Most Recent Visit: August 2021 Situated on the south bank of the Danubius (modern Danube River), the area of Carnuntum was originally inhabited by the Illyrian-Celtic Boii, who had an oppidum on the hill where the Hainburg Castle now resides, a few kilometers away from the military camp of Carnuntum. The name probably derives from…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: May 2022 The site of Divodurum Mediomatricorum seems to have first been inhabited in the Late Bronze Age, specifically a hill at the confluence of the Mosella (modern Moselle) and its tributary, the modern Seille. Seemingly in the modern Hauts-de-Sainte-Croix area of Metz. The Late Bronze Age settlement was burned down in…
Read More
Continued From Lindus, Asiana – Part I The final, monumental staircase, originally constructed in the first half of the 3rd century BCE, led up through a monumental propylaia. Unfortunately, not much of the propylaia survives, really just markings on the pavement that show the original foundations of it. The staircase too is mostly reconstructed. The…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: July 2021 One of the three ancient city-cities of Rhodes, located on the southeastern coast of the island, Lindus (or Lindos) was, according to myth, founded by Tlepolemus in the 13th century BCE. The son of Heracles and Astoche, Tlepolemus fled to Rhodes after accidentally or intentionally killing his father’s friend, Licymneus….
Read More
Continued From Augusta Bilbilis Part I The forum of Augusta Bilbilis was inaugurated in 27 CE. It underwent renovations in the Flavian and Antonine periods. Like the theater, the forum too seems to have seen a decline in use during the 3rd century CE. The open plaza of the forum is supported on an artificial…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: July 2022 Perched on a hill overlooking the plain of the Salo (the modern Jalón River) an important tributary of the Iber (the modern Ebro) near the junction with the Birbilis (Jiloca River), about 100 meters above the plain, sits the remains of Augusta Bilbilis. Prior to the arrival of the Romans,…
Read More
Continued From Dodona Part I Immediately to the east of the theater are the barely discernible remains of the priest’s house abutting the eastern retaining wall of the theater. The house predates the theater, being built sometime in the latter half of the 4th century BCE. The southeastern corner of the theater actually overlays the…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: May 2021 At the northeastern foot of the Mons Tomaros (the modern Ptomaros or Olytsikas Mountain) is the oracular sanctuary site of Dodona. Traditionally, Dodona was considered one of the oldest oracles in Greece. Archaeological evidence suggests the establishment of a sanctuary at this site perhaps as early as the 3rd millennium…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: May 2021 It’s not often that I’ll feature a site that has, essentially, almost no period of Roman occupation. This is, after all, what the blog is primarily focused on. But, I certainly don’t limit my visitations to solely Roman sites. Occasionally I’ll visit a site that isn’t Roman, but is still…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: May 2021 There are a couple interesting sites worth seeing in the hinterland areas around Nicopolis and Ambracia. Since the Nicopolis aqueduct only takes up a few hours, these are also good options to see in conjunction with that. The first of these is the so-called Necromanteion of Acheron, the famed oracle…
Read More