ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) A hoard of 29 Roman silver coins of the first half of the 3rd century AD, a marble Roman-Doric capital of the second half of the 1st century AD, a fragment of a bronze military diploma belonging to a veteran of the Misenian fleet of the 2nd – beginning of the 3rd century AD, etc. originate from the settlement. The archaeological materials are spread on an area of 1.5 – 1.6 ha. The archaeological excavations in 2006 were carried out because of clandestine activities. More than 60 clandestine digs were registered on the site. Walls, bricks, tiles, millstones, architectural details and sherds of red-gloss pottery, plain-ware, amphorae and dolia, predominantly dated to the 3rd – 4th centuries AD, were visible in the clandestine digs. Sondage 1 measured 10 m by 1.20 m. The occupation strata were up to 1 m in thickness. Four strata were identified. Fragmentary tegulae and a lot of pottery were found between the second and the third stratum. A bronze decoration of a lock of a toilet box is of interest among the finds. Sondage 2 measured 3 m by 2.50 m. The sondage was partly situated over a clandestine dig with a wall constructed of uneven stones bonded with mud. The occupation strata were up to 1 m in thickness and the walls were north – south oriented. Three strata were identified. Two T-like crossing walls constructed of uneven stones bonded with mud were discovered. The finds include pottery predominantly dated to the 3rd century AD, a handle of an amphora of Dresel 43 type dated to the 1st century AD, etc. The site could be identified as a vicus that existed from the 1st to 4th centuries AD.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) Two fragments from votive reliefs of the Thracian Rider were found. There is a Greek inscription on one of them. The inscription contains the Latin name Avilii. An area of 37 sq. m was explored. Three strata were identified. Fragmentary tegulae and pottery were found between the second and the third stratum. The finds include an antonianus of Emperor Gallienus, an arrowhead and sherds, which allow us to date the strata to the 3rd century AD. Probably the site was a vicus.

EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) The settlement covered an area of c. 26 ha. Occasional finds from the settlement included a hoard of 193 Late Hellenistic tetradracms of Maroneia, Thasos, Athens and Macedonia Prima, a hoard of 29 denarii and antoniani of the first half of the 3rd century AD, a marble Roman-Doric capital of the second half of the 1st century AD and a fragment from a military diploma of a veteran of the Fleet of Misenum dated from the AD 160s to the beginning of the 3rd century AD. In 2014, a number of clandestine excavations were noticed on the site. Bricks, roof-tiles, querns and sherds were found on the ground. The treasure-hunters had excavated a building consisting of four parallel rooms arranged in a line with walls built in rubble masonry and 55 – 65 cm wide. Room No. 1 measured 4.40 m by 4.70 m and Room No. 2 measured 4.85 m by 4.50 m. The finds from the building dated to the 3rd century AD, except for two bronze coins of Augustus: the first one minted in Philippi in 42 BC and the second one minted in Pergamon in 25 – 23 BC. A pit filled with debris from earlier buildings was discovered in Room No. 1, containing sherds, fragmentary building ceramics, fragments of _tubuli_ of hypocaust and a head of a small marble statue of Asclepius. Two strata were documented close to the building: the upper one 28 – 47 cm thick contained finds of the second half of the 3rd century AD and the lower one 23 – 40 cm thick contained finds of the 2nd – first half of the 3rd centuries AD. Among the finds, a bronze appliqué from a military belt of the second half of the 2nd century AD and a bronze fibula related to the Gothic invasions during the second half of the 3rd century AD deserve attention. The foundations of the building cut the lower stratum. The sherds from the excavations dated to the 1st – 3rd centuries AD and were from red-gloss and plain pottery, amphorae and dolia. The settlement was destroyed during the Gothic invasions of the AD 250s – 260s and subsequently rebuilt.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) The ancient settlement covered an area of 26 ha. The excavations of the building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line continued. The exploration of Room No. 2 continued. A fragment from a terracotta votive relief was found, showing a façade of a temple with the figure of Diana and a head of a hind in front of it. There is a Greek inscription on the back side of the votive relief which reads: ΠΗΝΙΟΥ. Room No. 3 was explored. An earlier pit was discovered in the room, containing pieces of mortar, fragmentary building ceramics and a provincial bronze coin of Julia Domna minted in Anchialos. A coin of Diadumenian was found as well, related to the earlier building. Room No. 4 was excavated and the exploration of Room No. 5 was launched. A fragment from a terracotta lamp deserved attention among the finds from the excavation, showing the image of Athena Pallas and dated to the first half of the 3rd century AD. The building dated to AD 275 – 300. Another earlier building existed close to it, which was destroyed most probably during the Gothic invasions of the AD 260s and later its material were reused for the construction of the new building.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) The settlement covered an area of c. 26 ha. The explorations of the building consisting of parallel rooms arranged in a line, constructed in rubble masonry and 21.80 m long continued. The five rooms discovered so far belonged to the southern wing of the building and its yard. The finds included a fragment of a bone distaff decorated with a figurine of a dog, coins of Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Tranquilina, sherds. The building was constructed during the second half of the 3 century AD over a leveled layer of debris and objects of the 2nd – first half of the 3 centuries AD.