South-West University "Neofit Rilski"

We begin our journey from the ancient city of Amphipolis, located at the mouth of the Struma River, along the north Aegean coast.

In the area of Nine Roads opposite Amphipolis there was an important ancient settlement, an important crossroad center in antiquity since the time of the Iron Age. Appreciating the important strategic importance of this region the Athenians managed to found their colony Amphipolis in 437/436 BC after two failed attempts.

The city was built high on a hill and on both banks of the Struma River, from where it took its name. The city controlled the whole region along the Struma River, part of the ancient road, known during the Roman era as Via Egnatia which led to the interior of ancient Thrace. Amphipolis also controlled gold and silver mines in Pangaion Mountain.

Perennial archaeological research has revealed important parts of the ancient city. Among them are sections of the outer and inner fortified wall, five of the fortress gates, the ancient bridge over the Struma River, the gymnasium, the sanctuaries of Attis, Clio, Thesmophorion.

1. The Thesmophorion	2. An early Christian basilica from the Acropolis of the town	3. Sphinx from the entrance of the tomb. Photographer Katerina Peristeri	4. А statue of the next to the Struma River

Five spectacular early Christian basilicas were studied in the Acropolis of the town.

Residential complexes of the ancient city dating back to the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods have also been studied.

The necropolis of the town were revealed and studied outside the fortified wall and several monumental tombs of Macedonian type were found there. Among them the monumental tomb beneath the Kasta mound shines with the greatest power. It is located east of the ancient town. A monumental staircase with sixteen steps leads to the first room where two marble sphinx are located at the entrance.

The floor is decorated with stone geometric flooring. Two majestic caryatids on a marble pedestal can be seen in the second premise. In the third premise behind the caryatids there is an antique mosaic presenting the scene: God Pluto abducts Kore-Persephone to the underworld. According to the mosaics and sculptural decoration the tomb dates back to the last quarter of the 4th century BC. A monumental marble gate leads to the fourth room where the main burial chamber of the monument is located.

 

Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis

5. Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis. Exterior. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	6. Archaeological Museum of Amphipolis. Interior. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov

It is located inside the outlines of the ancient city of Amphipolis. The most important exponents in the museum are the prehistoric and Thracian pottery, gold jewellery from Amphipolis necropolis, a small ceramic sculpture from the Classical and Hellenistic period -images of Aphrodite and Eros, of Cybele and Attis. Special attention is given to the marble burial steles from the Hellenistic period, as well as the marble votive plates dedicated to the Dioscuri and the river god Strymon, the Great goddess Cybele and the Thracian horseman.

Among the epigraphic monuments, the law of the Amphipolis gymnasium, which is preserved in a very good condition, should be noted. The museum has a rich collection of red and polychrome Hellenic ceramics, terracotta figures, as well as monuments of jewelry dating from the Classical and Hellenistic epochs.

A special accent in the exposition is placed on a silver reliquary with a golden olive wreath, which probably belonged to the Spartan commander Brasidas who died here in battle with the Athenians in 422 BC, and a golden wreath coming from a male burial.

7. The silver reliquary and the golden wreath the Spartan officer Brasidas	8. A golden wreath of oak leaves

We continue our journey to the north to the ancient and medieval city of Serres.

Serres was first mentioned as Siris by the Greek historian Herodotus, the father of history, in the 5th century BC. It is also mentioned as Siras by Titus

Livius as Siras, as well as by other ancient authors. The city had an important geo-strategic location on the road along the Struma River which in ancient times was navigable up to Kerkini Lake. During the Roman era the city was mentioned in literary sources as Sirra, Sirraion. During the Byzantine era Serres is known as а big, strong and rich city, the capital of the Theme of Strymon. The most famous monument of the Byzantine era in Serres is the tower of the Acropolis of the city. It is known as the Tower of Orestes. It served as a donjon - a place for the last defense of the fortress defenders.

9. The tower- donjonat the Acropolis of Serres. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	10. St. Nicholaschurch atthe Acropolis of Serres. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov

The church of St. Nicholas at the Acropolis of Serres also dates from the Byzantine era (XII century AD). It functioned as a cemetery temple with a crypt.

The church of St. Theodor Tyron and Theodore Stratelates known as the old Metropolis is very interesting as an architectural monument from the Byzantine era. It is considered to be the most important cultural and historical monument in Serres. The temple functioned as a metropolitan church throughout the Byzantine period and later.

11. Serres.The old Metropolis. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	12. Serres. Тhe Archaeological Museum "Bezisten"

Archaeological Museum of Serres

Тhe Archaeological Museum "Bezisten" is located on "Eleftheria" square of Serres. The building dates back to the 15th century.

After being restored and renovated, it is now functioning as an archaeological museum where the archaeological finds from Serres district of all periods are located. A special place in the exposition is dedicated to the tomb reliefs of the Roman era. They are a specific group representing the Roman portrait in the region and they show close contacts of culture from the Roman era with the region of Middle Struma (the regions of modern cities Sandanski and Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria).

Particularly impressive are the Early Christian and Byzantine exhibits from the town of Serres, Most notably among them are the marble icon of Christ and the twelfth-century mosaic of St Andrew the Apostle. The icons come from the old cathedral of Serres.

