NCIENT AND MEDIEVAL TOWN DEULTUM - DEBELT
Municipality Sredets, village of Debelt
Located on 18 km southwest from Burgas at the north rand of the village Debelt, along the banks of Grudovska River. Direct access to the archaeological site from national road 79 direction Burgas - Lesovo border crossing to Turkey.
Area: 180 acres
History
During the time of emperor Vespasianus (69-79 AD) over the north shore of the river Sredetska, a colony of military veterans from the Eighth Augustan Legion, was found over the old Thracian settlement Deultum. The name of the new city was Colonia Flavia Pacis Deultensium. Those legionaries became famous during the putting down of the great rebellion in Judas and during the civil war demonstrating of the new emperor’s authority. Under Roman law, the veterans were given a large territory between the lakes Burgas and Mandra. It is interesting that the name of the ancient city Deultum has Thracian origin and means "a place between two marshes," which refers to the terrain features of this area in the past and even today.
The biggest prosperity of Deultum begins during the Severan dynasty (at the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd century). Back then the city covered a territory of more than 250 decares (250 000 sq.m), it had a well developed infrastructure, which was set according to the cardinal directions. Temples of Asclepius and Cybele were erected in its central part of the city. Furthermore local gods like the Thracian Horseman and Heracles were praised. During the time of Emperor Septimius Severus, a temple of the emperor’s cult was also built here. For fifty years the city coinage emissions of bronze coins. The images on both sides of the coins give us important information on how the city looked like, its building, religious life and economy.
Preservation
Ancient and medieval town Deultum - Debelt was declared a national archaeological reserve in 1988.
Archaeological research have been conducted in Deultum for over 32 years. Revealed is part of the ancient city, founded in 69 AD by the Roman Emperor Vespasianus as a colony of Roman soldiers from Legio octava Augusta (Eighth Augustan Legion). In the Middle Age Debelt acted as a border between the Bulgarian kingdom and Byzantium and played an important role in border relations between the two countries. In the beginning. of the 9th century to the north of the city was built the Old Bulgarian border ridge Erkesia.
The archaeological studies in Deultum continue, at the moment a project for emergency conservation and restorations is being implemented. At the archaeological reserve there is a museum exposition and a small visitor complex, which are in process of renovation.
Area Descriptions
The most interesting sites in the archaeological reserve are:
- Roman soldier's bathroom,
- public buildings and fortress from the 3rd-4th century,
- small medieval castle from the 5th-14th century on the south bank of the river,
- a church built at the time Tsar Boris I in the 9th century.
You can visit the best preserved sections of the Old Bulgarian border ridge Erkesia.
At the archaeological base along the road may be seen exposed architectural decorative elements of ancient and Christian temples, inscriptions and other findings.
In the visitor center you can to obtain information or find guides and lectures in different languages.
