Remains of Roman military facilities shed new light on life near Bulgaria's town of Lom on the Danube

published on 1/26/25 5:05 AM

Photo: BTA

Archaeological excavations in the Kaleto district of the Bulgarian town of Lom situated on the Danube River have revealed remains of Roman defensive facilities dating back to the 1st century AD.

Archaeologists prove that Lower Danube region bubbled with life and well-being in the first century

The excavations, led by Senior Assistant Professor Dr. Vladislav Zhivkov from the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, reached a depth of 7.5 meters, where a fortress wall and three ditches were discovered. They were part of a camp of a Roman military unit from the first half of the 1st century AD.

Later, a new camp was built on top of them, in which a building was studied, which is assumed to have been a barracks for soldiers or a stable. Imported ceramic vessels, mainly from Southern Gaul, as well as bronze objects and coins, were found in it. ‎

Archaeologists have established that the military camp was burned down during an attack in the 80s of the 1st century. At that time, Lom was a border point of the Roman Empire with Dacia, and the fortifications played an important role in defense.

After the conquest of Dacia in the 2nd century, the city retained its importance as a port on the Danube. During the Middle Ages, the fortress walls were repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.

During the excavations, a clay floor from the 11th century BC was also discovered with broken pieces of ceramic vessels associated with the Baley-Orsoia culture. This confirms that at the end of the Late Bronze Age, a settlement with an adjacent necropolis existed in the area of today's Lom.

In 2024, some 400 finds were discovered during the excavations, including ancient objects such as horse ammunition, ornaments, crosses and ceramic vessels. All artifacts will be transferred for storage to the Historical Museum in Lom, said Dr. Vladislav Zhivkov in an interview for the Hristo Botev channel on the Bulgarian National Radio.

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Remains of Roman military facilities shed new light on life near Bulgaria's town of Lom on the Danube

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