolu Agency.

"Dara Ancient City, founded in 507, served as a garrison city for the Roman Empire, although it was located far from the centre of the Empire," he said.

It was chosen as a garrison city by the Eastern Roman Emperor Anastasius (491-518).

Giving his name to the city he founded (Anastasiopolis), he made Dara the administrative and military epicenter of the Mesopotamian Region.

Cisterns, administrative buildings, armories, bridges, and structures related to civilian life have survived until today.

Until the end of 11th century, the city changed hands between the Seljuk State and the Eastern Roman Empire.

"It boasts walls stretching 4 kilometres with 28 towers. and the city housed 25,000 soldiers, making it a crucial military outpost," he added.

Settlements in the ancient city not only existed within the city walls but also in the surrounding areas. It also has a very large necropolis.

Necropolis, the cemetery area, is one of the most impressive part of the city, including rock-cut tombs, sarcophagi, and simple cist-tombs belonging to different periods in history.

Through analysing the ceramics and coins found in the city, the city's history dates back to the Hellenistic period, Tarkan explains.

"In the last three years, we have unearthed over 10 shops, indicating Dara's significance as both a garrison and a vital trading center in the 6th century," Devrim Hasan Mentese, an archaeologist at Mardin Museum says.