AN EVALUATION OF THE ANCIENT TRAPEZOUS-SATALAROAD: KARAKABAN ROAD AND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.12.4.2025.1261Keywords:
Antiquity, Karakaban, Satala, Tabula Peutingeriana, TrapezousAbstract
The historical geography of Anatolia is not only a transit route for travelers, merchants, and armies but also an area where ideas, religions, and cultures have been formed. This situation in Anatolia stems from its strategic location, where many historical roads intersect. So much so that the “Spice Road” and “Silk Road,” the most critical military and commercial routes of Ancient History, pass through these lands. The branches of these roads that pass through Anatolia are fed by many alternative routes connecting with the sea. One of these alternative routes is the “Karakaban Road,” which originated from Trabzon Port and was frequently mentioned by travelers who visited the region in the 18th and 19th centuries. This road aligns with the “Trapezous-Satala Road” in the Tabula Peutingeriana, a map showing Roman roads and accommodation places.
This study evaluates the relationship between the “Trapezous-Satala Road” in Tabula Peutingeriana and the “Karakaban Road” in Ottoman sources. For this evaluation, systematic and technological field surveys were conducted on the road routes based on information from historical sources. Supported by the historical structures and archaeological materials identified in the field surveys, the current possible location of the road was determined. Thus, in light of written and archaeological data, the probable location of the Karakaban Road today and its use and strategic importance throughout history was revealed.
Downloads
References
AINSWORTH 1842
Ainsworth, W. F., Travels and research in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Chaldea, and Armenia (London: John W. Parker Press).
AHLFELDT 2024
Ahlfeldt, J., Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire (Lund University) (http://dare.ht.lu.se/places/21165.html).
ALKAN 2010
Alkan, N., Avrupalı seyyahların tasvirlerine göre Gümüşhane, History Studies 2/1, 81–97.
BLAU 1858
Blau, V. O., Commercials Zustände Persiens: Aus den Erfahrungen einer Reise im Sommer 1857 (Berlin: Verlag der Königlichen Geheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei).
BRENNAN/TUPLIN 2023.
Brennan, S. G./Tuplin, C. J., Theches: An elusive mountain, Anatolian Studies 73, 129–149.
BRIOT/LYNCH 1870
Briot, M. P./Lynch, T. K., Identification of the Mount Théchés of Xenophon, Journal of the Royal Geographical Society 40, 463–473.
BRYER/WINFIELD 1985
Bryer, A. A. M./Winfield, D. C., The Byzantine monuments and topography of the Pontos (Washington: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection).
BURULDAĞ 2023
Buruldağ, E., Çerkeş’ten bir antik kent: Tabula Peutingeriana’da yer alan Antoniopolis/ Antoninopolis? Anadolu Anatolia 49, 97–112.
CROW/BRYER 1997
Crow, J./Bryer, A., Survey in Trabzon and Gümüşhane vilayets, Turkey, 1992–1994. Dumbarton Oaks Papers 51, 283–289.
CURTIS 1911
CURTIS, W. E., Around the Black Sea: Armenia, Caucasus, Circassia, Daghestan, the Crimea, Romania (New York: Hodder & Stoughton).
ÇALIŞKAN AKGUL et alii 2022
Akgül, Ç. H./Kılıç, S./Demirel, S./Erkan, Y., 2019 yılı Trabzon ili yüzey araştırması: Maçka ve Düzköy ilçeleri. 2019-2020 Yılı Yüzey Araştırmaları 193/2, 107–125.
ÇIĞDEM 2012
Çiğdem, S., Eski Çağ’dan Orta Çağ’a Gümüşhane (Trabzon: Seçil Publisher).
ÇIĞDEM/ÖZKAN/YURTTAŞ 2020
Çiğdem, S., Özkan, H./Yurttaş, H., Tarihi ve kültür varlıklarıyla Bayburt (Bayburt: Bayburt University Press).
DILKE 1987
Dilke, O. A. W., Itineraries and geographical maps in the early and late Roman Empires. In: Harley, J. B./Woodward, D. (eds.), The history of cartography: Volume 1. Cartography in prehistoric, ancient, and medieval Europe and the Mediterranean (Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press), 234–257.
DOĞANCI 2000
Doğancı, K., Antik Çağ’da sahil kentlerini iç bölgelere bağlayan kara yolları, Tarih Okulu Dergisi 44, 129–156.
DEYROLLE 1997
Deyrolle, T., 1869’da Trabzon'dan Erzurum’a (R. E. Koçu, Trans.), (İstanbul: Çığır Publisher).
EMIR 2020
Emir, O., Yüzey araştırmaları ve antik kaynaklar ışığında güneyden Trabzon ve Araklı limanlarına ulaşan tarihi yollar. In: Okur, M./Köksal, Ü./Aksoy, V. (eds.), Geçmişten Günümüze Karadeniz’de Ulaşım (Trabzon: Karadeniz Technical University Press), 1–22.
EMIR/INAN 2018
Emir, O./İnan, F., İmparator Nero’nun doğu politikasında Kuzeydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi’nin stratejik önemi. Journal of History Studies 10 /4, 59–79.
