EXPLORATIONS OF THE THERMAE IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The excavations in the thermae of Diocletianopolis, which date to the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th centuries AD, continued in 2004. A room additionally built and adjoining the outer southern wall of the baths was discovered to the south of room No. 1. It was built in opus mixtum. The southern wall of the room adjoins the western wall and neither are bonded. The floor consists of bricks arranged on a plaster of mortar. The floor level of the room is considerably higher than the floor level of the baths, which is at c. 1.50 m below the floor levels of rooms Nos. 1 and 2. Two lines of terracotta pipes, 18 cm in diameter, were discovered close to the northern wall of the room. The pipes run alongside the southern wall of the baths, from the outer side of the southern niche of room No. 1. The pipes lie on a bed of mortar and are connected to each other through insertions. Most likely, the pipes were used to supply the baths with mineral water. An entrance towards another room, 75 cm in width, was discovered close to the pipes. The finds from the excavations include sherds of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD. The explorations of the western wall of the baths continued. A pavement of bricks arranged on a layer of stones and mortar was discovered from the outer side of the wall. A drain was constructed in the southern part of the wall. The drain lies considerably higher than the level of the rooms inside the baths.

EXPLORATIONS OF LATE ROMAN THERMAE IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The exploration of room No. 01 located to the south of room No. 1 of the thermae of Diocletianopolis continued. Room No. 01 was additionally constructed adjoining the main building. Room No. 01 is built in opus mixtum and two masonry piers were discovered in the eastern part of its southern wall. The space between the piers is 1.85 m and was additionally closed with a wall. The southern wall initially had open spaces but later it was closed. The floor of room No. 01 was discovered. It consists of stones covered with mortar and bricks that were arranged on the mortar. A terracotta water-conduit inclined from the east to the west was discovered close to the outer face of the southern wall of the thermae. A vaulted passage was explored in the southern wall of room No. 1. The terracotta water-conduit reached the passage. The passage is 90 cm in height and 55 cm in width. Its walls were built of stones and the vault was constructed of bricks bonded with mortar. The floor of the passage inclines from the north to the south. The passage and the terracotta water-conduit were used to supply the thermae with cold water. The water-conduit passed alongside the cardo maximus and through by a junction-shaft it diverted towards the thermal mineral spring where the balneotherapy establishment of Diocletianopolis was built. Most likely, a mineral pool was constructed in room No. 1. The construction features of the room and the water-conduit for cold water, which cooled down the hot mineral water in the pool, support such a hypothesis.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) A residence, an amphitheater and thermae are situated in the central part of Diocletianopolis. The explorations of the thermae began in 1935. They cover an area of c. 0.35 ha. An extension of the thermae to the south was documented during the archaeological excavations in 2006. The walls are preserved up to 1.70 m in height. The southern wall is 1.08 m wide and the western wall is 80 cm wide. The walls are constructed in opus mixtum with each level consisting of four courses of bricks. The bricks measure 35 cm by 35 cm by 5 cm. Three vents in the walls were documented. Two rooms and a corridor, 2.45 m in width, were discovered. Drainage was explored. Its walls are built of stones and the bottom is paved with bricks. The drainage is 52 cm wide. An air duct from a hypocaust, 35 cm in width, was discovered in front of the southern façade of room No. 1. It is constructed of stones plastered with mortar and its bottom is paved with bricks. The finds include Late Antique pottery, bronze coins of the 4th century AD, marble fragments from wall cladding and a fragment from a marble votive relief of the Nymphs.