Archaeologists excavating the Roman fortress of Novae in Bulgaria have uncovered a monumental residence that may have housed the commander of the Legio I Italica.
Novae is on the southern bank of the Danube in northern Bulgaria and became an important Roman military centre. The fortress became the permanent base of Legio I Italica (First Italian Legion), which was founded during the 1st century AD.
Polish and Bulgarian archaeologists have carried out excavations at Novae since 1960. Several Polish research teams are currently working in different parts of the site.
During the latest excavation campaign, archaeologists from the University of Warsaw unearthed 3000 square metres of a large residential complex.
According to Professor Piotr Dyczek, director of the Centre for Research on the Antiquity of Southeastern Europe at the University of Warsaw, the building was most likely the praetorium – the residence of the legionary legate who commanded the legion.
Evidence supporting this interpretation includes the remains of an extensive private bathing complex. Although Roman legionary fortresses normally contained communal baths for soldiers, private bathing facilities of this scale would have been associated with an individual of considerable status.
The building was also richly decorated. Archaeologists uncovered painted plaster, elaborate flooring constructed from multicoloured bricks, fragments of bronze furniture, figurines and high-quality ceramics.
If the identification as a praetorium is confirmed, the discovery could provide archaeologists with a rare opportunity to investigate an extensive example of a legionary commander's residence.
Although the general organisation of Roman legionary fortresses is well understood, many surviving examples are located beneath modern settlements. Consequently, buildings interpreted as commanders' residences are often known only from fragmentary remains.
Among the finds from Novae is a small bronze figurine depicting Priapus. Only a handful of comparable examples are known from the Lower Danube region.
Archaeologists also discovered the head of the god Mithras, two inscribed altars – one retaining an almost complete inscription – and part of a marble head associated with an official imperial portrait. Another unusual discovery is a pine cone-shaped finial, an object rarely encountered along the Lower Danube.
The presence of objects connected with eastern and Egyptian religious traditions may indicate that some of the soldiers stationed at Novae had previously served or travelled in regions further east within the Roman Empire.
Evidence of the Avars
Excavations have also revealed evidence relating to the Avars, a nomadic population that entered Europe during the 6th century AD.
Researchers identified several characteristic semi-subterranean buildings containing ovens or fireplaces. One unusually large structure may have belonged to a local leader, while several smaller dwellings measured only around five square metres.
An Avar earring recovered during the excavation is particularly significant, with researchers reporting that it is the first example of its type discovered in northern Bulgaria.
The remains could contribute to the continuing archaeological debate surrounding the movement and settlement of Avar populations south of the Danube during Late Antiquity.
Search for the Roman harbour
Unusually low water levels in the Danube have also allowed archaeologists to survey areas normally submerged by the river.
The team documented exposed architectural remains alongside fragments of pottery and Roman roof tiles.
Researchers hope that evidence recorded along the riverbank could help determine the location of Novae's ancient harbour, which remains one of the major unresolved questions concerning the Roman fortress.
Identifying the harbour would provide new evidence for how Novae was supplied and connected to the wider military and trading networks operating along Rome's Danubian frontier.
Sources : PAP