Monumental Topography of Messembria (2014)

transcript

School of HumanitiesMA in Black Sea Cultural Studies

2013-1014 Winter Semester

Monumental topography of Mesembria

Student:Emilia Papoutsi Module:

2201130027 Archaeology-Monumentaltopography of the Black Sea RegionCourse Leader:Dr. Manolis Manoledakis

Emilia Papoutsi2

PREFACE:

The aim of this essay is to provide its readerswith a substantial but yet critical analysis of themonumental topography of Mesembria. Due tothe longitude of the historical continuity, thefocus of the analysis will be restrained to theancient era-with a reference to the Romanperiod- while data for later periods will bereferred epigrammatically. The main part shallcontain a brief history-chronologically evolving.Furthermore, the main part will comprise ofmonumental topographic data and culturalevidence of the Thracian-pre Greek era- as wellas data for the Greek colonization period. Forbetter comprehension, rich documentation ofcorresponding pictures shall be attached withinthe text. Conclusions and remarks at the finalpart of the essay should provide of an overview.

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CONTENTS:

Introduction

Brief History

The Thracian ‘’Bria’’

Excavations

Fortification walls

Urban planning

Cultural evidence

Cults and Religion

Coinage

Necropolis

Conclusions/Remarks

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Introduction:

From antiquity, the Black Sea region served as a cornerstone ofcommercial activities and mythological inspiration for the Greek colonists.The coexistence with the indigenous peoples, forms an exceptionalcultural landscape in the peninsula. This is also the case for Mesembria.Mesembria was a Thracian settlement that became a Greek Doric colony.The Thracian indigenous peoples called the city ‘’Melsambria’’ or‘’Menambria’’, a word deriving from the name of the Thracian king andfounder of the city –Melsas or Mena- and the word ‘’bria’’- which means‘’city’’ in the Thracian dialect. The Greek colonists that came later there,called the city ‘’Mes(s)embria’’ or ‘’Mes(s)ambria’’, while Slavic-mainlyBulgarian population that inhabited the area in the middle ages, called thecity Nes(s)ebar or Nes(s)ebur1 which is the name of the city even today2.Strabo3 writes:

‘’…εἶτα τὸ Αἷμον ὄρος μέχρι τῆς δεῦρο θαλάττης διῆκον· εἶταΜεσημβρία Μεγαρέων ἄποικος, πρότερον δὲΜενεβρία, οἷον Μένα πόλις, τοῦκτίσαντος Μένα καλουμένου, τῆς δὲ πόλεως βρίας καλουμένης Θραικιστί· …’’4

‘’… Then comes the Haemus Mountain, which reaches the sea here; then Mesembria, a colony ofthe Megarians, formerly called "Menebria" (that is, "city of Menas," because the name of its founderwas Menas, while "bria" is the word for "city" in the Thracian language;…’’5

Mesembria is in the Western coastal part of Black Sea -on the BlackSea- and at the foot of Mount Haemus. It is located in the Province ofBurgas in Bulgaria and is situated 35 km northeast of the city of Burgas.Mesembria was an island 850m long and 350m wide6. The island was 40ha in size, but after transgression and earthquakes it dwindled to only25-27 ha. It is connected to the mainland by a narrow man-made isthmus

1 At first the Slavs called it Mes(s)ebar which changed throughout time to Nes(s)ebar. H. Preshlenov,‘’Mesembria’’, http://www.scribd.com/doc/56383369/H-Preshlenov-Mesambria2 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg 13 Strabo, (born c. 64 bce, Amaseia, Pontus—died after 21 ce), Greek geographer and historian whoseGeography is the only extant work covering the whole range of peoples and countries known to bothGreeks and Romans during the reign of Augustus (27 bce–14 ce). Its numerous quotations fromtechnical literature, moreover, provide a remarkable account of the state of Greek geographical science,as well as of the history of the countries it surveys.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/567832/Strabo4http://el.wikisource.org/wiki/%CE%A3%CF%84%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%B2%CF%89%CE%BD_7 Book VI, Chapter 65 http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7F*.html Book VI, Chapter 66 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg3

