The Tomb M58 From the West Necropolis of Perge

The tomb M58, located within the boundaries of parcel 42 in the Western Necropolis of Perge, is a monumental structure built with smoothly cut limestone blocks, situated on a high podium, with a tetrastylos prostylos plan, a superstructure formed with architrave, frieze, and triangular pediment, and two hyposorions. To the southwest of this tomb building, there is a sarcophagus (L1) and a large statue basis, which are thought to be related to the structure due to their close location to the tomb. The tomb, which was built during the Roman Imperial Period, is typologically included in the "Temple Tomb" class with its façade arrangement and architectural details. These tombs, built for noble individuals with high status, who gained prestige in the society and had important qualities, were intended to indicate that the individual retained their dignity after their death and to glorify him/her. In addition, like magnificent public buildings, temple tombs can also be seen as propaganda tools emphasizing prosperity, wealth, and status. The earliest examples of this type of tombs in Anatolia can be found in Lycia from the 4th century BC onwards, and it became widespread from the middle of the 1st century AD and especially in the 2nd century AD.