Tymandus orTymandos (Ancient Greek:Τύμανδος) also known as Mandos, Mandas Kiri, or Yassi Veran, was aRoman andByzantine-era city in northernPisidia (now southernTurkey). A number of monuments from Roman times remain in the area.[1]
Tymandus was located in the northern part of the region andRoman province ofPisidia, betweenPhilomelion andSozopolis (Apollonia).[2][3] The site is identified with the modern town ofYassıören north ofIsparta and nearLake Eğirdir.[4] The city was located on a broad flood plain running east into Lake Eğirdir.[5] During the3rd century the residents of Tymandus asked theRoman Emperor formunicipal status; their request was granted, as recorded in both an inscription in Tymandus, and anepistle of the emperor,[6][7] possiblyDiocletian.[8] The city was granted rights to electmagistrates,aediles, andquaestors.[9] and establish a town council[10] with 50 members[11](Decurions)[12] and city hall, and to pass ordinances.
Bownmann and Garnsey have argued that Tymandus was actually a village,[13] not a town and that the granting of municipal status was unusual. They argue the wording of the grant is for thegranting of municipal status rather than being an actual city. Levick, however, argues that Tymandus had in the2nd century been a mere village, but by the time of the municipal grant had grown significantly, so that the grant merely reflected a recognition of this change.[14] Pont has postulated that the granting of the municipal status was to placate a particularly vocal community.[15]
Pisidia wasan early center of Christianity, and located in theecclesiastical province of Antioch.[16] Known bishops of the see include Longinus of Tymandus,[17] and Callinicus of Tymandus in Pisidia, who appeared at theFirst Council of Constantinople.[18] The bishopric remains a vacanttitular see in theRoman Catholic Church.[19][20]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Tymandus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.