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that was only 12.0 m wide and 3 m high7 and about 350-400 m long.According to scholars the Thracians had already built a connection to themainland in a more primitive form than today’s connection.8

view of Nesebar frommap Southwest

Brief History:

As already mentioned above, Mesembria was a Thraciansettlement-probably of the Nipsaei tribe-9since at least 12th

century BC, was colonized by Megarians on the 6th century BC (510)and received additional colonists from Byzantium and Chalcedon10.Actually this issue is debatable: Herodotous mentions that settlersfrom Chalcedon and Byzantium founded Mesembria, Scymnos Chiossays that the town was built by Chalcedonians and Megarians11 whileStrabo says it was founded by Megarians12. During late antiquityMesembria was included in the province of Haemimont in Thrace13. At425-424 BC the town joined the Delian League14. The town fell underRoman rule in 71 century BC, but yet continued to enjoy privilegessuch as the right to mint its own coinage. It was officiallyincorporated into the Roman Empire only in early 1st century AD.Later on, Mesembria served as one of the most significantstrongholds against invaders during Byzantine Empire. Since the

7 http://blacksea.ehw.gr/forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaID=106708 Thracians is said to have built the road-connection to the mainland due to the need for supplyingthemselves with cereal and other (food) stuff.9 The Histories (Penguin Classics) by Herodotus, John M. Marincola, and Aubery de Selincourt, ISBN0-14-044908-6, 2003, page 271, "The Thracians of... those who live beyond Apollonia and Mesembria,known as the Scyrmiadae and Nipsaeans, surren- dered without fighting; but the Getae, ...’’10 Byzantium: Old part of Istanbul Turkey, Chalcedon: New part of Istanbul Turkey.11 http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0064:entry=mesembria-geo12 http://perseus.uchicago.edu/perseus-cgi/citequery3.pl?dbname=GreekFeb2011&getid=2&query=Str.%207.6.213 http://blacksea.ehw.gr/forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaID=1067014 This can be confirmed by the vast amount of black and red figured Athenian amphora found and alsoby a Mesembrian coin that was minted at that period that coincided with the Athenian standards.

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foundation of Bulgarian kingdom in 681 from time to time Bulgariansconquered it but later the conversion of the Bulgarians toChristianism marked a new era of more peaceful co-existence with theByzantines15. It is also has to be mentioned that Mesembria served asa naval basis for the crusaders. Afterwards, the Ottoman dominationfrom 1453 (till 1878) marked the start of its decline. In addition,many Mesembrians resettled in Constantinople and fitted easily to thenew Ottoman system. Today-and since 1885- Mesembria or incontemporary terms Nesebar is part of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Another brief division of historical evolution of the area could becategorized as such:

Thracian “bria” (till 6th c. B.C.) Antiquity (5th c. B.C.- 4th c. A.D.) Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages (5-9 c.) The Middle Ages (9th-14th c.) Within the Ottoman Empire (1453-1878) Third Bulgarian state from the Liberation until the end of World War

II (1878-1945) People’s Republic of Bulgaria (1946-1989) 16

The Thracian ‘’bria’’:

Recent excavation data showed traces of life from 2000 BC –observed but not yet specified17 which were discovered on the

15 Eg. Tsar Constantine Tychos marries Maria the cousin of Emperor M.PaleologosVIII and Mesembriais given back to Byzantium as a marital gifthttp://blacksea.ehw.gr/forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaID=1067016 http://pou-nesebar.org/en/general-description/historical-and-scientific-review/17 The information is from the latest research on the peninsula, made by Assoc. Prof. Anelia Bozhkova,PhD and Petya Kiyashkina. According to the team, that has made archaeological research in Nessebarin the 1960s and 1970s, the earliest remains of human presence date back from the Late Bronze Age –

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northern coast - a fact that enlists Melsambria to the most ancientcolonies in the Black Sea region. What is certainly certified are findsof stone anchors dating back to the 12th – 11th century BC,ornaments and items from everyday life- pottery vessels from the9th – 6th c BC.

