SIRMIUM – Site 85, 2012.

Excavation of the site 85 in the Sremska Mitrovica city center include the northwestern area of the imperial palace. This is an opened space – a square between two larger structures erected in the time of the tetrarchy. The western structure is interpreted as a horreum, while the role of the structure with a portico has not yet been fully defined. During the Middle Ages, there was a monastery in this area.
Over the past years, the excavation aimed at the area to the east of the monastery complex walls (Fig. 1). Four trenches were opened. During 2012, the excavation was focused on the area of the medieval street, actually the space beneath it. It was noted that the street had several renewal phases, actually several layers that consisted of destroyed ancient material, fragmented bricks, pieces of decorative architectural plastic, pieces of wall and floor mortar, small gravel etc. The same material (ancient spoliae) was used for constructing a large wall that was built on top of the street and that was removed during the excavation. Among other things, its core contained part of a sculpture dedicated to a Roman deity, most likely dating from the Antonine period (Fig. 2). Based on numismatic material, the street itself is dated into the 14th century.
At the level of floor е, actually in the northern part of the excavated area (Fig. 3), pole pits were discovered from the second half of the 4th century. In layers above the floor e, numerous items and semi-products were unearthed dated at the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th century. There were also finds of polished ware of fine fabrics and grey burned. The youngest coins discovered on the floor e originate from the end of the 4th century and together with numismatic finds of the emperors Valentinian I and Valens (discovered beneath floor e), they indicated that this floor was made during the second half of the 4th century. The level or floor e was made simultaneously with the two annexes added nest to the eastern side of the horreum entrance. The floors of these two annexes were plastered with mosaics, while the floor e was made rather carelessly, consisting of brick fragments bound with lime mortar.
From the tetrarchic period to the late 4th century, the middle and the eastern part of the site 85 represented an open space, on top of which a settlement with structures made of light materials was formed during Late Antiquity.

Source: Popović I., Pop-Lazić S., Popović B., Arheološki institut Beograd, Vujadinović V., Cabunac E., Arheološka iskopavanja u Sremskoj Mitrovici 2012. godine – Lokalitet 85, Arheologija u Srbiji (Projekti Arheološkog instituta u 2012. godini), Beograd 2014, 50-53.

Fig. 1 Ground plan of the site 85 – the area excavated in 2012 (after: Popović et al., 2014, 51, Sl. 1).
Fig. 2 Sculpture discovered within the medieval wall (after: Popović et al., 2014, 53, Sl. 3).
Fig. 3 Late Roman floor e (after: Popović et al., 2014, 50, Sl. 4).