Abstract
The present study examines the persistency of routes for the main communications in the territory around the Iznik Lake (Ascania Lacus) in a diachronic perspective: from prehistory until today. The whole problem is approached on two levels: whereas the micro-regional one targets the eastern shores of the Iznik Lake, the macro-regional one examines the entire shoreline and its interconnectivity with the main centres situated across the mountain ridges in the North and South.
Based on the spatio-temporal analysis of the settlement patterns, ancient authors, as well as remnants of roads and/or finds connected with their existence, such as milestones and bridges, the most feasible routes of the main roads in selected periods are estimated. The Least Cost Path Analysis is also used when appropriate, especially for establishing the courses of the mountain routes.
The results of the two approaches are compared, and the observable patterns discussed. Principally, one can state a high persistency for the routes, all the way from the Early Bronze Age till the modern times.