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) An area of 120 sq. m was explored. Part of a room with two pools was discovered to the west of room No. 1. The entrance between the two rooms is vaulted. Subsequently, the entrance was walled up. The wall between the two rooms is preserved up to 2.47 m in height. Three columns of bricks, 1.60 m wide, and two entrances situated between them, each one 2 m wide, are located at the southern side of the room. The vault was constructed of bricks and stepped over the three columns of bricks and the wall between the two rooms. Initially, the western entrance of the room was narrowed and subsequently it was walled up. The walls of the room were paneled with marble veneer over a mortar plaster, up to 10 cm thick. The floor of the room was paved with marble slabs, which lie over a mortar plaster spread on a level of bricks. The southern pool is 3.91 m wide and 1.10 m deep and is paneled with marble, 5 cm thick. Three steps lead into it. A marble catchment stone was found in the room, placed over the drainage of the mineral spring located at 30 m to the north. The eastern wall of another room was discovered to the south of the room with two pools. The room has arches from its southern side. The destruction layer was c. 1.50 m thick and contained fragmentary Late Antique pottery, bricks, marble slabs and marble architectural fragments. The baths were built at the end of the 3rd century AD when Emperor Diocletian founded Diocletianopolis.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Southern room No. 1 of the thermae was explored. The floor was paved with small ashlars and had marble floor moldings and the walls were paneled with marble veneer. There are four niches on the northern and the southern side. The floor of the northern niche was paved with bricks, paneled with marble slabs. A pool, 7.70 m by 4.50 m in size and 1.20 m deep, was discovered. There were two steps and a handrail of bricks at the western side of the pool. The walls and the floor of the pool were paneled with marble slabs. The level of the spillway is equal to the level of the inlet of the pipe for filling the pool with mineral water. It shows that the pool was filled with water up to 1 m in depth. Two smaller pools, equal in size, were situated at the northern and southern side of room No. 1. Both pools were situated in vaulted niches and were built of bricks paneled with marble slabs. Each pool had a step and a handrail of bricks. The water-conduit came from the mineral spring located in the northern part of the complex and crossed adjacent room No. 2. The entrance between rooms Nos. 1 and 2 was discovered. Fragmentary Late Antique pottery and a marble votive relief of the Three Nymphs were found. Room No. 1 was a caldarium with three basins. The thermae were built at the end of the 3rd century AD, when Emperor Diocletian founded Diocletianopolis.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Room No. 2 in the thermae was explored. The stratum was 80 cm thick and contained building material, fragments of bricks from the vault of the ceiling and Late Antique sherds. Two columns built of bricks, which supported the vault of the ceiling, were discovered in the middle of the room. The walls of the room were preserved up to 4.50 m in height. They were built in opus mixtum with bands of three courses of bricks. Three niches were documented in the eastern wall. Their thresholds were situated at 30 cm above the floor, which was paved with bricks arranged over a plaster of mortar. The jambs of the entrance between rooms Nos.1 and 2 were built of bricks. The entrance was 2.70 m high and ended with an arch built of bricks. Its threshold was built of ashlars and bricks. A water-conduit, 10 cm wide and 15 cm high, was discovered in room No. 2. It was directed towards the near mineral spring situated to the northwest from the thermae. This mineral spring provided water for the eastern part of the thermae. The water-conduit ended with a shaft built of bricks bonded with mortar, 87 cm by 65 cm in size and 47 cm in depth. The mineral water ran from the shaft into the northern pool of room No. 1 (caldarium) through a terracotta pipe. A second shaft connected with the water-conduit and built of bricks bonded with mortar, 43.5 cm by 43.5 cm in size and 53 cm deep, was discovered at 6.04 m to the northwest of the first one. Both shafts were covered with bricks bonded with mortar. The shafts served as mud boxes where the water was purified from the impurities.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The explorations in room No. 2 of the thermae continued. The lowest stratum was 80 cm thick and contained bricks from the collapsed vault of the ceiling and Late Antique sherds. The walls of the room were preserved up to 3.50 m in height. The water-conduit, which supplied mineral water for the pools in the neighboring room No. 1 (caldarium), was discovered. The water-conduit was 10 cm wide and 15 cm high, built of stone slabs and covered with bricks and stone slabs. The entrance between rooms Nos. 2 and 3 was discovered, with a marble threshold and jambs built of bricks. The entrances between rooms Nos. 1 (caldarium) and 2 and between rooms Nos. 2 and 4 were documented, the latter one with a marble threshold. Terracotta rain-spouts were documented, incorporated into columns built of bricks, which reinforced the walls and supported the vault of the ceiling. Room No. 2 was dry and no water procedures were carried out there. It was probably a tepidarium.