The Roman Bridge between Dolni Vadin (Bulgaria) and Grojdibodu (Romania)

Description

The Roman Bridge between Dolni Vadin (Bulgaria) and Grojdibodu (Romania) presents all the available data on the Roman bridge over the Danube which connected Dacia and Moesia at this point. The toponyms Vadin and Grojdibodu themselves mean ‘ford’, a crossing over water, in this case over the Danube. There have been no archaeological excavations at the feet of the bridge but the author has been able to propose positioning, scale and full reconstruction on the basis of a survey of existing remains, known road alignments, old maps and drawings as well as comparison with better-known parallels. The book also includes a catalogue of small finds deriving from the area of the bridge. This bridge has been ignored for centuries primarily due to the absence of any mention of it in ancient sources, literary or otherwise. It was probably eclipsed by the fame of the bridge from Drobeta, which was constructed by Emperor Trajan between the two Dacian wars, and by the bridge from Sucidava-Oescus which was built later, in the time of Emperor Constantine the Great. Additionally, the bridge is located in a rather obscure place, hardly accessible in the modern era. This work restores this river crossing to its proper significance. Table of Contents Foreword Introduction 1. Research method and techniques 2. History of the research 2.1. Research of Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli 2.2. Research of Professor Dumitru Tudor 2.3. Research of Nicu Vintilă 2.4. Research of Dorel Bondoc 2.4.1. Exploration of the southern bank (Bulgarian) of the Danube 2.4.2. Exploration of the northern (Romanian) bank of the Danube 3. Conclusions 3.1. How was the bridge from Dolni Vadin-Grojdibodu built? 3.2. When was the bridge of Dolni Vadin-Grojdibodu built and by whom? 3.3. Why was a bridge Dolni Vadin-Grojdibodu needed? 3.4. When was the bridge of Dolni Vadin- Grojdibodu no longer functional? Appendix 1. About an amphora fragment discovered in the masonry work of the bridge at Dolni Vadin – Andrei Opait Appendix 2. Considerations on the Roman bridge over the Danube between Dolni Vadin and Grojdibodu – Cornel Rădulescu Appendix 3. Archaeological discoveries from the Roman period, in the area of the village Dolni Vadin – Bulgaria – Dorel Bondoc Appendix 4. Archaeological discoveries from the Roman period, in the area of the village Grojdibodu - Romania – Dorel Bondoc Appendix 5. Ancient and Byzantine coins – The Collection of Vintilă Nicu, formed in Grojdibodu area, Olt County – Delia Moisil Appendix 6. The diploma from Grojdibodu (CIL XVI 75 = IDR I 10) – Dan Dana and Dorel Bondoc Bibliography