{"id":7324,"date":"2021-03-24T11:07:24","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T18:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roamintheempire.com\/?p=7324"},"modified":"2022-08-06T17:30:12","modified_gmt":"2022-08-07T00:30:12","slug":"marcianopolis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roamintheempire.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/24\/marcianopolis\/","title":{"rendered":"Marcianopolis, Thracia"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Detail<\/a>
Detail of the Medusa mosaic. Marcianopolis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Located in the northeast part of modern Bulgaria, the Roman town of Marcianopolis (present-day Devnya) seems to have originally began life as a Thracian settlement. It was later occupied by Hellenized settlers from Asia Minor and was named Parthenopolis. Roman Marcianopolis was founded about 106 CE, following Trajan\u2019s campaigns in Dacia, to the north. The settlement was named after his sister, Ulpia Marciana. Legendarily, this occurred when Ulpia Marciana\u2019s daughter was washing in a spring at this location, and the golden vessel which she was carrying with her to do so sunk down into the mud, disappearing below the surface. After a few minutes, the vessel resurfaced, and upon hearing of the strange occurrence, Trajan believed it to be the work of a deity that inhabited the spring. With that auspicious happening he decided to found a city there and name it after his sister.<\/p>\n

At the crossroads between Odessos<\/a> (modern Varna), Durostorum, and Nicopolis ad Istrum, as well as the location of plentiful springs, Marcianopolis became a strategically important settlement. A raid by the Costoboci in 170 CE necessitated the construction of fortifications around the city. Originally part of Thracia, it seems to have been incorporated into Moesia Inferior at the end of the 2nd<\/sup> century CE, following a period of particular growth. Marcianopolis was again the target of incursions from the north sometime around 248-250 CE when it was besieged by a Gothic force, perhaps under the command of Cniva, though it does not seem to have been taken. Again in 267 CE it was besieged by Visigoth forces, and once again was not taken.<\/p>\n

\"Intersection<\/a>
Intersection at the northeast corner of the Museum of Mosaics domus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The administrative reforms of Diocletian in the latter part of the 3rd<\/sup> century CE divided up Moesia Inferior into Moesia Secunda and Scythia Minor, of which Marcianopolis became and administrative capital of the former. It was at this point that Marcianopolis reached its most prosperous period through the middle of the 4th<\/sup> century CE. From 367 CE to 369 CE, the eastern emperor Valens used Marcianopolis as his winter quarters during campaigns against Visigoth incursions in the area. During this time it was denoted as being the temporary capital of the Eastern Empire.<\/p>\n

 Shortly after concluding peace, some Visigoths were allowed to settle in the area as foederati<\/em>, but in 376 CE, after being exploited by local magistrates, the Visigoth settlers marched on Marcianopolis. A misunderstanding between the provincial governor Lupicinus and the Visigoth chief Fritigern led to a skirmish and then the declaration of war, kicking off the Second Gothic War. The first engagement happened between the forces just outside the city, resulting in a major defeat for the Romans; reportedly around half the army was killed. The city was sacked, but the remnants of the Roman army were noted as having sought shelter in the remains of the city following the battle. The city was sacked again in 447 CE by Attila the Hun.<\/p>\n