LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review

Editorial Board

Owned by

Prof. Dr. Murat ARSLAN, Akdeniz University

Editor-in-Chief

Em. Prof. Dr. A. Vedat ÇELGİN, İstanbul University

Editors

Prof. Dr. Hamdi ŞAHİN, İstanbul University
Assoc. Prof. Burak TAKMER, Akdeniz University
Assoc. Prof. Filiz CLUZEAU, İstanbul University
Assoc. Prof. Nuray GÖKALP ÖZDİL, Akdeniz University
Assoc. Prof. Bülent ÖZTÜRK, Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar University

Advisory Board

Prof. Dr. François de CALLATAY, Royal Library of Belgium
Prof. Dr. Serra DURUGÖNÜL, Mersin University
Prof. Dr. Burcu ERCİYAS, Middle East Technical University
Prof. Dr. Peter Franz MITTAG, Universität zu Köln
Prof. Dr. Owen DOONAN, California State University

Assistant Editor

Dr. Mahmut DEMİR (Independent Researcher)

Proofreaders

Em. Lecturer T. Mikail P. DUGGAN – English
Markus SCHRIJER, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin – German

Multimedia and Web Design

Res. Asst. Dr. Aykan AKÇAY, Akdeniz University

LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review is an international, double-blind peer-reviewed, open-access electronic journal published since 2015 under the direction of an independent scholarly board of expert epigraphers, classical philologists, and ancient historians affiliated with leading Turkish universities, principally Akdeniz University. As a specialized platform, LIBRI aims not merely to publish Greek and Latin epigraphic documents from ancient and late antique Anatolia, but to recontextualize them within their critical, philological, and historical frameworks. The journal treats the production, transmission, and reinterpretation of epigraphic data as an integrated process, and is committed to closing the methodological gap between primary source material and scholarly interpretation.

Anatolia ranks among the richest and most dynamic epigraphic landscapes of the ancient world: from the Archaic period through Late Antiquity, nearly one thousand new inscriptions are documented and published each year (approximately 400 to 600 as editiones principes, with the remainder comprising addenda, corrigenda, and emendationes). LIBRI is specifically positioned to channel this extraordinary reservoir of primary evidence into international scholarly circulation.

Aim 

LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review aims to situate Anatolia’s multi-layered epigraphic heritage within the broader historical and cultural dynamics of the Mediterranean world, thereby enabling local primary source material to make theoretical and methodological contributions to international scholarship on the ancient world. The journal is committed to serving as a sustainable academic platform (open to both established and early-career scholars) that fosters critical inquiry, philological rigor, and methodological transparency.

Given that epigraphy remains a niche discipline in Turkey, with a limited number of active practitioners and few dedicated publication venues, LIBRI has adopted the editorial principle of not restricting contributors of demonstrable scholarly merit from publishing in consecutive issues. This policy is designed to sustain the continued development of the discipline and to ensure the uninterrupted integration of Anatolia’s rich epigraphic record into broader academic discourse.

Scope

The publication scope of LIBRI is structured around three complementary focus areas, each centered on the discipline of epigraphy. The first and primary area is the publication of new inscriptions (editiones principes) documented through field surveys and archaeological excavations conducted in and around Anatolia. This core axis is supported by analytical studies offering additions to previously published texts (addenda), corrections (corrigenda), interpretive improvements (emendationes), and revised dating proposals. As a second focus area, LIBRI aims to re-evaluate the historical contexts of texts by opening space for annotated and critical translation studies (fontes) in which ancient Greek and Latin primary sources dating from the Archaic period through Late Antiquity are examined with philological rigor.

The third and complementary focus area of the journal comprises critical reviews of books and articles published recently (preferably within the relevant year and the previous year) in the field of ancient studies. These reviews are designed not merely as a presentation of a work, but as academic evaluations that contribute to literature and include methodological discussion.

In accordance with editorial policy, submissions that fall outside the disciplinary boundaries, methodological framework, and chronological scope defined above will not be considered for publication.

Publication Language and Policy

LIBRI publishes articles primarily in English, and also accepts contributions in German and French, with the aim of fostering scholarly communication on a global scale and enhancing international visibility. In the Critical Reviews category, where the work under review is written in Turkish, the review article may also be published in Turkish to ensure coherence with the language and context of the evaluated work. The journal is equally committed to strengthening its ties with the domestic scholarly community while integrating into international literature. In this direction, the publication policy applied regarding language and abstract requirements has been determined as follows:

• English Articles: Published with an accompanying Turkish abstract and keywords.
• German and French Articles: In addition to the abstract and keywords in the of the article, as well as a mandatory English abstract and keywords. Furthermore, in order to increase the accessibility of the content in the national literature, an extended Turkish abstract (at least 300 words) and Turkish keywords must be added to the end of articles in these languages.

Publication Model

LIBRI adopts a “continuous publication” model to ensure the prompt and efficient dissemination of scholarly work. Under this model, articles that have successfully completed the double-blind peer review process are published online without delay within the corresponding annual issue (e.g., Volume XII, January–December 2026). Epigraphic articles follow the standard research article format, while translation studies and critical reviews are structured according to their respective genre-specific conventions. The journal adheres to the guidelines of the Cope (Committee on Publication Ethics) in all editorial processes.

