Excavations in Balaklava (Sevastopol, Ukraine) – season 2013 : discovery of praetorium

Abstract

Research in the neighbourhood ofa marketplace in the northern part of Balaklava, in the quarter of Kadykovka has been lasting since 1996. In 1997–1999 a temple of Jupiter Dolichenus, built by Roman soldiers, was discovered. Research in this area yielded, i.a., finds of Latin inscriptions, architectural details, and fragments of statues and sculptural decoration. Based on this, it was possible to reconstruct the building and its interior (SARNoWSKI, SAvELJA 2000). Numerous finds of stamped roofing tiles allowed to precise the chronology and periodisation of presence of various detachments of Roman troops in Taurida (SARNoWSKI 2006). Already in the course of examinations of the temple a question of location of the Roman garrison in Balaklava was discussed (SARNoWSKI, SAvELJA 2000: 31, fig. 4:3). The location of the fort somewhere in the vicinity of the temple was also implied by other finds. These were, i.a.,atombstone ofa horseman from the ala atectorigiana detachment (SARNoWSKI, SAvELJA 2000: 191–196), and part of an unidentified building, which was discovered in the course of rescue excavations (SARNoWSKI, SAvELJA 2000: 32–34). A comparison of the mentioned building with the Temple of Jupiter demonstrated that both features came into existence at the same time and they may have been constructed by the same builders. In both cases an almost identical way of building was applied. Both the foundations and the walls were built from rubble stone, joint with clay. Furthermore, stamped roofing tiles belonging to the same types were used.