13. Tombstone reliefs. Roman age. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	14. St. Andrew the Apostle

We continue our journey north. We cross the Greek-Bulgarian border at Promachonas / Kulata and head for the late Roman city at the modern town of Sandanski.The ancient city lies under the modern one. The earliest Thracian settlement here arose around the mineral springs in the 2nd millennium BC. The region falls into the tribal territory of the Thracian tribe Medi from which Spartak comes - the leader of the greatest slave rebellion in the Roman Empire in 73-71 BC. In the 2nd and 3rd century AD the settlement was given the status of a city. In the 3rd-4th century the Roman city at modern Sandanski occupied 20 hectares of land and was fortified with a fortress wall. Many researchers now identify it as the ancient city of Parthicopolis.

In the 6th century AD the Roman town at Sandanski is one of the earliest and most significant episcopal centers in the territory of Bulgaria. Archaeological studies have revealed 7 early Christian basilicas. With its grandiose architecture and exceptionally rich artistic decoration the Episcopal Complex is the most representative ensemble in the ancient city of Parthicopolis in the 5th - 6th centuries.

The Episcopal Basilica has an atrium (inner courtyard with a well) and a narthex. There is a well-preserved pulpit, an altar, and a synthronon with three rows of seats in the naos. The complex also includes a baptistery which is remarkable for its shape and size.

15. The Episcopal Basilica. A view from the south	16. The Episcopal Basilica. Interior

The martyrium is one of the most important discoveries in the Episcopal Complex. It is placed in the northwestern part of the complex and has a richly decorated altar table with niches for the preservation of relics and a spring with holy water.Magnificent mosaics in opus tessellatum and opus sectile style were found here.

 

Archeological museum of Sandanski

The Archaeological Museum of Sandanski was founded in 1936.Today, the museum has a 400 m² exhibition area, spread over two floors in three exhibition halls.

Exhibits of prehistory and antiquity are presented in the two halls on the second floor. The first floor is situated above the foundations of the Early Christian Basilica from the 5th century, known as the Basilica of Bishop Yoan.

17. Archeological museum of Sandanski	18. A floor mosaic from the Bishop's Basilica.Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov

In the museum there is a unique collection of Roman gravestone marble plastic art (1st - 3rd century) typical for the Middle Struma river valley. Real masterpieces of antique art are the steles of Julius Maximus,of Asclepius, the gift stele of Flaviana Philocratia and others. The collection has also various votive steles dedicated to Artemis, Heracles, Zeus and Hera, the local deity Teos Selenos and others, as well as statue replica of a famous copy of Aphrodite.

19. A votive stele of Artemis. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	20. A statue of Aphrodite. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov

We continue our journey north against the Struma River. A fortified late antique building was studied archeologically by the Regional Historical Museum of Blagoevgrad 16 km west of Blagoevgrad near the village of Drenkovo.

The region has been populated since the prehistoric age. A road linking the valleys of the rivers Struma and Vardar was passing along the Drenkovska River during the Late Antiquity. This road guarded the monumental square fortified building located south of the village of Drenkovo. It is equipped with semiround towersin its four corners. The building was constructed in the typical of the late-Roman fortress Opus Mixtum style meaning "mixed work".

21. A fortified late antique building near the village of Drenkovo, Blagoevgrad municipality	22. Regional History Museum in Blagoevgrad

 

Regional History Museum of Blagoevgrad

The museum was founded in 1952 year. It has a well-established structure consisting of departments of "Archaeology", "Ethnography", "Bulgarian lands from the 15th to the beginning of the 20th century", "New and Modern History", "Nature", "Art department", "Funds", "Public Relations", modern laboratories for preservation and restoration.

The Regional History Museum in Blagoevgrad has a big collection of early Neolithic clay stamps - pintaderi. It is the largest in Europe. The most significant clay stampsare exhibited in the "Prehistory and Antiquity" hall.

Unique samples of Thracian weapons from the region of the Western Rhodopes are exhibited. The famous ancient inscription from Skaptopara is presented here. It testifies about the Thracian-Roman settlement near the warm mineral springs preceding Blagoevgrad. In the same hall are exhibited some of the best samples and collections originating from the region of Southwest Bulgaria and owned by the museum - Thracian, Hellenic and Roman ceramics, metal vessels and tools of labor dating back to the antiquity, reconstructions of antique crafts and ancient Thracian funerary monuments.

23. A clay stamps - pintadera. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	24. Thracian ceramics. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov

There is a rich collection of tombstones from the Roman era. In the Middle Struma valley, they form a very characteristic group which differs to a great extent from the monuments in the rest of Bulgaria, both in their size and shape, as well as in the depictions in the relief field. They find parallels in the Roman tombstones kept in the museums of Sandanski and Serres.

Unique clay colored masks of Satyr and Bacchantes (known also as maenads) who weremembers of the retinue of Dionysus - the god of wine and festivity are presented in the last showcase of the Prehistory and Antiquity hall.

Monuments from the Early Christian era originating from the region are also exhibited.

25. Tombstones. Thracian- Roman era. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov	26. An altar barrier and mosaics from an early Christian church. Photographer Dr. Krum Ivanov