Open Access Policy

LIBRI is committed to the principle that the unrestricted sharing of scholarly research accelerates the global circulation of knowledge, and adheres to the principles of the BOAI (Budapest Open Access Initiative). The journal operates under a “Diamond Open Access” model: no fees are charged to authors at any stage of submission, peer review, or publication, nor are readers required to pay for access to published content. Users may read, download, copy, distribute, and, on the condition of making appropriate attribution, link to the contents in the journal without obtaining permission from the publisher or the authors.

Licensing and Copyright

All scholarly works published within LIBRI are presented under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This license permits the contents to be copied, distributed, and adapted on the condition that appropriate attribution is given, no commercial purpose is pursued, and derivative works are shared under the same license. Authors retain copyright of their published works and are considered to have accepted the terms of this license upon acceptance of their article for publication.

LIBRI acknowledges that artificial intelligence and AI-assisted tools may be used in the preparation of manuscripts and adheres to the relevant guidelines issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authorship Status and Responsibility

Authors bear sole responsibility for the oversight, verification, and integration of all AI-generated content incorporated into their work. The following principles are mandatory and any violation constitutes a serious breach of publication ethics:

a) AI tools, including generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning technologies, may not be listed as author or co-author of any submission, as such tools lack the capacity for academic accountability, legal liability, and copyright ownership.

b) Full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content in the article — including text, data, visuals, bibliography, and translations — rests with the human author(s). Authors may not invoke AI-generated error as justification for inaccurate information, fabricated citations, or biased statements (see also: Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement).

Permitted Uses and Declaration Status

a) Language and Style Correction: It is acceptable for authors to use standard spell checkers or AI-supported translation/redaction tools for the purpose of checking the grammar, correcting the spelling, and enhancing the flow of the text they have written. For such “stylistic” improvements, there is no requirement for disclosure, provided that the control of the writing process remains entirely with the author.

b) Data Analysis and Methodology: If AI tools have been used in the processes of data analysis, processing of large data sets, or coding of the article; this situation should be explained as an information note in the article, and the name and version of the tool used must be specified.

Prohibited Uses

Due to the sensitivity of the fields of epigraphy and philology, which constitute the publication scope of LIBRI, the following practices are strictly prohibited and are considered ‘Scientific Misconduct’:

a) Epigraphic and Philological Production: Core epigraphic and philological processes; including decipherment, transcription (text establishment), restoration of lacunae (supplementum), and dating of inscriptions must not be delegated to artificial intelligence.

b) Synthetic Text Generation: The use of AI to generate the principal scholarly arguments or ideas in any section of the article (including the introduction, discussion, and conclusion) is strictly prohibited. AI may serve only as a writing aid and not as a primary content generator.

c) Fictitious Data and Bibliography: The generation of fictitious sources (so-called AI “hallucinations”), the inclusion of non-existent references in the bibliography, or the creation of fabricated datasets constitutes a serious violation of publication ethics.

Originality of Visual Materials

All visual materials accompanying articles and translations must be original. Images of epigraphic documents must be obtained through direct photography or digital recording technologies (e.g., LiDAR, photogrammetry, RTI). Where technical drawings are required, vector-based drawing software must be used; AI-generated drawings are not permitted. The falsification, alteration, or digital enhancement of images depicting epigraphic materials, findspot maps, or archival documents — including any manipulation intended to represent non-existent evidence — is strictly prohibited.

a) All photographs of epigraphic documents (inscriptions, seals, and similar objects) must be original and unaltered.

b) The fabrication of a non-existent inscription using AI, the manipulation of an existing photograph, or the digital alteration of letter forms,  including the AI-assisted reconstruction of illegible passages, is strictly prohibited.

c) Where technical drawings are required, vector-based drawing software must be used. Text-to-image AI tools must not be employed in the production of any visual material presented as documentary evidence.

AI in the Peer Review Process

Reviewers must not upload any part of a manuscript under review — including text, images, or supplementary materials (to any AI platform). Unpublished manuscripts are confidential documents protected by the author’s intellectual property rights; uploading such content to AI tools constitutes a breach of confidentiality. Given that the data processing practices of AI platforms cannot be independently verified and that uploaded content may be used for model training, strict compliance with this requirement is essential.

Reviewer reports must be the product of the reviewer’s own expertise and critical judgment. Reviewers may use AI tools solely for linguistic refinement (e.g., grammar and spell checking); however, the use of AI to analyze, summarize, interpret, or critically evaluate the manuscript is prohibited. The reviewer bears full responsibility for the content, fairness, and integrity of their report; any liability arising from a breach of these obligations rests solely with the reviewer.

Detection and Sanction

a) Where the Editorial Board identifies indicators of undisclosed substantial AI use, such as inconsistencies in logical structure or a fabricated bibliography, it reserves the right to request the raw data, draft versions, and complete editing history (including any AI-generated content) of the submission.

b) If a prohibited use of AI is confirmed prior to publication, the article is subject to editorial rejection. If such a violation is identified after publication, the article is retracted in accordance with COPE guidelines and the author(s) concerned are barred from submitting to the journal for a period of five years (see also: Guideliness: Retraction Policy, Article 6.4)

Indexing

LIBRI: The Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review is included in the following indexes.

