Heading to the central Bulgarian city of Hisar involved four different trains. While there were prehistoric settlements and a small Thracian town here, the city reached its zenith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Dioclatian around 300 C.E., hence the city's Roman-era name of Dioclatianopolis. The Romans were a bit obsessed with water and the natural hot springs caused them to construct a walled city here. The defensive walls surrounding the town are remarkably intact.
The next morning, while taking pictures by the West Gate, a local runner stopped to point out to us the drainage holes in the walls. These drainage holes help to explain why the walls are still intact; water would not accumulate inside and damage the walls with the changing temperatures. The runner enthused about how the Roman established western civilization, then disparaged the Turks (1) for not appreciating this and taking bricks and stones from the walls to build mosques in the town.
A visit to the local archeological museum helped to provide context and a rough timeline of the town.
(1) Disparaging the 500 year period of Ottoman rule (the Turkish yoke) is very common in Bulgaria.
(1) Disparaging the 500 year period of Ottoman rule (the Turkish yoke) is very common in Bulgaria.
West Gate
East Wall
South Wall
South Gate, still the main entrance to the City
The walls at night
Hisarya Mosque & St. Pantelaimon Chirch
Sheet heading out for pasture
Detail of drainage holes
Dioclatian, after whom the city is named
Spout for water entering pools
Ancient Roman Thermae Pool
Mosaic in Roman Tomb
St Pantelaimon
Double north walls
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