Trajanopolis has been variously identified; Radet[1] locates it at Çarikköy, about three miles from Giaurören towards the south-east, on the road from
Uşak to Suzusköy, a village abounding in sculptures, marbles and fountains, where the name of the city may be read on the inscriptions. However,
Ramsay[2] continues to identify Trajanopolis with Giaurören. Modern scholars place it near
Ortaköy.[3][4]
History
The only Ancient geographer who speaks of Trajanopolis is
Claudius Ptolemy,[5] who wrongly places this city in Greater
Mysia (another region of
Asia Minor).
It was founded about 109 by the
Grimenothyritae, who obtained permission from
Roman emperorHadrian to give the place the name of his predecessor. It had its own coins.
Hierocles calls it Tranopolis.[6]
The bishopric of Trajanopolis is included in the
Catholic Church's list of
titular sees,[9] as the diocese was nominally restored in the 17th century as a
titular bishopric, initially as just Traianopolis, renamed since 1933 Trajanopolis in Phrygia, thus avoiding confusion with its Thracian namesake (in Roman province
Rhodope).
It is vacant, having had the following incumbents, of the lowest (episcopal) rank, with a singular archiepiscopal exception :
Jerónimo Zolivera (1672.02.22 – 1683.01.11)
Juan José de Aycinena y Piñol (1859.04.15 – 1865.02.17)
Giulio Marsili,
Friars Minor (O.F.M.) (1873.11.11 – 1873.11.11)
Adam Carel Claessens (1874.06.16 – 1884.01.04) as Apostolic Vicar of
Batavia (Java, Indonesia) (1874.06.16 – 1893.05.23), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of
Siraces (1884.01.04 – 1895.07.10)
Tomás Jenaro de Cámara y Castro,
Augustinian Order (O.E.S.A.) (1883.08.09 – 1885.03.27)