• Scopus
• EbscoHost

Guidelines of LIBRI: The Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review

CHAPTER ONE

Aim

Article 1–

(1) These guidelines regulate the aims and scope, administrative structure, publication principles, scientific ethical standards, and peer review and editorial processes of LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review (e-ISSN: 2458-7826). The journal is published by an independent academic board consisting of epigraphers, classical philologists, and ancient historians working at leading universities in Turkey, principally Akdeniz University.

Scope

Article 2–

(1) The journal is centered on the discipline of epigraphy and accepts submissions in the following three categories:

a) Epigraphic Documents: The first publication (editiones princepes) of new inscriptions belonging to Anatolia and its surroundings, along with analytical studies containing additions (addenda), corrections (corrigenda), improvements aimed at interpretation (emendationes), and redating proposals on known inscriptions,

b) Translations of Ancient Sources: Philological rigorous, annotated, critical translations with commentary (fontes) of ancient Greek and Latin primary sources dating from the Archaic period through Late Antiquity,

c) Critical Reviews: Academic evaluations containing methodological discussion regarding books and articles published in the field of ancient studies within the current or immediately preceding year.

(2) Even if related to research on antiquity, the publication scope of the journal is limited to ancient and late antique Anatolian epigraphy, critical translation studies, and critical reviews towards the literature of the discipline. Submissions falling outside this will not be considered for publication.

Article 3–

(1) These guidelines define the duties, authority, and responsibilities of the editors, editorial board, scientific advisory board, peer reviewers, and authors associated with LIBRI, as well as the provisions regarding the journal’s evaluation, publication, and open access processes.

a) LIBRI is an international, double-blind peer-reviewed, open access (Diamond Open Access) electronic journal, published continuously since 2015 under a “continuous publication” model.

b) The journal operates on a non-profit basis. No fees are charged to authors at any stage of submission, peer review, or publication processes.

c) Accepted studies are published online without delay within the corresponding annual volume (January–December). The issue is finalized at the end of December each year.

d) The journal pursues no commercial interests.

e) It is not offered for sale.

f) The authors bear sole responsibility for the works published in the journal.

Basis

Article 4–

(1) These guidelines have been prepared based on the relevant articles (4, 5, 6, 7) of the Press Law No. 5187 regarding periodical publications, the international publication ethics principles (COPE), and the principles of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

Definitions

Article 5–

(1) In these guidelines;

a) Journal: refers to LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review,

b) Publisher (License Holder): refers to the owner of the publication who assumes the legal and administrative responsibility of the Journal,

c) Editor-in-Chief: refers to the person responsible for the scientific and editorial management of LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review,

d) Editor: refers to the editors of LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review,

e) Editorial Board: refers to the board comprising the Editor-in-Chief, Editors, Section Editors, and Assistant Editors,

f) Publication: refers to articles, translations, reviews, and other scientific content published in the Journal.

Publication Ethics and Policies

Article 6–

(1) LIBRI fully complies with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), COPE Core Practices, and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI).

(2) The rules of publication ethics for all authors, editors, and reviewers are specified below:

a) Responsibilities of Authors: Declaration of originality, prohibition of simultaneous or duplicate submission, compliance with authorship criteria (ICMJE standards), declaration of conflict of interest, data availability.

b) Responsibilities of Editors: Impartiality, confidentiality, independent decision-making, management of conflict of interest.

c) Responsibilities of Reviewers: Objective evaluation, confidentiality, timely submission of reports, notification of conflict of interest.

(3) Plagiarism and Similarity Policy: All submissions are scanned using iThenticate or equivalent plagiarism/similarity detection software prior to acceptance. Submissions exceeding a similarity rate of 15% are either returned to the author for revision or excluded from the evaluation process.

(4) Retraction Policy: LIBRI regards the integrity and reliability of the published scholarly record as a matter of the highest priority. Retraction procedures are conducted in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines. A published article may be retracted by editorial decision in the following circumstances:

a) Unreliable Findings: Detection of fabrication, falsification, or serious methodological errors in the core findings of the article, or evidence of undisclosed use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of content, references, or citations,

b) Plagiarism: Proof that the work has been significantly copied from another source (including articles produced from the author’s thesis) without appropriate attribution,

c) Redundant Publication: The findings having been previously published elsewhere without appropriate justification, permission, or cross-reference,

d) Ethical Violations: The work containing processes contrary to unauthorized data use, copyright infringement, or research ethics (for example, the illegal use of archaeological materials),

e) Undisclosed Conflict of Interest: The subsequent discovery of a concealed conflict of interest of sufficient severity to have compromised the integrity of the peer review and editorial evaluation processes:

Process and Implementation: Doubts or allegations regarding the retraction of an article are meticulously examined by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board. Authors are granted the right to respond to the allegations and defend themselves. When the retraction decision is finalized, the process is operated as follows:

1. The retracted article is not physically deleted from the journal’s website and index databases.
2. A clear “RETRACTED / GERİ ÇEKİLDİ” watermark is added to every page of the original PDF file of the article.
3. An official “Retraction Notice” that announces the retraction process, explains its justification, and provides a digital link (DOI) to the original article is published and clearly announced in the index of the relevant volume.
4. Retraction decisions are clearly announced on the journal’s website.

