Zaldapa

43°52′59″N 27°48′34″E / 43.88306°N 27.80944°E / 43.88306; 27.80944

Zaldapa (Zeldepa, Ancient Greek: Ζάλδαπα, Ζέλδεπα) was a large Late Roman fortified city in Scythia Minor/Moesia, located near today's Abrit, Bulgaria.

It was originally an ancient Thracian settlement from around the 8th century BC.[1] The site of over 35 hectares was protected from the East, North and Northwest by a deep valley.

Excavations have revealed the defensive walls, a Roman civic basilica, an early Christian basilica with two crypts and a huge water reservoir.[2] The walls had 32 bastions of various shapes and 3 main and 2 secondary gates. The double north gate was designed to enclose and trap attackers.

Zaldapa is included in the list of fortifications renovated during the reign of Emperor Justinian I the Great (527–565). It was also mentioned as the seat of a bishop.

In 2015, a Greek stone inscription has been discovered by the archaeologists excavating the ruins of a Christian bishop's basilica in the fortress of Zaldapa.[3]

  1. ^ Archaeologists Find Huge Crypt with Early Christian Martyrs' Bones in Roman, Byzantine City Zaldapa in Northeast Bulgaria: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2017/01/19/archaeologists-find-huge-crypt-with-early-christian-martyrs-bones-in-roman-byzantine-city-zaldapa-in-northeast-bulgaria/
  2. ^ Zaldapa Fortress – Abrit / Dobrin, Bulgaria: http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/background-infonotes/fortresses-cities/zaldapa-fortress-abrit-dobrin-bulgaria/
  3. ^ BULGARIAN ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND STONE INSCRIPTION, RED MARBLE PILLAR IN BISHOP’S BASILICA IN ROMAN AND BYZANTINE FORTRESS ZALDAPA