The cult of Zeus in Pamphylia in the light of archaeological epigraphic numismatic findings

The main aim of this study is to examine the cults of Zeus in the Pamphylia region of southern Anatolia, surrounded by the Antalya Bay and the Taurus Mountains, in the light of archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic evidence. This study includes the origin and development of Zeus, his arrival in Anatolia and Pamphylia, his interaction with the cultures of the Near East, and the main characteristics of the god. Pamphylia, which means the land of all tribes, was successively ruled by the Hittites, Lydians, Persians, Hellenistic kingdoms and Romans, and the syncretism of the gods of these cultures with local deities resulted in various Zeus epithets. Tarhunt, the god of weather and storm, the chief god of the Hittite and Luwian pantheon, played an important role in the formation of Zeus cults in the region. Within the scope of this thesis, archaeological, epigraphic and numismatic data on Zeus from the Archaic period to the Byzantine period have been collected from the important cities of Pamphylia (Side, Aspendos, Perge, Sillyon, Attaleia and Magydos) and Zeus cults were discussed. The collected findings show that Zeus was worshipped in Pamphylia from the 4th century BC to the 4th century AD under a wide variety of epithets emphasizing the god's multifaceted qualities and spheres of sovereignty. Keywords: Pamphylia, Cult, Zeus, Tarhunt, Ancient Religion