(5) Correction (Erratum and Corrigendum) Policy: LIBRI is committed to ensuring that all published work meets the highest standards of accuracy. Should post-publication errors be identified that do not affect the core findings, theoretical integrity, or scholarly validity of an article, the journal may implement “Correction Policy” in accordance with COPE guidelines in order to maintain the transparency and reliability of the scholarly record.

Correction procedures are published in two different categories depending on the source of the error:

a) Author-Sourced Errors (Corrigendum): Errors identified by the author(s) after publication that do not alter the overall findings of the study. These may include inaccuracies in author affiliations or addresses, omitted acknowledgments (e.g., funding or project information), errors in the order of authorship, or minor corrections to data in tables, figures, or text.

b) Publisher-Sourced Errors (Erratum): Formatting, typographical, or typesetting errors introduced during the journal’s editorial, layout, or proofreading processes that affect readability or scholarly interpretation.

Process and Implementation Procedure: In accordance with the principle of traceability, no silent alterations are made to the original published version of an article once it has been assigned a DOI. After a correction request has been evaluated and approved by the Editor-in-Chief, the following procedure applies:

a) An independent “Correction Notice” (Erratum/Corrigendum) text is prepared, explaining the error and containing the corrected accurate information.

b This notice is published in the next available issue of the journal and is assigned its own unique DOI number.

c) A permanent bidirectional digital link is established between the Correction Notice and the original article through cross-referencing systems (e.g., Crossmark), ensuring that readers can access both texts simultaneously and transparently.

(6) Complaint and Appeal Process: Authors may submit a reasoned appeal against an editorial decision within seven (7) calendar days. Appeals are evaluated by the Editor-in-Chief; where deemed necessary, the Advisory Board may be consulted.

CHAPTER TWO

Aim of the Journal

Article 7–

(1) LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review aims to situate Anatolia’s multi-layered epigraphic heritage within the broader historical and cultural dynamics of the Mediterranean world, thereby enabling local primary source material to make theoretical and methodological contributions to international scholarship on the ancient world. The journal is committed to serving as a sustainable academic platform (open to both established and early-career scholars) that fosters critical inquiry, philological rigor, and methodological transparency.

Content of the Journal

Article 8–

(1) LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review is a specialized platform that aims not merely to publish Greek and Latin epigraphic documents from ancient and late antique Anatolia, but to recontextualize them within their critical, philological, and historical frameworks. By treating the production, transmission, and reinterpretation of epigraphic data as an integrated process, the journal is committed to closing the methodological gap between primary source material and scholarly interpretation.

Structure and Organization

Article 9–

(1) The governing bodies of the journal are as follows:

a) Publisher (License Holder) and their Duties

b) Editor-in-Chief and their Duties

c) Editorial Board (Editors, Section Editors, Assistant Editors) and their Duties

d) Scientific Advisory Board and their Duties

e) Copy Editors and their Duties

Duties of the Publisher (License Holder)

Article 10–

(1) The founder and License Holder directs the journal independently of any external interference. This role is held on a permanent basis and is neither subject to external appointment nor transferable without the License Holder’s express consent.

(2) Appoints the Editor-in-Chief, who assumes full responsibility for the scholarly and editorial direction of the journal.

Duties of the Editor-in-Chief

Article 11–

(1) The Editor-in-Chief determines the publication policy of the journal; oversees the scientific quality of the journal and its compliance with academic standards and publication ethics, and ensures that the journal is published on time, regularly, and in full.

(2) Oversees all stages of the journal process; ensures that the editorial and peer-review processes are conducted in a fast, meticulous, transparent manner and in accordance with ethical principles. Guarantees the independence of editorial decisions and keeps them away from author/institutional pressure.

(3) Conducts a preliminary evaluation of all submissions; may desk-reject submissions that do not conform to the journal’s scope, subject matter, or editorial principles without referring them to peer review, and forwards eligible submissions to the peer review process.

(4) Makes reviewer appointments and, by evaluating the reviewer reports, makes the final decision of acceptance or rejection regarding the works to be published in the journal.

(5) Examines the accepted works in terms of scientific content, method, language, style, and spelling or oversees the performance of this examination by redactors.

(6) Assigns Editors, Assistant Editors, and Section Editors; can make changes in editorial boards in accordance with the functioning and needs of the journal.

(7) Evaluates special issue proposals submitted to the journal. When deemed necessary to address matters concerning the journal’s operations or to advance its editorial vision, convenes and chairs meetings of the relevant boards.

(8) Consults the relevant boards on significant decisions regarding the journal’s publication policies and makes the final decision taking into account current scholarly trends and the long-term objectives of the journal.

(9) Only one Editor-in-Chief serves in the journal simultaneously.