St. John Aleitourgeitos where the oldest traces of Thracian life are observed.http://icaci.org/map-of-the-month-032012/

At this point, it has to be mentioned that it is not by chance that only100 Km away from Melsambria- in Provadiya - lies today one of the oldestpre-historic towns dated back in 4,700 to 4,200 years ago. The towns aswell as some of the artifacts found in the town are shown the picturesbelow18.

the end of the 2nd and the beginning of the 1st millennium BC (discovered north of the church of StJohn Aleitourgitos and on the northern coast) http://pou-nesebar.org/en/significance/outstanding-universal-value/characteristics-of-the-single-immovable-heritage-sites/18 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/49645182/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/bulgaria-claims-find-europes-oldest-town/#.UsIL1vs5pac

ThracianPotteryvessels andeveryday lifeitems 9th -6thc BC,ttp://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=temporary

Bronze horsefrom a statuarygroup of aThracianhorseman 4th cBC,Z.Chimbuleva/D.Saselov translation:A.Petkova-Nedeva,‘’Ancient city ofNessebur’’, TechnikaPublishing House,Sofia, 1993, pg.29

Thracian vessel6th cBC,

Z.Chimbuleva/D.Saselov translation:A.Petkova-Nedeva,‘’Ancient city ofNessebur’’, TechnikaPublishing House, Sofia,1993, pg.30

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a)19 b)20

Excavations & Research:

According to the Management plan of the ancient city of Nesebar,there are outlined nine key zones with a complex historical stratificationand include the most valuable heritage sites.

Historical stratification of the site and its adjacent territory,http://pou-nesebar.org/en/general-description/historical-and-scientific-review/

Map Key areas:(1) the area around the West gate of the town;(2) the area around the South gate of the town with the churches of St.John Aleitourgitos and St. Stephen;(3) the area at the central square Messembria and the church of ChristPantokrator, in front of which are discovered the ruins of an archaictemple;

19 http://shiftfrequency.com/europes-oldest-prehistoric-town-found-in-bulgaria/20 http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=sights_arheolo

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(4) the area around the churches of St. John the Baptist and of St. Spas(Saviour) with the early-Byzantine thermae and the hammam from theOttoman period;(5) the area around the Old Metropolitan church: this is the place of theAgora in the Ancient Messambria and of the main square with themetropolitan church of the Medieval Nessebar;(6) the small square in the eastern part of the peninsula, formed byNational Revival structures, below which are preserved also ancientstructures; the memory of the existed church of St. George is stillpreserved;(7) the area around the churches of St. Paraskeva and of St. ArchangelsMichael and Gabriel;(8) the area around the basilica of Holy Virgin Eleousa” (in the MedievalNessebar – monastery complex) with the ruins of a windmill and newlydiscovered archaeological structures;(9) the Border Police complex at the eastern end of the peninsula, stillunexplored, but with high potential for revealing of historicalstructures – this is the western part of the Acropolis in the AncientMessambria and of the monastery complex – in the Medieval Nesebar.

It should be referred that in these key areas there are heritage sitesfrom all periods of time from 16th -12th century BC to 20th century andinclude: Thracian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Bulgarianmonumental legacy. The city’s remains -as far as the ancient heritage isconcerned- date mostly from the Hellenistic period. The excavationshave uncovered or found traces and so far include the acropolis, twotemples of Apollo, one temple of Zeus one temple of Poseidon, anagora, a necropolis and a wall from the Thracian fortifications. Wealso know that the city had a gymnasium and a theatre, whose remainshave not yet come to light. The most important evidence derives from therich epigraphic material.

From 60’s a team of archaeologists, headed by Associate ProfessorAneliya Bozhkova with the National Archaeological Institute with theBulgarian Academy of Science, and Petya Kiyashkina with the AncientNesebar Museum transact excavation research in old Nesebar. Exceptfor that team there was also a private archaeological project back in2006-2007 from the prominent archaeologist Hristo Preshlenov, whoseexcavations brought out such significant artifacts that the Ministry ofCulture and Museum “Old Nessebar.” took over. As early as 1956 therewas already the first archaeological exhibition in the monumental churchof St. John the Babtist. Since 1994 the exhibitions are taking place in

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the new building of the museum which is located in the western part ofthe old city of Nesebar at the left side of the main entrance from themainland.

