Bulgaria in Antiquity: An Archaeological Introduction

Description

This is the first book in English on the art and archaeology of Antiquity in what is now Bulgaria and the first in any language to treat this period here as an entity. Written sources, inscriptions, and coins have been drawn upon to place the main archaeological sites and monuments within their social and historical setting. Beginning with the Ionian arrival about 600 B.C., Mr. Hoddinott deals first with the Black Sea colonies and the effect of Greek and other civilizations on the native Thracian culture. He then assesses the consequence of absorption into the Roman Empire - the legionary headquarters and fortified settlements of the Danubian limes and the Romano-Hellenistic cities, villages, and villas of the interior; the major pagan cults are also described. Finally he examines the churches and fortifications — Byzantium’s linked spiritual and secular defences — of the fifth and sixth centuries and the barbarian pressures which eventually brought about a new dark age — from which the first Bulgarian state was to emerge. Extensive research has been carried out in Bulgaria to supplement the study of excavation and other reports, normally published only in Bulgarian. Most of the plans and splendid photographs of art treasures will be new to readers in the West, including site photographs taken by the author especially for the book. Foreword – Acknowledgements – Abbreviations Historical outline I. THRACIANS AND GREEKS 1. The land and the people 2. The Black sea cities Apollonia Pontica — Mesambria — Odessos 3. The Thracian interior before the Macedonian conquest Dolno Sahrane — Douvanli — Mezek — Vratsa 4. Macedonian and Hellenistic influences Philippopolis — The Panagyurishte treasure — Branichevo — Seuthopolis — Tumuli of Seuthopolis and the Kazanluk region — Kabyle — Beroe and its vicinity — Chertigrad II. THE ROMAN PRESENCE 5. The Danube Limes Ratiaria and the north-west — Oescus and its vicinity — Nikopol — Novae — Iatrus — Transmarisca — Durostorum 6. The northern foothills (I) Nicopolis-ad-Istrum and the central slopes — Marcianopolis — Abritus — Voivoda — Madara 7. Serdica and the west (I) Serdica and its territory — Pautalia and its territory — Sandanski — The upper Mesta valley 8. The Thracian plain (I) Philippopolis and its vicinity — Hissar — Beroe-Augusta Trajana and its vicinity — Chatalka — The eastern Rhodopes 9. The Black sea coast (I) The southern cities — Odessos and the north III. CHRISTIANITY AND THE BYZANTINE WITHDRAWAL 10. The end of the Limes Byzantium displaces Rome — The limes in the fifth and sixth centuries 11. The northern foothills (II) The central slopes — The north-east 12. Serdica and the west (II) Serdica and the central region — Pautalia and the South-West 13. The Thracian plain (II) Philippopolis — Peroushtitsa — Isperihovo — Golyamo Belovo — Hissar — Beroe — Chatalka — The eastern Rhodopes 14. The Black sea coast (II) Mesambria and the south — Odessos and the north Select bibliography — Site bibliography — Note on pronunciation Index