Duties and Tenure of Editors, Assistant Editors, Section Editors, and Publication Editors

Article 12–

(1) Editors, Section Editors, Assistant Editors, and Publication Editors are responsible for carrying out the editorial processes of the journal in line with the publication policy and work plan determined by the Editor-in-Chief.

(2) The editorial staff assists the Editor-in-Chief regarding the conduct of the journal process in a fast, meticulous, transparent manner and in accordance with publication ethics, as well as the timely and complete publication of the journal.

(3) Makes evaluations regarding the scientific flow, publication policy, publication principles, and spelling rules of the journal; provides opinions and suggestions on these matters.

(4) Suggests reviewers to the Editor-in-Chief for works evaluated as suitable for the scope of publication and contributes to the healthy conduct of the peer-review process.

(5) No member of the editorial staff holds precedence over another on the basis of academic rank, professional title, or similar distinctions. All duties and responsibilities are distributed according to a functional division of labor under the coordination of the Editor-in-Chief.

(6) The terms of office of the Editors, Section Editors, Assistant Editors, and Publication Editors are determined by the Editor-in-Chief; changes can be made in these assignments in cases deemed necessary.

Secretariat and Coordination Duties of Assistant Editors

Article 13–

(1) Assistant Editors, in addition to the general editorial duties specified in Article 10, are responsible for carrying out the secretariat and coordination functions of the journal.

(2) Within this scope, Assistant Editors:

a) Manage the institutional e-mail traffic of the journal.

b) Coordinate communication among authors, reviewers, and the editorial staff.

c) Carry out the filing and archiving procedures regarding article processes in a regular and complete manner.

d) Make the necessary periodic reminders to reviewers or authors whose evaluation processes are delayed.

(3) Assistant Editors are responsible to the Editor-in-Chief while performing their secretariat duties and contribute to the regular functioning of the editorial process.

Duties of the Advisory Board

Article 14–

(1) The Advisory Board advises the journal on the identification of suitable peer reviewers, the promotion of the journal within national and international scholarly networks, and other scholarly and technical matters.

(2) Offers recommendations for enhancing the scholarly content and standards of the journal.

(3) Engages with prospective contributors to encourage the submission of high-quality work to the journal.

(4) Advisory Board members are selected from individuals who have gained experience in matters within the scope of the board’s duty and/or specialized in the scientific fields covered by the journal, who adhere to academic ethics, and who are of a quality to carry the journal to an international level.

(5) At least 50% of the Advisory Board members are affiliated with institutions outside Turkey.

(6) The ORCID identifiers and institutional affiliations of all Advisory Board members are clearly listed on the journal’s website.

(7) Advisory Board members must possess demonstrated expertise in the disciplines within the journal’s scope (epigraphy, ancient history, classical philology, archaeology).

Duties and Tenure of the Redaction Board

Article 15–

(1) Members of the Redaction Board are selected from individuals with demonstrated proficiency in the languages in which the journal publishes.

(2) The Board reviews all accepted articles for spelling, grammar, and compliance with the journal’s style guidelines, and ensures that all necessary corrections are implemented.

(3) The Board is responsible for reviewing and, where necessary, revising the abstracts and translations accompanying accepted articles.

(4) The appointment and term of service of redactors are at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

CHAPTER THREE

Article Acceptance, Publication Stages, and Academic Ethics Boards

Article 16–

(1) It is mandatory that all submissions must constitute either an original methodological study presenting new findings or approaches that contribute to the field, or an analytical review that critically evaluates previously published scholarship and offers substantive perspectives on the subject.

(2) Submissions must not have been previously published in any other venue or be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All manuscripts must be prepared in accordance with the journal’s style guidelines.

(3) Authors bear sole responsibility for the scholarly content and linguistic quality of their published work; the journal and its editors assume no liability in this regard. All published content is freely accessible, and reuse in any form is permitted provided that proper attribution is given. No fees are charged to authors at any stage.

Standardization of Author Information

Article 17–

(1) The author’s name and surname, together with their academic title, the name of the institution they serve, correspondence and e-mail address, and ORCID number, must be specified in the first footnote of the article. Name and surname that would disclose the author’s identity must not be included at any point in the text (footnote, header, image, photograph, etc.). In multi-authored articles, the corresponding author must be clearly indicated.

DOI and CrossRef Membership

Article 18–

(1) LIBRI is a member of CrossRef and assigns a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to all published works. DOIs are activated upon publication and ensure permanent access. CrossRef’s Cited-by service is used for accurate tracking of citations.

