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Likewise in the late 1990s, a British team carried out a somewhat more extensive survey of the towns of Hadrianopolis and Antoninopolis in the interior of Paphlagonia.¹³ Their conclusion about the development of the settlement pattern was similar to that of the Sinop peninsula survey: “During the Roman period, settlement in southern Paphlagonia takes on new dimensions. For the first time we start to see widespread settlement across almost the entire landscape … and the first appearance of a truly distinct hierarchy of settlement, ranging from large town to small hamlet with associated cemetery”, and further: “A notable component of the Roman settlement pattern is the prevalence of small sites”.¹⁴ Precise dates are not given for specific sites, but coins and inscriptions of the third century AD are mentioned. In all, thirtyone loci occupied in the Roman period were identified. Only seven of these loci (23%) also contained material from the Hellenistic period. Moreover, in no instances does occupation terminate during the Hellenistic period. The complete site continuity from the Hellenistic to the Roman period indicates that in the later period, inhabitants spread over the landscape from already existing sites.

The reports from both surveys point to the peaceful situation during the Roman imperial period as the primary reason for the characteristically dispersed settlement pattern, which was not matched until modern times.