Along with the survey on land, the management plan considers alsounderwater archaeological survey, measuring the aquatory with distancelaser sensor; measurement with multi ray sonar system; development ofmaps of the Geographic Information System; analysis of the gatheredinformation; development and implementation of underwaterarchaeological survey.21 At the moment there are three research andexcavation programmes running:

Programme 2012 of urgent activities: includes urgent research innorth coast as well as research in north-east part in the main gateand documentation.

Programme 2013-2017: includes underwater archaeological surveyand will continue the regular archaeological surveys on land.

Programme 2013-2032: will include investigations of somedifficult for access sites but yet promising for finds.

21 http://pou-nesebar.org/en/strategic-guidelines-for-conservation-use-and-management/enhancement-of-the-activities-on-identification-registration-documentation-and-archaeological-research/

Excavations area

AgoraMuseum Eastern part of

Acropolis(underwater)

Underwaterexcavations

WesternAcropolis

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Fortification walls & Ports:

Throughout times, a variety of fortificationsystems was built and turned the peninsula into anintangible fortress. What is interesting is the factthat the Thracian inhabitants had already built afortification system in Melsambria since as earlyas the 8th century BC. A fortified wall with a gatehas been found from this period. It was made ofhewn stone joined by mud. The wall that can be seen nowadays is 2 mhigh.22

When the Greek colonists from Megarasettled in the area around 510 BC, they didnot bother themselves immediately withreconstructing new walls. What they did wasto construct a new defence system only atlate 5th to early 4th century BC. The worklasted till the 3rd century BC. Big stone blockswere used, their face sides being speciallypolished, placed in line, without any solder.The inner part of the wall was felled with

broken stones and soil. The Greek wall was well studied in the west partof the town. The walls found are 1.30 x 0.60 x 0.50 m in size. It can beseen that in some places it overlaps the later one – the Byzantine.Mesembria being conquered by the Romans, the found defence systemwas preserved and used during the following centuries.

The fortification system was reconstructed again by theByzantines in 5th century AD. The new fortified wall hasbeen built in “opus mixtum” – alternation of stones and bricks.The best-preserved part of it can be seen today near the citygate, opposite to the strip. Here the wall was faced with bigorthogonal hewn stone blocks. The gate was flanked with twosquare towers on both sides of which round and semicircular

22 http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=sights_wall

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http://www.panoramio.com/photo/65073513

towers were symmetrically placed. Two gates – a drawbridge like one anda twin leafed gate closed tightly the access to the town. During the EarlyByzantine period a fortified wall was built on the south – west coast, nearthe port23.

Remnants of the fortress walls also have been found underwaterabout 80 meters from the northern shores. Except from these,underwater excavations have confirmed the presence of two lateantique and medieval ports in north and in the south of the peninsula.The ports date back to the Thracian era. Some of the artifacts found areshown in the pictures below:

b) Stone anchors 16th-12th c BCa) Archaeological museum exhibition24 found underwater 25

c) Stone anchors with holes12th c BC from northern harbour26

23 http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=sights_wall24 www.bulgariatravel.org25 Stiliyan Stanimirov, ‘’The Western BS coast in Neolithic and Bronze ages. Survey methods of underwater archaeology andsite findings’’ central archaeological council, Bulgaria, Athena review Vol..3, no 4. pg 1026 Z.Chimbuleva/D.Saselov translation: A.Petkova-Nedeva, ‘’Ancient city of Nessebur’’, Technika Publishing House, Sofia,1993, pg.27

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The Greek polis:

Urban planning:According to the remnants found and according to scholars, the

houses in Mesembria during the Greek colonization period had the typicalstructure of the Greek houses in all the Greek colonies of the BlackSea peninsula. The layout of the excavated buildings suggests that therewas an orthogonal (rectangular) street system, with an aqueduct built

Fortifications underwater/northharbor

West gate-fortifications

South gate-fortifications/South harbor

Typical Greekhouse fromChersonisos

Nesebartoday(aerial view),still has arectangular

Plan of themedievalfortresshttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mesembria_Fortress_plan.png

