Cults of Zeus in Paphlagonia region

Although archaeological researches in Paphlagonia have increased in recent years, they are still insufficient and the archaeological materials that have been collected at museums since the beginning of the century are yet to be evaluated. It is quite difficult to study the regional ancient cults and consider them in the context of Anatolian Archaeology. However, epigraphical data documented locally bring important information on ancient cults to the present time. And the said information designate that the most effective cult in the location was Zeus Cult. In the study of Zeus Cults, numismatic and archaeological findings in addition to such epigraphical information have been dealt with at 6 polices and their territories. More than half of the identified 30 Zeus epithets were local and toponymous origin epithets, while the others were Hellenic, Phrygian, and Egyptian-origin epithets that reached the region with trade relations and possible legion activities. Although the local data allow identifying names of the cults, they do not provide any information on how cult organizations have formed. Mountainous and high of the location shows that Zeus cult have definitely formed in the context of agriculture and fertility and, mostly, of mountain/storm cult. When looking more closely to the god cult which dominates these meteorological phenomena, abundance of local epithets and both geographical isolation of the location and its remoteness from urbanization into the period of Roman Empire suggest that these cults have continuous connection with the Bronze Eras. Similarities between the stone bull offers, which have important place in our thesis and a unique among Zeus Cults of Asia Minor and the Storm God of the Bronze Eras and its representation as bull, both intellectually and syncretically, may be interpreted as strong evidence of the said continuity of cult. As it is, it may be said that Zeus cult in the region of Paphlagonia does not original from the god in the classical Hellenic cult, but it is a later syncretic union of the local cults with the classical Hellenic god later on.