Status of an Editor or Editorial Board Member Being an Author

Article 19–

As a general principle, individuals holding editorial roles during a given publication year (including the Editor-in-Chief and all editorial staff) may not appear as author or co-author in the same volume. However, given the limited number of specialists in the discipline of epigraphy and the need to maintain continuity in the scholarly literature, exceptional circumstances may arise in which members of the editorial staff submit original work to the journal. In such cases, the following principles apply:

a) Recusal of the Editor and Independent Execution: The authorities of an editor or editorial board member who submits an article to LIBRI are suspended throughout the relevant article process. Thus, the editor who assumes the role of an author does not undertake any role in the stages of reviewer selection, peer-review process, editorial correspondence, evaluation, and final decision.

b) Appointment of an Editor: All examinations and decision-making processes of the submitted article are managed by another editor or editorial board member who will supervise them independently and in accordance with LIBRI’s standard editorial procedures.

c) Peer Review Process: Articles submitted by an editor or editorial board member as author or co-author are subject to the same double-blind peer review procedures and ethical standards applied to all other submissions. No preferential treatment is accorded at any stage of the evaluation.

d) Consecutive Authorship: An editor or editorial board member of the journal cannot have more than one authorship in the same issue, nor can they take place as an author or co-author in two consecutive issues.

e) Number of Editor-Authored Articles per Issue: In any given issue, the total number of articles in which members of the editorial board appear as author or co-author may not exceed two. This limit applies regardless of authorship position and is intended to safeguard editorial independence and to prevent any perception of bias.

Publication Principles

Article 20–

(1) Articles to be submitted must not have been previously published in another journal/book and must not have been submitted for publication. While writing the text, 11-point (9.5-point in footnotes) Gentium Plus (PC and Macintosh) font must be used.

(2) Gentium Plus font must also be used for ancient Greek or other special characters within the article.

(3) Footnotes must be provided at the bottom of each page in a way that numerical continuity is followed from the beginning to the end of the article.

(4) For all visual data such as images, drawings, and maps to be used in the articles, only the abbreviation (Fig.; Abb. for German articles) must be included, and continuity must be observed in the numbering of figures. For this reason, different expressions and abbreviations such as plate, picture, drawing, figure, and map must not be used.

(5) All figures (tables, figures, graphs, photographs, pictures, drawings, and maps) must be included in a way that does not disrupt the integrity of the text and page. The figure caption must be written in 10-point size and italics under the figure.

(6) Articles must be sent via e-mail to the address libri@akdeniz.edu.tr.

(7) Images of epigraphic documents must be submitted as separate files in .jpeg or .tiff format at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. All photographs must include a scale bar, and the principal dimensions of the document — height, width, and thickness, as well as letter height where applicable — must be clearly specified. Where the resolution is insufficient or the inscription is not clearly legible in the photograph, a squeeze and/or a vector-based epigraphic drawing must also be submitted. Photographs should be taken with appropriate lighting to ensure that surface details are clearly visible. Scale, inventory number (if any), find-spot, and date of photograph must be specified. Reading suggestions should be based only on the original document; visual data should not be “improved” with digital intervention, and missing parts should not be hypothetically completed.

(8) LIBRI publishes articles primarily in English, and also accepts contributions in German and French, with the aim of fostering international scholarly communication and enhancing global visibility. In the Critical Reviews category, articles may also be published in Turkish to ensure coherence with the language and context of the evaluated work. While contributing to international literature, the journal has also adopted the principle of strengthening its bond with the national academy. English articles must be accompanied by a Turkish abstract and keywords. German and French articles must include an abstract and keywords in the language of the article, as well as a mandatory English abstract and keywords. In addition, an extended Turkish abstract (minimum 300 words) and Turkish keywords are required at the end of the article in order to enhance the accessibility of the content within the national literature.

(9) Abstracts must be between 150 and 200 words in length and should clearly convey the purpose of the study, a brief review of the relevant literature, the methodology employed, the principal findings, and the conclusions. The Turkish and English abstracts must correspond exactly in content and structure; no discrepancy in meaning or omission of information is permissible between the two versions.

(10) Each article must include a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 keywords.

(11) References must be cited in footnotes at the bottom of each page, with a full bibliography provided at the end of the article. For abbreviations of epigraphic editions and standard reference works, LIBRI follows the list maintained and regularly updated by the Association Internationale d’Épigraphie Grecque et Latine (AIEGL). Abbreviations drawn from this list must be identified in a preliminary footnote at the beginning of the bibliography and need not be expanded in the bibliography itself. Any abbreviations not included in the AIEGL list, together with the full bibliographical details of works not covered by it, must be provided in the bibliography.

(12) All references must follow the Harvard referencing system as adapted in the journal’s style guidelines, citing the author’s surname, year of publication, and — where applicable — page number, plate, figure, or catalogue number (e.g., Surname Year, 00). This format applies consistently to all cited works, including those referenced only once. For full details, see the Author Guidelines.

(13) When citing more than one work by the same author published in the same year, a lowercase letter must be appended to the year of publication (e.g., 2026a, 2026b) in both footnotes and the bibliography.

(14) Subheadings within the article must be formatted in bold and in sentence case (i.e., only the first letter capitalized).

(15) Author names and publication titles originally in a non-Latin script must be given in their original alphabet and not transliterated.

(16) When referring to centuries, the following conventions apply: in Turkish texts, Arabic numerals are used with the abbreviations MÖ and MS (e.g., MÖ 6. yüzyıl, MS 14. yüzyıl); in English texts, ordinal forms are used with BCE and CE (e.g., 6th century BCE, 10th century CE).