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the 5th BC. In the city plan there were also a main square (agora) whereassemblies took place, huge porticos and various temples, a theatre,gymnasium and other buildings decorated with statues. The houses wererectangular. Their foundations and the facing of the cellar sandstaircases were from hewn and semi-hewn stone, and their walls, fromadobe. The wooden columns were usually coloured in red. Thecourtyards, paved with grey flagstones, were surrounded by a peristyle(colonnade). Corinthian-type tiles were used. The peripheral tiles andthe semes were usually decorated with relief ornaments meanders orother curves -while the antefixes (in ancient architecture, the stone orceramic ornaments on the cornice at the eaves) occasionally depictedMedusa, Athena or Hercules. Benefactors of the city were sometimes

portrayed in the curves of the meander. Traces ofmurals have been found in one house. The colour combination -red, blue,white and grey, with a black outline indicates that they are from aroundthe 3rd to 2nd BC27. To cut a long story short, the design and structureof the houses in Mesembria, the building materials and techniques, as wellas their interior design, prove that the cities of the Black Sea and of theMediterranean Sea shared common architecture by the end of theHellenistic period. This is further illustrated by the discovery of theremains of the so-called "House of Artemidorus" (4th-2nd/1st c. BC.) inMesembria, as well as by the pottery found in the region28.

Cultural evidence:Numerous monuments dated to 6th – 2nd century BC serve as an

illustrative picture of the spiritual and cultural life as well as artisticcrafts flourishing in this small Thracian coastal town. Thearchitectural and art artifacts from excavations incombinations with the rich epigraphic material found in thearea provide a clear picture of the cultural life in Mesembria.Sculptures, fragments of Doric columns, capitals, statueplinths stone inscriptions, tomb-stones, low and high stone

relieves with various figures theatre masks, local made earthenware

27 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg 3-428 L.Ognenova-Marinova,., “L’architecture domestique à Messambria IVe-IIe s. av. J.-C.”, in Velkov,V. (ed.), Nessebre III. In memoriam Jeannae Čimbuleva (Burgas 2005), pp. 11-12.

Hall 2Museumexhibition,Nesebar

Hall 2 Museumexhibition,Nesebar

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vessels and imported black and red figured pottery are just someexamples. Rich documentation also confirms that a feast of Dionysus andathletic competitions took place as well as the existence of a theatre anda gymnasium. The finds indicate that the city was a major centre of artsand crafts that attracted craftsmen from near and distant lands.Researchers have unearthed traces and different materials fromworkshops and studios for metal-working (5thcentury BC), ceramics andterra cotta (6th-5th century BC), and sculpture. The city had a busycultural life -plays, sports competitions and various other festivities29.

Mesembria was governed by a council elected by national assembly.The council resolutions (decrees) engraved on marble were demonstratedin the central temple of the town30. A number of memorial decrees inhonour of notable persons and their noble deeds were found.The marble votive tablets31 are unique monumentsdemonstrating the administrative life of Mesembria during2nd century BC. Upon these sculptural monuments there arepictures of the town magistrates; attending a solemnceremony in honour of great men. A characteristic find is astone inscription in honour of the Thracian king Sadala whichoffers an insight both to the relations of Greeks andThracians and to the Greek cultural customs. Morespecifically the decree says about Sadala32:

29 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg.530 Apollo temple31 Found near temple of Zeus32 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg.4

‘’be crowned with a gold wreath in the theatre as abenefactor of the city during the festival of Dionysus,the citizenry of Mesambria awarded him and hisdescendants the right to take an honorary seat duringcompetitions, the right to sail into and leave the portinviolable and without preliminary agreement as wellas to be crowned every year with a wreath worth 50staters. For this part the treasurer was obliged afterwriting the vow and agreement (with Sadala) insunken letter in a marble slap, to place it next to theslaps of his predecessors Mopsuestus, Tarutinus,Medistus and Cotys in the temple of Apollo.’'

Gathering of thestrategists. NesebarMuseum exhibition

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Mesambria was a typical slave society. The free citizens formed apopular assembly. The assembly elected a legislative council (Boule) andhandled matters of trade, construction, festivities, subsistence, militaryactions etc. fro example military affairs were run by a collegium of sixstrategists, whereas internal security was divided into day-time ‘’amerini’’and night-time ‘’nycterini’’. Stone inscriptions record various events. Thefragmentary records discovered so far show that Mesembria dramatizedan active role in all events of the Hellenic world35.

