Side C1 Street Square in the Light of Archaeological and Epigraphic Findings

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The route of C Street, the main transport artery of the ancient city of Side, between the Main Gate and the Theatre buildings, is called C1. The square, located at the point where C1 Street provides access to the Main Gate and largely covered by modern settlements today, constitutes the subject of this article. In line with the archaeological data, it is understood that C1 Street provided direct access to the Main Gate in the first planning, but later, as a result of the arrangements made in the eastern portico, the area was expanded in an asymmetrical plan type and the Square was formed. In Late Antiquity, however, the square was known by a different name. While it is known that two inscriptions recovered from the vicinity of the square include the expression ‘Forum of Arcadius’, the location of the forum could not be determined with certainty, although different suggestions have been made by researchers regarding the location of the forum. However, the research conducted at C1 Street Square will add a new aspect to the debate on this issue. It is known that there were areas built or redesigned to honor the Emperor and his subjects in agoras or squares on avenues, especially the Emperor Forums located on the Mese in the capital Constantinople. Considering the location of the epigraphic finds, it is highly probable that the C1 Street Square, located southwest of the Main Gate, was identified as the Forum of Arcadius in Late Antiquity.