The Province Bithynia-Pontos in the Period of Flavian Dynasty (AD 69-96)

When Vespasian ascended the throne in 69 AD as the first emperor of the Flavian Dynasty, he inherited a Roman Empire that was suffering from economic hardships. He launched a series of new implementations throughout Roman territories in order to strengthen the emptied treasury. The Bithynia-Pontos Province, which was the third province established by the Roman Empire on its Anatolian territories, continued to be ruled as bound to the Roman senate during the era of the Flavian dynasty. During the Flavian period, some radical changes were implemented into the administration of Anatolian provinces. Starting with Vespasian, new cities were constructed in the Bithynia-Pontos Province and it was aimed to strengthen central authority as well as the establishment of provincial security and the level of welfare. Activities in Caucasia led to an increase of military investments and to a concentration of road construction in the territories of the Bithynia-Pontos Province. Besides, there was also a significant rise in the number of people from within aristocratic families of Anatolian origin who were brought to important positions in Roman administration during this period. In accordance with this policy that had gained momentum during the Flavian period, the vast majority of people who served as the administrators of the Bithynia-Pontos Province during this period were aristocrats of Anatolian origins. Developments that took place as a result of Vespasian's crowning as emperor became the beginning of a new era for the Bithynia-Pontos Province and other Anatolian provinces. The purpose of our dissertation titled "The Province Bithynia-Pontos in the Period of Flavian Dynasty (AD 69-96)" is to enlighten the reflections of the Flavian Period, which witnessed fundamental social, economic and military changes in Rome, over Anatolia as limited to the Bithynia-Pontos Province.