Marcus Aurelius comes home: Turkiye wins decades-long battle for ancient statue
The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon — now the province of Burdur in southwest Turkiye — in the 1960s, was returned to Turkiye after 65 years, according to Turkish officials.
'It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won,' Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said.
'We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs,' he added.
This unique artefact, once exhibited in the United States, was repatriated to Turkiye based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister.
'Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement,' Ersoy said.
'Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice.'
The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Turkiye.
Ersoy said Turkiye was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that has been smuggled out.
'We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of (Turkiye's capital) Ankara in a surprise exhibition,' he announced. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Malay Mail
Turkiye's Erdogan says Gazans must not die for ‘hunk of bread'
ISTANBUL, July 22 —Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today warned that it would be unacceptable for Palestinians to die from the want of a 'hunk of bread or a mouthful of water'. Erdogan's warning, made during a speech in Istanbul, came amid a mounting chorus of international criticism of Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza, which has triggered a humanitarian crisis. 'No one endowed with a minimum of human dignity can accept this cruelty, in which dozens of innocent people die every day because they cannot find a hunk of bread or a mouthful of water,' he said. Erdogan is a frequent critic of Israel but his declaration came as Israel faced several demands from United Nations agencies and international capitals to protect civilian lives and to allow aid into Gaza. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Israeli forces 'must stop killing people' at food distribution points, and UN rights chief Volker Turk warned Israel that it was possibly violating international law. Gaza's civil defence agency said that Israeli strikes had killed 15 people in the Palestinian territory on Tuesday, after the World Health Organization said that troops had invaded its staff residence. — AFP
Malay Mail
20-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Marcus Aurelius comes home: Turkiye wins decades-long battle for ancient statue
ISTANBUL, July 20 — Turkiye has repatriated an ancient statue believed to depict Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius from the United States as part of efforts to recover antiquities illegally removed from the country, the government announced on Saturday. The bronze statue, smuggled from the ancient city of Boubon — now the province of Burdur in southwest Turkiye — in the 1960s, was returned to Turkiye after 65 years, according to Turkish officials. 'It was a long struggle. We were right, we were determined, we were patient, and we won,' Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy said. 'We brought the 'Philosopher Emperor' Marcus Aurelius back to the land where he belongs,' he added. This unique artefact, once exhibited in the United States, was repatriated to Turkiye based on scientific analyses, archival documents and witness statements, added the minister. 'Through the combined power of diplomacy, law, and science, the process we conducted with the New York Manhattan District Attorney's Office and the US Homeland Security Investigations Unit is more than just a repatriation; it is a historical achievement,' Ersoy said. 'Marcus Aurelius's return to our country is a concrete result of our years-long pursuit of justice.' The headless statue had been on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art from April to July, before its return to Turkiye. Ersoy said Turkiye was determined to protect all its cultural heritage that has been smuggled out. 'We will soon present the Philosopher Emperor to the people of (Turkiye's capital) Ankara in a surprise exhibition,' he announced. — AFP
New Straits Times
11-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Asean mulls full dialogue partner status for Turkiye
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean is considering granting Turkiye full dialogue partner status in the near future as relations between both sides continue to strengthen. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the matter is being considered in light of Turkiye's growing collaboration with Asean member states, particularly in the fields of technology, security, and defence. "Turkiye has played a constructive role as a sectoral dialogue partner with Asean, with various initiatives already carried out together. "These include cooperation in technology, security, defence, agriculture, and the provision of scholarships to students from Asean member countries. "So we are considering the best way forward in bringing Turkiye in as a full dialogue partner of Asean in the near future, God willing," he said briefly after the Trilateral Meeting between Malaysia, Turkiye, and the Asean Secretariat. Mohamad added that Asean may not be open to expanding dialogue partnerships further at this point, citing a moratorium due to the already large number of existing partners. In his opening remarks, he welcomed deeper cooperation in defence and technology transfer as a means to further strengthen ties with Turkiye. He also said economic relations are expected to deepen, particularly through the Turkiye–Asean Business and Investment Forum, support for MSME development, and innovation partnerships. "Turkiye's expertise in e-governance can be instrumental in promoting digital integration, diversifying supply chains, and strengthening collective resilience — all crucial as we navigate current geo-economic challenges," he said. On the socio-cultural front, he cited initiatives such as the Turkiye Scholarships–AseanJoint Scholarship Programme, diplomatic training, and proposed collaboration in vocational education and digital skills development as key to enhancing people-to-people ties. He also called on Asean and Turkiye to present a united front in advocating for peaceful and just resolutions to global conflicts, including the ongoing crisis in Gaza. "We must call for Israel to be held accountable for its unrelenting violations of international law. "Impunity has emboldened it to attack other countries, and it will continue to destabilise the region and beyond if left unchecked." The Asean-Turkiye Sectoral Dialogue Partnership was established in 2017.
