ROMAN VILLA DISCOVERED

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 14

ROMAN VILLA DISCOVERED

INTERESTING BULGARIAN FIND Old Roman ruins', probably dating [mm the first century a.d., luivc just been unearthed near Madura, the ancient capita! ol Bulgaria, which is situated not tar from Varna, a port cm the Black Sea. During the course of many yeans peasants have been finding in this area interesting relics, plainly dating Irom ancient times) but no society nor individual until now has been in a position to do any oxcflVfttfull, however, after a group of excavators, directed by Bulgaria s leading arclueologsts, had finished work on the site of Bulgara’s first capital uncovering a very striking stone horseman of gigantic size, they took up work in the adjoinng field, where the old Homan relics have so frequently boon found and discovered the 1 emulations of what is thought to have been a largo .Roman villa. It seems to have contained several rooms large corridors, hot and cold baths, and viaducts running to springs near by. it was probably inhabited by the commander of the Roman garrison stationed at that place. imprints on bricks that have been dug out indicate that they date from the time, of Emperor Claudius. At the beginning of the second century he carried on a campaign against the Dacians who lived in what is now Rumania. and his headquarters were at Dorostorimn or Silistra, a flourishing city on the Danube,, which the Rumanians took over from tho Bulgarians fifteen years ago There were garrisons at several other places in the land that is now Bulgaria and the Romans built roads which still serve ns Bulgarian highways, though most of tho old paving is completely gone. During flic course of ibis recent excavation many fragments of ancient vasts were discovered which are fashioned after a type that was very popular during the time of the great Roman emperors. They are red, represent figures of domestic scenes, and are said to lie very beautiful. It was after the ‘ barbarians ” had crossed the Danube and broken the power of the Romans that the Bulgarians formed their first kingdom.