(17) The journal strictly prohibits all forms of publication misconduct, including but not limited to: plagiarism, defined as reproducing or closely paraphrasing substantial portions of another work without proper attribution; self-plagiarism, namely the resubmission of material previously published in the author’s own articles, books, or theses without appropriate disclosure; the misappropriation of research findings conducted by others; and the unilateral withdrawal of a manuscript during an ongoing peer review process without editorial approval. In the event that any such violation is substantiated, the author(s) concerned will be barred from submitting to LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review for a period of five years.

(18) For articles derived from a thesis, the relevant thesis must be identified in the first footnote or immediately below the author information, specifying its title, type, institution, and year. In articles derived from either a master’s or doctoral thesis, the thesis author must be listed as the first author, and the thesis itself must be cited in accordance with research ethics standards.

(19) Special issues for symposia are not published in the journal.

(20) Articles should not exceed 7,500 words (approximately 20 pages), excluding the epigraphic text, title, abstract, and bibliography.

(21) The title of the article must accurately reflect its subject, aim, methodology, scope, and central research question.

(22) Articles must conform to established scholarly standards and principles of research ethics.

(23) The ideas and results in the articles are the personal opinions of the authors and do not directly or indirectly constitute the opinion of the journal.

(24) Review articles submitted to the journal must offer critical and objective assessments of publications in the fields of ancient and late antique history and its auxiliary disciplines. Works eligible for review include, but are not limited to, monographs, handbooks, biographies, catalogues (including numismatic catalogues), edited volumes, thematic collections, editions and translations of ancient sources, translations of and commentaries on modern scholarly works, and individual articles.

(25) As of the publication date of these guidelines, descriptive book notices are excluded from the journal’s scope.

(26) While priority is given to the publication of new inscriptions, the journal also welcomes epigraphic studies offering significant additions and corrections (addenda et corrigenda), reinterpretations (emendationes), or critical commentary on previously published texts. All categories of inscribed objects other than coins — including seals and similar items — fall within the journal’s scope. However, objects such as seals and catalogue-type inscriptions that do not raise a specific research question (e.g., formulaic epitaphs) are accepted for evaluation only when presented collectively within a coherent thematic or topographical context, or when comprising a minimum of six items.

(27) Reviewers are expected to engage with the work under review from a critical perspective, identifying its central argument, examining its methodology, and subjecting its claims to rigorous analysis. The resulting review should offer observations of sufficient depth to be of value both to the author of the work and to the broader readership. A reviewer may agree or disagree with the positions advanced in the work under review. In either case, every claim and inference put forward in the review must be substantiated with specific examples drawn from the text. The reviewer may highlight exemplary aspects of the work — its definitions, findings, or interpretive conclusions — as well as areas that remain underdeveloped or incomplete. In doing so, the reviewer is expected to situate the work within the relevant scholarly literature by engaging with comparable studies on the same subject.

(28) The reviewer is expected to subject the work to rigorous critical analysis, substantiate all claims with specific examples, and offer a contribution to the scholarly literature. Reviews that are reductive in scope or that engage in personal polemic will not be accepted.

(29) The translations published in LIBRI aim to render ancient Greek and Latin sources — foundational texts for research on ancient and late antique periods — into Turkish directly from their original languages, thereby making them accessible to a range of disciplines engaged with antiquity, including archaeology, philology, ancient history, epigraphy, and numismatics. All translations (fontes) must be produced directly from the source language (ancient Greek or Latin); indirect translations made via a modern intermediary language are not accepted. Each translation must be accompanied by an introduction and commentary addressing the philological and historical context of the text.

PEER REVIEW PROCESS

Article 21–

Double-Blind Peer Review

(1) Every manuscript submitted to LIBRI undergoes an initial desk review by the Editor-in-Chief, the Editor, and the relevant Section Editor(s). All research articles are then subject to a double-blind peer review process. In cases where the two reviewers reach conflicting decisions, a third reviewer is consulted. Authors are notified of the final editorial decision within approximately two and a half months of submission.

(2) Reviewer selection criteria:

a) Proven expertise in the subject of the article

b) Absence of conflict of interest with the author(s)

c) Not having worked in the same institution within the last 3 years

d) Each article is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. In case of conflicting decisions, a third reviewer is appointed.

e) Authors may not recommend or nominate potential reviewers. However, authors are expected to declare any conflicts of interest or circumstances that may compromise the impartiality of the review process; such declarations are taken into consideration by the Editor-in-Chief when assigning reviewers.

(3) The peer review period is a maximum of 30 days. If a reviewer fails to submit their report within this period, the Editor-in-Chief appoints an alternative reviewer.

Stage		Duration
Initial Evaluation (Editor-in-Chief)		7 days
Plagiarism Screening		3 days
Reviewer Evaluation		15 days
Revision Period (Major)		15 days
Revision Period (Minor)		10 days
Final Decision		No later than 14 days after reviewer reports
Average Total Duration		6-8 weeks

AI USAGE POLICY AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES

Article 22–

LIBRI acknowledges that artificial intelligence and AI-assisted tools may be used in the preparation of manuscripts and adheres to the relevant guidelines issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

(1) Authorship Status and Responsibility

Authors bear sole responsibility for the oversight, verification, and integration of all AI-generated content incorporated into their work. The following principles are mandatory and any violation constitutes a serious breach of publication ethics:

a) AI tools, including generative AI (GenAI) and machine learning technologies, may not be listed as author or co-author of any submission, as such tools lack the capacity for academic accountability, legal liability, and copyright ownership.

b) Full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content in the article — including text, data, visuals, bibliography, and translations — rests with the human author(s). Authors may not invoke AI-generated error as justification for inaccurate information, fabricated citations, or biased statements (see also: Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement).

