October
09
/ 2025
Archaeologists working in Turkey's ancient city of Olympos have uncovered a remarkable 200-square-meter Byzantine bathhouse that offers unprecedented insights into early Christian leadership. This exceptional discovery challenges traditional understanding of private versus public facilities in Late Antiquity. The site reveals how religious leaders wielded both spiritual and civic authority in the 5th-6th centuries AD. The bathhouse, attached to what researchers identify as a Byzantine bishop's residence, represents far more than personal luxury. According to excavation director Assoc. Prof. Gökçen Kurtuluş Öztaşkın from Pamukkale University, this facility operated as a semi-public complex where ordinary citizens could access bathing facilities on designated days free of charge reports Türkiye Today. The ancient Lycians and their spectacular rock-cut tombs Perfectly Preserved Byzantine Business and
