Нови данни за неукрепеното римско селище при Сексагинта Приста (проучвания през 2020 г.)

New Data on the Unfortified Roman Settlement at Sexaginta Prista (Research in 2020)

Abstract

Structures related to settlement during the Roman period (2nd–3rd century AD) are localized in the northwestern part of the city of Ruse. Research in this area began in the 1970s, and since 2004, a Temple of Apollo and the Thracian Horseman have been uncovered, along with 11 fragments of buildings. This article focuses on archaeological excavations conducted in 2020, related to the renovation of the Summer Theater. Two sondages (A and B) were carried out, each revealing one corner of a building. They were constructed of unworked stones bonded with clay, filled with smaller stones and fragments of construction ceramics; an inclination towards leveling the fronts is observed. The construction in sondage A was filled with bricks at height, while for sondage B, it cannot be asserted; roof structures included tegulae and imbrices type roof tiles. There is no data on floor or pavement levels, and later disturbances do not definitively determine whether only the sub- or superstructure is preserved. The materials discovered (small finds, coins, and household ceramics) date the building in sondage A to the first half of the 3rd century AD, and sondage B to the 2nd century AD. According to the numismatic material found within the settlement, a hiatus is observed around the middle of the 3rd century AD, with habitation being restored in the last third of the century. The final destruction is associated with the construction of the late Roman fortress Sexaginta Prista in the early 4th century AD.