The Roman province of Galatia lay in the middle of today’s Turkey, around Ankara and Eskişehir. Rome made it a province in 25 BC, after the last Galatian king died, and the capital was Ancyra, now Ankara. In the capital you can still see the Temple of Augustus and the Roman Baths.
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| Made a province | 25 BC, under Augustus |
|---|---|
| Capital | Ancyra, today’s Ankara |
| Today | Central Anatolia, around Ankara and Eskişehir |
| Main cities | Ancyra, Pessinus, Tavium |
Galatia was in the hearth of Anatolia during the Roman era. Originally Celtic people’s Galatia Kingdom was located here and emperor Augustus incorporated Galatia Kingdom into the Roman Empire in 25 BC. Capital stated same as Ancyra which is modern Turkey’s capital Ankara today. Emperor Arcadius divided the Roman province of Galatia into three pieces in the year 398.
Temple of Augustus and Rome was built in Ankara in the early times of Romanization of Galatia. Thanks to this information we can assume that the Roman transition of Galatia was very smooth and peaceful.
Galatia was visited by Apostle Paul several times also a letter featured in the Holy Bible was written to Galatians too.
Roman Province of Galatia Today
Today the old province is the area around Ankara, and the best Roman sight in the city is the Temple of Augustus and Rome, built around 25 to 20 BC. Only side walls and the ornamented doorway are left, next to the Hacı Bayram Mosque.
Augustus’s own list of his deeds is carved on the walls, in Latin inside and in Greek outside. It is the most complete copy that has survived.
The Roman Baths of Ankara, built in the 3rd century under Emperor Caracalla, are an open-air museum. Roman streets were found in the city too, as I wrote in my post on the Roman road in Ankara.
Gordion, the old capital of Phrygia, lay in Galatian land, it has its own post too: Gordion Ancient City.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Galatians?
Celtic tribes who came from Europe and settled in central Anatolia in the 3rd century BC. There were three of them, the Tectosages, the Trocmi and the Tolistobogii.
What does Paul’s letter to the Galatians say?
Paul wrote that people are made right with God by faith in Christ, not by keeping the Jewish law (Galatians 2:16). He calls them “foolish Galatians” in 3:1. See my post on the letters of Paul.
Did the Galatians still speak Celtic under the Romans?
It seems so, for a long time. Around AD 387 Saint Jerome wrote that the Galatians of Ancyra spoke almost the same language as the people of Trier in Gaul.