Trade evidence:Except for political ties Mesembria had trade transactions with

distant Hellenic poleis as well as with different coalitions that joined toprotect its interests. An example is the war with the Milesian colony ofAppolonia over the salt mines of Anchialus in the 2nd century BC. There isalso evidence of thriving trade in the two ports that indicate exports ofwheat, honey, wax, fur, salted fish, copper and timber and import ofelegant Greek goods such as olive oil, a variety of wines, fabrics,pottery and weapons. Furthermore the city’s geostrategic location incombination with the maintenance of fleet ensured extensive trade notonly in the Black Sea but also in the rest of the Mediterranean region.The trade in Mesembria was dual: firstly, Mesembrians wereintermediaries of trade between Thracian tribes and Greek cities and

33 http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=sights_arheolo_purva Marble decree inhonour of Sadala. Nesebar museum34 http://pou-nesebar.org/en/general-description/historical-and-scientific-review/35 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg 3

Ceramic cyma-exterior decorationof house 4th -5th BCZ.Chimbuleva/D.Saselovtranslation: A.Petkova-Nedeva,‘’Ancient city of Nessebur’’,Technika Publishing House,Sofia, 1993, pg.33

Bronze vessel ofCorinth and aclay theatremask. (5th – 4thc.BC).

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secondly direct trade with other Greek poleis and non Greek cities.Among others, trade with Chios, Delos, Rhodos, Thasos, and Egypt isconfirmed by the finds36.

Very recent excavations have unearthed on October 2013 an ancientwine cellar that belonged to a Greek house which for some reasons wasdestroyed on 5th century BC.

In the cellar thirty containers -in really good condition- for storingwine have been discovered in the northern peninsula of Nessebar.Thecellar, is measuring 2.60 x 2.50 m, while the amphorae are 0.70-0.80centimetres tall37.

36 http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf pg 437http://english.nesebarinfo.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1383052596&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&

AmphorafromChiosfound inNesebar(476-454Bc)

RedfiguredkraterosfromAthens inNesebar4th c BC

Attic Black figured oinochoeHercules labour, end of 6th BCZ.Chimbuleva/D.Saselov translation: A.Petkova-Nedeva, ‘’Ancient city of Nessebur’’, TechnikaPublishing House, Sofia, 1993, pg.8

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Cults and religion:The religious life in Mesembria was vivid as well. Greek and Thracian

Deities such as Apollo, Zeus, Poseidon, Athena Soteira, Dionysos,Hermes, Asclepius, Demeter and Kore, Heros38,

Hecate, Isis and Sarapis and many morewere worshiped. Statues, relieves, temples, inscriptions and coinageprovide data for the cults in Mesembria.

In carrying out conservation and restoration works in thechurch St. Paraskeva, on February 2013, archaeologists unearthed a 4mhigh inscription dedicated to Poseidon which was part of the PoseidonAsfaleos-protector of the polis (city-state) of natural disasters –earthquakes- temple. It was discovered and deciphered by thearchaeologist Evtelpa Stoycheva - Ch. Expert "Nessebar World Heritage".In this inscription there are four lines written in ancient Greek out ofwhich only the first one has not yet been read for the stone was damagedover time39.

38 http://bg-daily-news.eu/culture/4574-thracian-horseman-appeared-in-nesebar39http://english.nesebarinfo.com/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1361992845&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&40 http://mythiki-anazitisi.blogspot.gr

2nd AD found on October 2013Heros relief with inscription."Godspeed Papias, son ofHerakleydas ‘’ horse raised his frontleft leg toward the altar stone andwood, around which winds snake.

02/2013 Poseidonepigraphy 4m highSt. ParaskevaChurch.

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In the northern harbour- a temple of Zeus Hyperdexios in Doricorder was found, from which only the northwest corner, as well as thebase of the bronze statue of the deity have survived41.

In the Southern harbour a temple dedicated to Apollo was alsodiscovered. A large part of the statue of the god has been found.

Last but not least, in the centre of Mesembria where the ancientAgora used to be and where St.Sophia basilica is located today- was builton the ruins of the temple of Apollo42.