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Room No. 04 was thoroughly explored, situated to the west of Rooms Nos. 1 and 2, which were caldarium and tepidarium. A second northern pool, 7.55 m wide, was explored. Bricks, fragments of mortar and pieces of the vaulted ceiling were found. Both pools in the room were separated by a wall of bricks faced with marble veneer. The newly discovered pool was situated at c. 15 m from the catch, which provided hot mineral water for the eastern part of the thermae. The northern wall of Room No. 04 was built in _opus_ _mixtum_ and was preserved up to 1.50 m in height. An entrance, 1.50 m wide, was documented. Sectors from the marble plinth, which separated the northern wall from the path, were discovered. Room No. 04 was a caldarium. The finds included Late Antique sherds. A layer with traces from fire was documented close to the northern wall.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Room No. 04 was a second caldarium. The stratum was 1.40 m thick, containing fragmentary bricks, mortar and Late Antique sherds. A square opening, 30 cm by 30 cm in size, was discovered on the northern wall of the caldarium, to the east of its entrance and at the floor level. The entrance towards the adjacent Room No. 05 was explored. It was 1.60 m wide, with jambs built of bricks and paved with bricks. The floor in Room No. 05 was constructed from bricks plastered with a layer of mortar over which marble slabs were arranged. The walls had marble socles. A groove, 20 cm wide, was found into the floor. It entered trough the southern wall of the room towards the caldarium and to the north it was directed towards the catchment of the spring, which supplied the thermae with warm mineral water. The groove was used to supply water for the two pools in the caldarium. The two caldaria in the thermae had separate water-conduits. A vaulted niche built of bricks was discovered, 1.22 m wide and 1.65 m high. Initially, it was an entrance. After the architectural complex was extended to the east, this entrance was closed with the wall of Room No. 02, which was a tepidarium, and a niche was designed. The extension of the thermae happened soon after their construction at the end of the 3rd century AD.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The explorations of Room No. 05 situated to the north of the second caldarium continued. The wall between Room No. 05 and the tepidarium showed the two construction phases of the thermae. The building features in both construction phases were identical, which indicated that the extension of the thremae to the east occurred soon after the initial construction of the architectural complex. A layer was explored, containing bricks and sherds of the 4th – 6th centuries AD. The eastern wall of Room No. 05 was discovered. The wall had a vaulted niche, subsequently closed by the wall of the later tepidarium. During the first construction phase, the niche probably was a window. A second larger vaulted niche with a marble edge at its bottom, dated to the first construction phase, was discovered in the northern part of the wall. A midden pit was discovered dug out into the Late Antique stratum, containing animal bones and sherds of the 9th – 10th centuries AD.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) A square structure built of stones and bricks bonded with mortar was explored to the east of Room No. 1 (caldarium). The structure had a barrel-vaulted passage which accommodated terracotta pipes that provided cold water for cooling the warm mineral water in the large pool of the caldarium. A shaft with seven steps that lead towards a platform with a long underground gallery was discovered in the southern part of the structure. Part of a water-conduit of terracotta pipes was discovered from the eastern side of the thermae and cardo maximus was situated to the northeast of it. The main water-conduit which supplied cold water for the Roman town was situated there. The distribution shaft which supplied cold water for the thermae was also documented. A drain constructed of bricks was discovered in the anteroom of Room No. 04 which served to drain the water from pool. A marble spout of a fountain in the shape of a lion’s head and a marble foot from a statue were found in the eastern end of the drain. A marble votive relief of the Three Nymphs of the middle of the 2nd century AD was discovered from the southern side of the caldarium. It had a votive Greek inscription which called the nymphs “dryads” and gave the name of the dedicator: Severus (son) of Amonius, who probably was of Egyptian origins. A number of votive reliefs and altars with dedicatory inscriptions to the nymphs of the second half of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD were discovered in the Roman town. In that time a nymphaeum existed close to the mineral springs.