EMIR/TOSUN/TOPALOGLU/KÖSE 2025
Emir, O./Tosun, M./Topaloğlu, Y./Köse, İ., Bayburt’tan Trabzon’a: Fatih Sultan Mehmed’in Trabzon sefer güzergâhı, Belleten 89/135, 481-506.
ERÜZ/ERBAŞ 2020
Erüz, C./Erbaş, Y. S., Antik Çağ’dan 20. yüzyıla Doğu Karadeniz’de limanlar (Trabzon), kervan ve askeri güzergâhlar: Kültür rotaları. In: Okur, M./Köksal, Ü./Aksoy, V. (eds.), Geçmişten Günümüze Karadeniz’de Ulaşım (Trabzon: Karadeniz Technical University Press), 23-62.
FRENCH 2016
French, H. D., Roman roads & milestones of Asia Minor: Roads on the Itineraria (Vol. 4.1) (Oxford: British Institute at Ankara).
HAMILTON 1842
Hamilton, J. W., Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia: With some account of their antiquities and geology (Vol. 1) (London: John Murray).
INTAGLIATA 2019
Intagliata, E. E., Geç Antik Çağ’da Tzanika’nın (Kuzeydoğu Anadolu) sınır savunma sistemine ilişkin notlar. Belleten 83/297, 427–439.
KARAGÖZ 1998
Karagöz, İ., Tarihsel süreçte Trabzon halkı (Trabzon: Derya Publisher).
KINNEIR 1818
Kinneir, J. M. Journey through Asia Minor, Armenia, and Kurdistan in the years 1813 and 1814: With remarks on the marches of Alexander and retreat of the Ten Thousand (London: John Murray).
KÖSE 2012
Köse, İ. 2012. The Monastery of Soumela and ancient trade routes connected to it. Codrul Cosminului 18(1), 7–28.
KÖSE 2013
Köse, İ. 2013. Ancient trade routes passed through Sümela Monastery and Altındere Valley, Karadeniz İncelemeleri Dergisi 14, 19–46.
KÖSE 2016
Köse, İ., İngiliz seyyahların gözünden Gümüşhane çevresi ve Trabzon limanına ulaşan ticaret yolları (1840–1900). In: Nazır, B./Saylam, S. (Eds.), Gümüşhane Tarihi (Gümüşhane: Gümüşhane University Press), 458-459.
LYNCH 1916
Lynch, H. F. B., Armenia: Travels and studies (Vol. 2) (London: Longmans, Green & Co).
MILLER 1916
Miller, K., Itineraria Romana: Römische Reisewege an der Hand der Tabula Peutingeriana (Stuttgart: Strecker und Schröder).
MITFORD 2000
Mitford, B. T., Thalatta, thalatta: Xenophon’s view of the Black Sea, Research Studies Anatolia Journal 50, 127–131.
MITFORD 2018
Mitford, B. T. 2018. East of Asia Minor: Rome’s hidden frontier I (Oxford- New York: Oxford University Press).
ÖZKAN/YURTTAŞ 2012
Özkan, H./Yurttaş, H., Orta Çağ’dan günümüze Gümüşhane: Tarihi, arkeoloji ve sanat tarihi araştırmaları (Trabzon: Ofset Yayıncılık).
ÖZTÜRK 2005
Öztürk, Ö. Karadeniz ansiklopedik sözlük (Vol. 1) (İstanbul: Heyamola Publisher).
PODOSSINOV 2019
Podossinov, A. V., The Black Sea on the Tabula Peutingeriana. In: Tsetskladze, G. R./Atasoy, S. (eds.), Settlements and necropolis of the Black Sea and its hinterland in antiquity (Oxford: Archaeopress Publishing), 2–51.
POWELL 2018
Powell, L., Augustus at war: The struggle for the Pax Augusta (South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Books).
PARADEISOPOULOS 2014
Paradeisopoulos, K. I., Route and parasang in Xenophon’s Anabasis. Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 54, 220–254.
PARADEISOPOULOS 2015
Paradeisopoulos, K. I., Analogies between Xenophon’s parasang and Hamilton’s post-hour, Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 55, 353–390.
RATHMANN 2013
Rathmann, M., The Tabula Peutingeriana in the mirror of ancient cartography: Aspects of a reappraisal, In: Geus, K., /Rathmann, M. (eds.), Vermessung der Oikumene (Berlin- Boston: De Gruyter), 203-222.
SOUTHGATE 1840
Southgate, H., Narrative of a tour through Armenia, Kurdistan, Persia and Mesopotamia, Vol. 1 (New York: D. Appleton & Company).
TAYLOR 1868
Taylor, G. J., Journal of a Tour in Armenia, Kurdistan, and Upper Mesopotamia, with Notes of Researches in the Deyrsim Dagh in 1866, Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London 38, 281-361.
TOZER 1881
Tozer, H. F., Turkish Armenia and Eastern Asia Minor (London: Longmans, Green).
WEEKS 1896
Weeks, E. L. From the Black Sea through Persia and India (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 JOURNAL OF ANCIENT HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal, we use CC BY-NC-ND license (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs) wich only allowing others to download your works and share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can’t change them in any way or use them commercially.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
