View source for Bridge at Oinoanda

The '''Bridge at Oinoanda''' (or '''Oenoanda'''), or '''Bridge of Kemerarası''', is an [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[arch bridge]] over the [[Xanthos (river)|Xanthos river]] close to the [[Lycia]]n site of [[Oinoanda]] in modern-day [[Turkey]]. It stands on or near the spot of a [[Roman bridge]], whose existence became known in the 1990s through the find of an [[Classical antiquity|ancient]] bridge inscription.

== Roman bridge ==
=== Inscription stone ===
The [[Latin]] inscription stone was found at the antique site at [[Kemerarası]], which lies at the foot of the Oinoanda hill (Urluca). Since ancient times, the place has been an important junction of the upper [[Xanthos]] valley. The existing Ottoman bridge runs parallel to the modern highway bridge. Lying face upwards, and largely intact, the [[limestone]] block measures 130&nbsp;cm high, 64&nbsp;cm wide and c. 42&nbsp;cm thick. At the right side of the front face, a medium-sized chip makes textual additions necessary. Further difficulties arise from a number of peculiar spelling mistakes, which leads to the assumption that the [[stonemasonry|mason]] was probably a [[Greek language|Greek]] speaker.<ref name="All data: Milner, N. P., 117f.">All data: {{harvnb|Milner|1998|p=117f.}}</ref>

=== Dating ===
The inscription, and thus also the construction of the bridge, are dated to the reign of the [[Roman governor]] in Lycia, [[Titus Clodius Eprius Marcellus|Eprius Marcellus]], who is known to have held the office in the year 54&nbsp;AD.<ref name="Milner, N. P., 118">{{harvnb|Milner|1998|p=118}}</ref> By comparing its contents with the known chronology, Milner dates the construction more precisely to 50&nbsp;AD, making a connection with road building activities which started in the wake of the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] annexation of Lycia seven years earlier under the supervision of Marcellus’ predecessor [[Quintus Vernanius]]. Probably, the Roman bridge should be understood as part of the Roman efforts to consolidate their hold on to the newly acquired [[Roman province|province]] by improving the [[Roman roads|road system]] to move troops around more swiftly.<ref name="All data: Milner, N. P., 119f.">All data: {{harvnb|Milner|1998|p=119f.}}</ref>

=== Inscription text ===
Transcription (with additions):<ref name="Milner, N. P., 118"/>

:TI CLAVDIVS DRVSI F
:CAESAR DEVS AVG GER
:MANICVS PONTIFE[x]
:MAX TR[I]BVNICIAE P[ot]
:X COS V IMP X II DES[ig]
:P P PONTEM PER T [CL?]
:EPRIVM MARCELLVM
:[l]EG AVG PROPR SO A

(Corrected and amended) translation:<ref name="Milner, N. P., 118"/>
:Ti(berius) Claudius son of Drusus Caesar, God, Augustus, Germanicus, chief pontiff, with tribunician power for the 10th time, consul for the 5th time, with imperatorial acclamation for the '12th' (18th) time, co(n)s(ul) des[ig(nate)], Father of the Fatherland, (built) the bridge by the agency of T(itus) [Cl(odius)?] Eprius Marcellus, praetorian [l]egate of the Aug(ustus), so(dalis) A(ugustalis).

== See also ==
* [[List of Roman bridges]]
* [[Bridge near Kemer]]
* [[Roman architecture]]
* [[Roman engineering]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{Citation
 | last = Milner
 | first = N. P.
 | year = 1998
 | title = A Roman Bridge at Oinoanda
 | periodical = Anatolian Studies
 | volume = 48
 | pages = 117–123
 | doi = 10.2307/3643051
 | jstor = 3643051
 | publisher = [[British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara|British Institute at Ankara]]
}}

{{Roman bridges}}
{{Bridges in Turkey}}

{{coord|36|49|31|N|29|33|43|E|region:TR_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oinoanda, Bridge at}}
[[Category:Roman bridges in Turkey]]
[[Category:Ottoman bridges in Turkey]]
[[Category:Deck arch bridges]]
[[Category:Stone bridges in Turkey]]
[[Category:Latin inscriptions]]
[[Category:1st-century inscriptions]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Muğla Province]]
[[Category:Arch bridges in Turkey]]