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The antechamber, situated from the southern side of the eastern caldarium and paved with bricks, was explored. A drain was discovered, coming from the southern pool in the caldarium, built during the second construction period of the thermae. A barrel-vaulted brick drain, 80 cm wide and over 1.30 m deep, was discovered under the western entrance to the south of the caldarium. The finds from the drains in the antechamber of the western caldarium included sherds of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD, fragments from marble veneer, a bronze plate-stamp from a finger-ring showing a male bust over an eagle (probably Zeus Serapis) of the middle of the 2nd century AD, a bronze coin of Augustus minted in Philippi, a provincial bronze coin of Hadrian, two bronze coins of Faustina the Younger, a provincial bronze coin of Septimius Severus, four Roman provincial bronze coins minted in Philippopolis and a bronze coin of the 4th century AD. Judging from the coins, the thermae were built in the first half of the 2nd century AD. Probably at the end of the 2nd – beginning of the 3rd century AD, the building was widened to the east.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) The explorations continued in the northwestern part of caldarium No. 1. The pool measured 12.10 m by 8.30 m and was 1.50 m deep. The western wall of the caldarium was discovered and it was the outer wall of the thermae. The northern wall of caldarium No. 1 was preserved up to 2.30 m in height. There was an arch built of bricks in the middle of the wall. Subsequently the space beneath the arch was walled. A second identical arch with space beneath that was subsequently walled, was documented to the east of the entrance on the northern wall. The marble plinths of the northern and western walls of the caldarium were discovered and a few marble tiles on the floor were preserved _in situ_. Caldarium No. 1 was 11.50 m wide, while the thermae were 30.85 m wide. The drain that took the water from the pools in caldarium No. 2 was explored. The drain was 1.10 m deep and paved with bricks. A Roman bronze coin and a few sherds of the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD were found in the drain. During the first construction period of the mid 2nd century AD the thermae also functioned as a nymphaeum.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Room No. 3 of the second construction period of the thermae was explored, situated in the northern end of the architectural complex. A thick layer of debris from arches and vaults was discovered. The walls were built in _opus mixtum_. Three vaulted niches were situated on the inner sides of each wall of the room. A mortar plaster with imprints of marble veneer was documented. The floor was covered with square bricks, 50 cm by 50 cm in size and 5 cm thick, covered with mortar plaster paved with marble tiles. Part of the channel for rainwater drainage from the roof of the thermae was explored. The finds from the excavations included fragmentary roof-tiles and bricks, Late Antique sherds, animal bones and a fragment from the upper part of a small marble column of an altar rail dated after AD 500. The stratigraphy of the site showed that the destruction of the thermae happened suddenly. It might have happened during an earthquake. The layout of Room No. 3 was identical to the layout of the neighboring Room No. 2 which was a tepidarium. The extension of the thermae and the construction of two tepidaria and one caldarium with three pools happened during AD 150 – 200.

DIOCLETIANOPOLIS (Mitko Madzharov – m_madjarov@abv.bg, Dimitrinka Tancheva) Two rooms of the first construction period were explored in the northwestern part of the thermae. The northern half of the pool in Caldarium No. 1 was explored. Its bottom was paved with large marble slabs, the largest one 2.65 m by 0.87 m in size and 3 cm thick. Two siphons for draining the water in the drain were discovered in the southwestern corner of the pool. There was a staircase with three steps faced with marble veneer on the northern side of the pool, identical to the staircase on its southern side. Room No. 05 (Caldarium No. 1a) was situated next to the catchment of the mineral spring. Its walls were preserved up to 4.50 m in height. There were marble plinths at the bottom of the walls that separated the floor pavement from the wall facing. A large pool was situated in Caldarium No. 1a. Its bottom was paved with marble slabs placed over pavement of bricks and mortar, and its walls were faced with marble veneer. A siphon towards the drain, which ran beneath the pool in Caldarium No. 1, was discovered in the southern part of the pool, close to its staircase. A marble altar was discovered _in situ_ on the northern side of the pool in Caldarium No. 1a. The altar had a spout of the water-conduit for filling the pool with mineral water. The finds from the excavations included fragmentary roof-tiles, fragments from marble veneer and floor slabs, several fragments from stone mortars and sherds of the 3rd – 5th centuries AD. Special attention deserved the sherds of the 8th – 9th centuries AD found on the bottom of the pool in Caldarium No. 1, indicating that it was probably used again in the Early Middle Ages.