The worship and the road: a lead plaque of Danubian Horsemen from Mansio Lissae (Bona Mansio)

Abstract

The article presents a lead plaque of the so-called Danubian Horsemen from the village of Vetren, Septemvri Municipality, where the Roman road station mansio Lissae (later Bona mansio) is located. Iconographic and stylistic analysis of the find shows that this is currently the only plaque of Type D from Bulgaria. Its dating can be placed in the second half or the last quarter of the 3rd c. AD. The discovery of the plaque at a road station raises the question of the connection between the Danubian Horsemen monuments and the provincial road network. It has been established that the majority of such finds in Bulgaria originate from sites located along major road arteries. This correlation is linked, on one hand, to the practice of offering votives at roadside sanctuaries, and on the other, to the need for protection, which such monuments are believed to provide.