According to scholars, the settlers at Mesembria had built theirsanctuaries in the same way as in Megara, their metropolis. There weretwo temples dedicated to Zeus and two dedicated to Apollo; two at theharbours and two in the agora. The agora was at the centre of thepeninsula.

41 http://blacksea.ehw.gr/Forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaID=1122942 http://blacksea.ehw.gr/Forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaID=11229

North harbourruin of ZeusHyperdexiostemple

St. Sofia Basilica built on 5th AD in the ancient agoraand upon the temple of Apollo.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/217/gallery/

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Coinage43:Mesembrians started minting their own coins around 440 BC44. It

reached its economic peak on the 3rd –2nd century BC when gold coins werealso emitted. Although on 71 BC Mesembria fell under the Roman rule, ityet continued to enjoy among other privileges the privilege to mint itsown coins. Only after 1st century AD when Mesembria was officiallyincorporated to the Roman Empire were coins with Roman depictionsminted.

43 All coins from http://www.wildwinds.com44 http://www.olkas.net/lemmata/39_Messembria

Temple of ZeusHyperdexios

Ch.St. Paraskeva-Temple of

Poseidon Asfaleos

South harbor- templeof Apollo

St.Sophia Basilica(agora) temple ofApollo

Map ofculturalroute,Management Planhttp://pou-nesebar.org

The most common coinfound in Mesembria depictson the obverse a CrestedCorinthian helmet facingand on the reverse theletters META between fourspokes of wheel,surrounded by border ofradiating lines. Diobol 4th cBC

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Depiction of Deities is very common in the coins, not only fromthe Hellenistic but from the Roman period as well. Archaeologicalexcavations have unearthed coins honoring Athena, Zeus,Demeter, Dionysus and Apollo, Nemesis, Tyche, Hermes, Hygeia,Asclepeos, Dikaiosyni, Nike, Omonoia, Hera, Serapis, Herakles.

In some cases on thereverse one can find theletters MEΣ and asvastika between fourspokes of wheel,surrounded by border ofradiating lines. Diobol.450-350 BC

Obverse: Diademed femalehead facingReverse: Athena advancing lefthand, brandishing a spear andshield and lettersΜΕΣΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ400 - 350 BC

Obverse: Herakles wearinglion’s scalp. Reverse: Zeusenthroned holding eagle andsceptre and lettersΜΕΣΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ125-65 BC

Obverse: Turreted, veiled bust ofDemeter right.Reverse: grain, all within wreathand letters ΜΕΣΑ2nd BC

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To cut a long story short, except for the common coins there werealso found golden coins and a pair of coins that are considered to be theeldest ones depicting a bull and fish, for which not many information canbe provided but for they are peculiar and unique45.

Necropolis:The necropolis of Mesembria was found accidentally while digging for

the foundations for a public construction. Since 2008 and until presenttime, archaeological excavations are taking place. Scholars say that theexcavations in the area of the necropolis are very promising. Only withinthe year 2010 a team of 25 archaeologists unearthed 650 finds of 950

45 Yannis Stoyas, ‘’Two peculiar Thracian coin issues: ΔΑΝΔΗΛΗΤΩΝ and ΜΕΛΣΑ’’, individualauthors 2012, pg. 183 www.academia.edu

Dionysus wreathedwith ivy

Grapes-ΜΕΣΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ

Gordianos & Tranquilina/ Apollostanding left holding plectrumand resting on lyre set oncolumn to rightΜΕΣΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ

Golden coins of 3rd-2nd century BC(Nesebar museum exhibition) Obverse: head of Bull

Reverse: fish and letters ΜΕΛΣΑ

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tombs dating to various historical periods46. There is continuity from 5th

century BC to 15th century AD.

Among others, household objects, mirrors and golden particles werefound. Some of the most precious finds are considered to be the fourunusual and invaluable bronze hydrias that were used for cremationpurposes. Cremation in Mesembria was a rare phenomenon so these tombsprovided useful information concerning the burial customs. In one ofthese hydrias there is a mythological depiction that shows Boreascarrying off Oreithyia. Pictures below show that hydria and thedepictions on it:

46 http://www.balkantravellers.com/en/read/article/156747 http://pou-nesebar.org

wooden coffin 3rd BC. September 2010http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=120467

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The latest excavated hydria depicts two flying deities- a male and afemale50.

