Augusta (Cilicia)

Augusta (Ancient Greek: Αὔγουστα^[1] or Αὐγοῦστα^[2]) was a town in the interior of ancient Cilicia, inhabited during Roman and Byzantine times.^[3] It was founded in 20 AD and named after Livia, the widow of the Emperor Augustus.^[4] Ptolemy places this town in a district named Bryelice. The town also bore the name Augustopolis, and possibly Thebae.^[2]

The city probably lost its position as an important center after the Muslim invasion of Cilicia in the 7th century.^[4]

Its site is located near Gübe in Asiatic Turkey.^[5][2]

In 431 Tarianus, Bishop of Augusta represented the town at the Council of Ephesus.^[6][7]

The ancient city was flooded due to the Seyhan Dam in 1955.^[8][4] Before it disappeared under the waters of the dam the researchers managed to partially survey the site and record some buildings of the city. Among these were the foundations of a triumphal arch, two colonnaded streets crossing each other, a theater, a civic basilica, some shops, a bath building and a dam on the river.^[4]