He was a star commander in the Roman army. 1,600 years later, his stele made it to the black market

An approximately 1,600-year-old grave stele, stolen in 2017 from the Yalvaç Museum Directorate in Isparta, has been recovered by the Ankara Police Department's Smuggling Crimes Investigation Branch. According to Haberler, the artifact has been returned to the museum's inventory following a successful operation by the authorities.

The stele dates back to the Late Roman period and was created to commemorate a commander named Diodoros. He served in the Roman army as an Optio, a rank given to individuals who undertook almost every duty. Star reports that the title 'Optio' signifies a position of significant responsibility within the military hierarchy of that era.

In 2017, unidentified individuals stole the grave stele from the garden of the Yalvaç Museum Directorate. The museum is located between the Yalvaç Government House and Courthouse and is surrounded by iron railings. Diken highlighted that despite the security measures, the artifact was taken from this prominent location.

Following the theft, the grave stele was listed on the "Lost Cultural Heritage List" on the website of the Turkish General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums.

Recently, four individuals were detained for attempting to sell the historical artifact after bringing it to Ankara. TRT Haber reported that the Ankara Police Department's Smuggling Crimes Investigation Branch conducted an operation that led to their apprehension. The suspects were caught while trying to negotiate a sale of the stele.

As a result of the operation, three of the detained individuals were arrested and sent to prison, while one was released under judicial control. This information was provided by Milliyet, highlighting the legal actions taken against those involved in the attempted sale of the stolen artifact.

The grave stele had been part of the Yalvaç Museum Directorate's collection since 2014 and was on display until its theft in 2017. Posta reported that the artifact's return allows the museum to restore an important piece of history to its exhibition, contributing to the preservation and appreciation of cultural heritage.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq