Between Peaks and Paths: Topography as Context in the Architectural and Archaeological Survey of Late Antique Choma

This paper presents findings from an architectural and archaeological survey of the Elmalı Plain in southwestern Anatolia, focusing on the Late Antique and early Byzantine settlement of Choma. Located in the Bey Mountains at the western edge of the Taurus range, the Elmalı Plain is a highland basin whose protective topography made it a key intersection in regional and imperial networks. In Late Antiquity, the plain hosted a few urban centers surrounded by rural settlements. Choma, the largest, lay at the heart of the plain. Four major routes emphasized the plain’s strategic importance: two extended northward to inland Anatolia and the Aegean coast, while two led southward to the Mediterranean and coastal Lycia. These routes linked the plain to broader imperial, trade, and pilgrimage networks, making it a connective space between inland and coastal zones. Using classical architectural documentation and systematic archaeological fieldwork, this study examines how topography influenced settlement patterns and architectural choices. It highlights Choma’s role as a regional node within the Byzantine infrastructure, and how its built environment reflects evolving religious, economic, and logistical priorities. Rather than viewing the Elmalı Plain as peripheral, this study repositions it as a vital part of Byzantine provincial life. By foregrounding the interplay between geography, movement, and architecture, it offers new insights into rural life in the Byzantine world and the significance of highland regions within the empire’s territorial and cultural systems.