We are delighted to announce that Professor Tuna Şare Ağtürk has been awarded the Global Professorship Award by the British Academy
This prestigious award recognizes leading international scholars who have made significant contributions to the humanities and social sciences and supports their long-term research and collaboration in the UK.
Professor Ağtürk received the award for her project, “After Rome, before Constantinople: Revealing the Late Roman Capital City of Nicomedia,” which will be hosted by the University of Oxford and supported by a grant of £898,816.44. She is also the first Turkish archaeologist to receive this highly competitive award—an achievement that marks a milestone not only for her field, but for Turkish academia.
The project stems from the discovery of Emperor Diocletian’s palace complex, revealed beneath modern İzmit (ancient Nicomedia) during post-earthquake excavations. These remarkably preserved remains—including painted statues, reliefs, and architecture—offer unprecedented insight into a pivotal but overlooked Late Roman capital. Professor Ağtürk’s research employs advanced methods in digital mapping, heritage science, and archaeology to protect Nicomedia’s endangered heritage, reframe its role in Roman visual culture, and pioneer new approaches to post-disaster urban archaeology.
This project not only transforms our understanding of Roman history but also exemplifies the power of global academic collaboration in preserving and interpreting the ancient world. We extend our congratulations to Professor Ağtürk on this outstanding recognition and look forward to the new insights and international partnerships her work will inspire.