(2) Permitted Uses and Declaration Status

a) Language and Style Correction: It is acceptable for authors to use standard spell checkers or AI-supported translation/redaction tools for the purpose of checking the grammar, correcting the spelling, and enhancing the flow of the text they have written. For such “stylistic” improvements, there is no requirement for disclosure, provided that the control of the writing process remains entirely with the author.

b) Data Analysis and Methodology: If AI tools have been used in the processes of data analysis, processing of large data sets, or coding of the article; this situation should be explained as an information note in the article, and the name and version of the tool used must be specified.

(3) Prohibited Uses

Due to the sensitivity of the fields of epigraphy and philology, which constitute the publication scope of LIBRI, the following practices are strictly prohibited and are considered ‘Scientific Misconduct’:

a) Epigraphic and Philological Production: Core epigraphic and philological processes; including decipherment, transcription (text establishment), restoration of lacunae (supplementum), and dating of inscriptions must not be delegated to artificial intelligence.

b) Synthetic Text Generation: The use of AI to generate the principal scholarly arguments or ideas in any section of the article (including the introduction, discussion, and conclusion) is strictly prohibited. AI may serve only as a writing aid and not as a primary content generator.

c) Fictitious Data and Bibliography: The generation of fictitious sources (so-called AI “hallucinations”), the inclusion of non-existent references in the bibliography, or the creation of fabricated datasets constitutes a serious violation of publication ethics.

(4) Originality of Visual Materials

All visual materials accompanying articles and translations must be original. Images of epigraphic documents must be obtained through direct photography or digital recording technologies (e.g., LiDAR, photogrammetry, RTI). Where technical drawings are required, vector-based drawing software must be used; AI-generated drawings are not permitted. The falsification, alteration, or digital enhancement of images depicting epigraphic materials, findspot maps, or archival documents — including any manipulation intended to represent non-existent evidence — is strictly prohibited.

a) All photographs of epigraphic documents (inscriptions, seals, and similar objects) must be original and unaltered.

b) The fabrication of a non-existent inscription using AI, the manipulation of an existing photograph, or the digital alteration of letter forms,  including the AI-assisted reconstruction of illegible passages, is strictly prohibited.

c) Where technical drawings are required, vector-based drawing software must be used. Text-to-image AI tools must not be employed in the production of any visual material presented as documentary evidence.

(5) AI in the Peer Review Process

Reviewers must not upload any part of a manuscript under review — including text, images, or supplementary materials (to any AI platform). Unpublished manuscripts are confidential documents protected by the author’s intellectual property rights; uploading such content to AI tools constitutes a breach of confidentiality. Given that the data processing practices of AI platforms cannot be independently verified and that uploaded content may be used for model training, strict compliance with this requirement is essential.

Reviewer reports must be the product of the reviewer’s own expertise and critical judgment. Reviewers may use AI tools solely for linguistic refinement (e.g., grammar and spell checking); however, the use of AI to analyze, summarize, interpret, or critically evaluate the manuscript is prohibited. The reviewer bears full responsibility for the content, fairness, and integrity of their report; any liability arising from a breach of these obligations rests solely with the reviewer.

(6) Detection and Sanction

a) Where the Editorial Board identifies indicators of undisclosed substantial AI use, such as inconsistencies in logical structure or a fabricated bibliography, it reserves the right to request the raw data, draft versions, and complete editing history (including any AI-generated content) of the submission.

b) If a prohibited use of AI is confirmed prior to publication, the article is subject to editorial rejection. If such a violation is identified after publication, the article is retracted in accordance with COPE guidelines and the author(s) concerned are barred from submitting to the journal for a period of five years (see also: Retraction Policy, Article 6.4).

Enforcement and Execution

Article 23–

(1) These guidelines enter into force upon approval by the License Holder of LIBRI: Journal of Epigraphy, Translation and Review and may only be amended or revoked by decision of the License Holder.

(2) The License Holder has entrusted the Editor-in-Chief and the editorial staff with the responsibility of conducting the journal’s operations and publication processes in accordance with scholarly standards.

(3) Users may freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, and link to the full text of any work published in the journal without obtaining permission from the publisher or the author(s), provided that proper attribution is given.

(4) The Editor-in-Chief exercises overall responsibility for the management and administration of the journal on behalf of the License Holder.

(5) The journal is an independent, scholarly, and open-access publication; the Editor-in-Chief is responsible for its operation and editorial direction.

Article 24–

(1) The License Holder of LIBRI executes the provisions of these Guidelines.

(2) These guidelines are published on the journal’s website.

Publication Date: 25.01.2021

Last Updated: 30.01.2026

License Holder of LIBRI Journal

Prof. Dr. Murat ARSLAN