Furthermore, dozens of small statutes were found in the graves. Someimportant artifacts are considered to be a red vase for serving winedating to early 4th BC, a “protome”, ceramic bust of a female deity-sameperiod. The vase bears a precise drawing of a griffin with a maenad on itsback standing opposite a satyr. Probably it was made in a workshop inancient Athens. The female deity on the “protome” is considered aprotector of fertility.

48Z.Chimbuleva/D.Saselov translation: A.Petkova-Nedeva, ‘’Ancient city of Nessebur’’, Technika Publishing House, Sofia,1993, pg.349 http://www.ancient-nessebar.com/html/main_en.php?menu=sights_arheolo_vtora

50 http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=119986

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Deity offertility Statutes

Red winevase 4th BC

GoldenJewelry:EarringswithPegasus andamphorae,flying deity,ring-snake,necklace etc3rd BC.Nesebarmuseumexhibition.

Householdobjects

Gravestoneof Calicrita(late 5th to 4thcentury BC)

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Conclusions/Remarks:

Mesembria - today’s old Nesebar- a crossroad of civilizations, exceptfor the ancient legacy demonstrates also a cradle of Christianity. Thereare around 44 churches, built between 5th and 19th century. Nowadays,some of them are transformed into museums, others are restored andeven operating, but the biggest part of them is only ruins. In addition it isinteresting to note that in 1956 old Nesebar was declared a nationalheritage park by the Bulgarian government while in 1983, UNESCOincluded it to the World Cultural Heritage list. It is not by chancecalled the ‘’Diamond’’ of Bulgaria.

If someone visits old Nesebar today he will have the chance to beacquainted with a tour throughout millenniums of history. He will see:

Thracian Bronze age heritage:

Hellenistic legacy:

Roman baths:

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Byzantine Churches:

Ottoman hamam:

National revival Bulgarian wooden houses:

And last but not least, modern touristic resorts:

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Words: 3,880 (without cover/contents/preface)BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Chimbuleva.Z./Saselov.D. translation: A.Petkova-Nedeva, ‘’Ancient city ofNessebur’’, Technika Publishing House, Sofia, 1993

MarincolaJohn M. , and de Selincourt Aubery ‘’The Histories’’ (PenguinClassics) by Herodotus, , ISBN 0-14-044908-6, 2003

Ognenova-Marinova, L.,“L’architecture domestique à Messambria IVe-IIes. av. J.-C.”, in Velkov, V. (ed.), Nessebre III. In memoriam JeannaeČimbuleva (Burgas 2005)

Stanimirov Stiliyan , ‘’The Western BS coast in Neolithic and Bronze ages.Survey methods of underwater archaeology and site findings’’ centralarchaeological council, Bulgaria, Athena review Vol..3, no 4.

Stoyas Yannis , ‘’Two peculiar Thracian coin issues: ΔΑΝΔΗΛΗΤΩΝ andΜΕΛΣΑ’’, individual authors 2012

H. Preshlenov, ‘’Mesembria’’,http://www.scribd.com/doc/56383369/H-Preshlenov-Mesambriahttp://el.wikisource.org Book VI, Chapter 6http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7F*.html BookVI, Chapter 6http://www.rozylowicz.com/pdf-files/nessebur.pdf ‘’Nessebur’’ pdfhttp://www.britannica.comhttp://blacksea.ehw.grhttp://pou-nesebar.orghttp://icaci.orghttp://www.ancient-nessebar.comhttp://www.nbcnews.comhttp://shiftfrequency.comhttp://www.panoramio.comwww.bulgariatravel.orghttp://commons.wikimedia.orghttp://www.chersonesos.orghttp://english.nesebarinfo.comhttp://bg-daily-news.euhttp://whc.unesco.orghttp://www.olkas.nethttp://www.wildwinds.comwww.academia.eduhttp://www.balkantravellers.comhttp://www.novinite.comhttp://mythiki-anazitisi.blogspot.grhttp://www.perseus.tufts.eduhttp://perseus.uchicago.edu

Monumental Topography of Messembria (2014)

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