Social groups and associations in Lycia-Pamphylia province (1st-3rd century AD)

In the Ancient World, people came together in various groups on the basis of age, occupation, religion or other common elements, apart from the political communities in which they lived, such as the city or town. Membership in these groups, which are defined as associations, guilds, unions or other names in modern terminology, is voluntary. These organizations, founded by people gathered on the basis of certain interests or needs, also have an important place in the social lives of cities or rural communities. On the other hand, age groups (epheboi, neoi, gerusia), are semi-official organizations affiliated with the gymnasium, a police institution. The gymnasium, where age groups (epheboi, neoi, gerusia) gathered for their sportive and intellectual activities, has been a very important socio-cultural center for cities since the Hellenistic Period. In this respect, age groups have a different status from other associations because they are organized under the gymnasium, a police institution. Therefore, it is more appropriate to define gymnasium groups as semi-official institutions. Moreover, these age groups have undertaken some public duties besides their unofficial activities. Gymnasium groups, especially neoi and gerusia, became more active in politics during the Imperial Period. However, in the environment of peace and prosperity (pax Romana) provided in the first two centuries of the Roman Empire, a strong middle class (plebs media) was formed in the cities. These people, who are artisans, craftsmen or small-scale merchants, are often members of a collegium. Associations are in demand as institutions that ensure the participation of the middle stratum, which has become stronger in this period, in political and social life. The aim of this study is to determine the socio-cultural and socio-political positions of social groups and associations in the cities of Lycia-Pamphylia in 1-3 centuries AD. In the Roman Imperial Period, Southern Pisidian cities were also included in the study, as they included the Lycia et Pamphylia Province, Teke Peninsula, Pamphylia Plain and Southern Pisidia Region. Almost all of the epigraphic data from these regions consists of burial epigrams and honorific inscriptions. Therefore, inscriptions from other parts of Asia Minor, epigraphic documents from Greece and Italy and papyri from Egypt, which contain more detailed information, are also included in the study in order to give an overview of the subject.