Tavium Ancient City

The Ancient City of Tavium is located in Büyüknefes Village, about 40 kilometers west of the Yozgat city center. This site once served as the capital settlement of the Trocmi tribe, one of the three Galatian (Celtic) tribes that migrated to this region during the 3rd century BC.

Tavium Ancient City

Tavium played a vital role as a hub along ancient trade routes and served as a resting point for passing caravans. Over the centuries, it was inhabited by various civilizations, including the Hittites, Cimmerians, Persians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, and Seljuk Turks. During the Roman era, Tavium became a strategic point on the caravan trail that linked Europe to Asia Minor.

The city was particularly renowned for its metal craftsmanship. This is supported by the discovery of 1st-century coins featuring the likenesses of Marcus Aurelius and Elagabalus. The nearby mountains were rich in natural resources such as copper, tin, iron, and silver, which were extracted, refined, and minted in simple stone structures.

Known for its prosperity, Tavium was home to a revered bronze statue of Zeus, which held significant religious importance for the Galatians. Modern excavations have brought to light a variety of historical items, including ceramic pieces, column fragments, funerary stelae, and Byzantine-era inscribed tombstones. Evidence also indicates continuous settlement from the Chalcolithic Period through to the Islamic age. Today, the Ancient City of Tavium is recognized as a major archaeological landmark in Turkey.

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