Roman baths in Varna is a complex of ancient Roman baths in the port city of Varna , in Bulgaria . They are located in the historical southeastern part of the city, near the port. The baths were built around the end of the 2nd century AD and represent the largest surviving term in the Balkans . They are also one of the best preserved monuments of the ancient era in Bulgaria. Nowadays, the summer theater and concerts are held on the territory of the term in the summer.
Content
History
The ruins are relatively well researched, although there are houses and churches between the two fenced areas, under which undoubtedly there are many ancient buildings and artifacts. The baths attracted the interest of historians and archaeologists long before the start of archaeological excavations. Back in 1906, the Austrian scientist E. Kalinka established that the ruins are an ancient building, but the main merit, which caused scientific interest in this antiquity and preserved it, belongs to the Shkorpil brothers.
The main parts of the building were discovered after excavations of the Archaeological Museum of Varna from 1959 to 1971 under the leadership of Milko Mirshev. Parts of the premises, as well as the southern artery of the western underground gallery, are preserved under modern streets. Ongoing and currently archaeological studies clarify the purpose of the building and establish the era of its construction. The open building is part of the thermal baths of the Roman city of Odessos. The architectural style indicates that they were built in the late II - early III century. Coins found in the sewers minted during the time of Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) confirm this date. Coins of the most recent period were used during the time of Emperor Tacitus (275). Thus, it was found that the terms functioned until the end of the 3rd century. The grandeur of the construction, the impeccable execution of a brilliant architectural design, the richness of decoration make the baths a unique monument of ancient architecture on Bulgarian lands. They testify to the flourishing of culture in the city in the II-III centuries, about its wealth and well-being. Varna baths are one of the largest in the European part of the Roman Empire.
During the excavations, a statue of Claudius Aquila was found, as well as statues of the Roman deities Hercules, Victoria and Mercury, which probably decorated the halls and gave them a solemn appearance. According to the found inscriptions, the patron gods of health, Asclepius and Hygyeus, had a sanctuary in the northwestern part of the term. Archaeologists also encountered fragments of marble window frames, decorated in the style of the dagger Heracles, who was also revered as the patron god of springs.
Location
Literature
- Pencho Slaveikov Regional Library, Varna
- Mirchev M. et al. Varna through the centuries, 1960
- Stoyanov, Peter. Varna in antiquity, 1998
- Georgiev, P. Roman Baths, 1984
- Georgiev, P. Roman Baths of Odessos, 2006