Ratiaria
Encyclopedia
Ratiaria was a city founded by Moesi
, a Daco-Thracian
tribe, in 4th century BC, along the river Danube
. The city had a gold mine in the vicinity, which was exploited by the Thracians
.
It is located 2 km west of present village Archar in Vidin Province
, northwestern Bulgaria
. The closest modern cities are Vidin
(27 km. to the north west) and Lom (28 km. to the east).
of Burebista
and later by Romans
.
The earliest involvement of the Romans occurred in 75 BC
, when Gaius Curio Scribonius Burbuleio, prefect of Macedonia
, entered this territory to ward off Scordisci
, the Dardani
and Daci.
Only during the principate
of Augustus
, the Romans conquered the region, which was organized in the province of Moesia
. In 33/34 AD a road is linked between Viminacium
and Ratiaria. The city was certainly less important than the near Sirmium
, Viminacium and Naissus, but its location along the Danube limes
made it a key point to station a legion. Legio IV Flavia Felix
was based here at least until the conquest of Dacia (101-106 AD), together with the military fleet of Classis Moesica (during Vespasian
).
After the conquest of Dacia
, the castrum was abandoned and became a colonia
within Moesia Superior under the name Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria (107 AD), named after its founder, Emperor Trajan
.
With the definitive abandonment of Dacia Traiana by Aurelian
in 271
, the old castra were reopened and was utilized as part of the Dacia Aureliana
and later the Eastern Roman Empire.
It is unclear whether Aurelian or the Emperor Diocletian
replaced Dacia Aureliana with two provinces, but by 285, there were two: – Dacia Mediterranea
with its capital at Serdica and Dacia Ripensis, with its capital at Ratiaria. Later these two “Dacias” along with Dardania, Moesia Inferior, and Praevalitana
constituted the Diocese of Dacia
.
As the capital of Dacia Ripensis
, Ratiaria served both as the seat of the military governor (or dux
) and as the military base for the Roman legion
XIII Gemina
.
A number of Roman patricians (aristocrats) lived in Ratiaria, while the nearby Bononia
(today's Vidin) had established a small military unit.
Moesi
The Moesi were a Daco-Thracian tribe who inhabited present day Serbia and Bulgaria, part of the then Roman province of Moesia, which was named after them in 87 AD by the Romans after the Romans under Crassus defeated them in the 29 BC.- History :...
, a Daco-Thracian
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
tribe, in 4th century BC, along the river Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The city had a gold mine in the vicinity, which was exploited by the Thracians
Thracians
The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas including Thrace in Southeastern Europe. They spoke the Thracian language – a scarcely attested branch of the Indo-European language family...
.
It is located 2 km west of present village Archar in Vidin Province
Vidin Province
Vidin Province is the northwesternmost province of Bulgaria. It borders Serbia to the west and Romania to the northeast. Its administrative centre is the city of Vidin on the Danube river. The area is divided into 11 municipalities...
, northwestern Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. The closest modern cities are Vidin
Vidin
Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin...
(27 km. to the north west) and Lom (28 km. to the east).
History
Ratiaria was conquered by the DaciansDacians
The Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...
of Burebista
Burebista
Burebista was a king of the Getae and Dacians, who unified for the first time their tribes and ruled them between 82 BC and 44 BC. He led plunder and conquest raids across Central and Southeastern Europe, subjugating most of the neighbouring tribes...
and later by Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
.
The earliest involvement of the Romans occurred in 75 BC
75 BC
Year 75 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Octavius and Cotta...
, when Gaius Curio Scribonius Burbuleio, prefect of Macedonia
Macedonia (Roman province)
The Roman province of Macedonia was officially established in 146 BC, after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon, the last Ancient King of Macedon in 148 BC, and after the four client republics established by Rome in the region were dissolved...
, entered this territory to ward off Scordisci
Scordisci
The Scordisci were an Iron Age tribe centered in the territory of present-day Serbia, at the confluence of the Savus , Dravus and Danube rivers. They were historically notable from the beginning of the third century BC until the turn of the common era...
, the Dardani
Dardani
Dardania was the region of the Dardani .Located at the Thraco-Illyrian contact zone, their identification as either an Illyrian or Thracian tribe is uncertain. Their territory itself was not considered part of Illyria by Strabo. The term used for their territory was , while for other tribes had...
and Daci.
Only during the principate
Principate
The Principate is the first period of the Roman Empire, extending from the beginning of the reign of Caesar Augustus to the Crisis of the Third Century, after which it was replaced with the Dominate. The Principate is characterized by a concerted effort on the part of the Emperors to preserve the...
of Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, the Romans conquered the region, which was organized in the province of Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
. In 33/34 AD a road is linked between Viminacium
Viminacium
Viminacium was a major city and military camp of the Roman province of Moesia , and the capital of Moesia Superior. The archeological site occupies a total of 450 hectares. Viminacium is located 12 km from Kostolac, was devastated by Huns in the 5th century, but rebuilt by Justinian...
and Ratiaria. The city was certainly less important than the near Sirmium
Sirmium
Sirmium was a city in ancient Roman Pannonia. Firstly mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by the Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Lower Pannonia. In 294 AD, Sirmium was...
, Viminacium and Naissus, but its location along the Danube limes
Limes
A limes was a border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. It marked the boundaries of the Roman Empire.The Latin noun limes had a number of different meanings: a path or balk delimiting fields, a boundary line or marker, any road or path, any channel, such as a stream channel, or any...
made it a key point to station a legion. Legio IV Flavia Felix
Legio IV Flavia Felix
Legio quarta Flavia Felix , was a Roman legion levied by Vespasian in 70, from the ashes of the Legio IV Macedonica. The legion was active in Moesia Superior in the first half of the 4th century...
was based here at least until the conquest of Dacia (101-106 AD), together with the military fleet of Classis Moesica (during Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
).
After the conquest of Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
, the castrum was abandoned and became a colonia
Colonia (Roman)
A Roman colonia was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of Roman city.-History:...
within Moesia Superior under the name Colonia Ulpia Traiana Ratiaria (107 AD), named after its founder, Emperor Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
.
With the definitive abandonment of Dacia Traiana by Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
in 271
271
Year 271 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelianus and Bassus...
, the old castra were reopened and was utilized as part of the Dacia Aureliana
Dacia Aureliana
Dacia Aureliana was a province of the Roman Empire found by Emperor Aurelian, after his retreat from Dacia Traiana in 271. Between 271/275 and 285, it occupied most of what is today Bulgaria. Its capital was in Serdica...
and later the Eastern Roman Empire.
It is unclear whether Aurelian or the Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
replaced Dacia Aureliana with two provinces, but by 285, there were two: – Dacia Mediterranea
Dacia Mediterranea
Dacia Mediterranea is a part of the former Dacia Aureliana divided by Constantine the Great.Serdica is the province capital....
with its capital at Serdica and Dacia Ripensis, with its capital at Ratiaria. Later these two “Dacias” along with Dardania, Moesia Inferior, and Praevalitana
Praevalitana
Praevalitana was an ancient Roman province. It included parts of present-day Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.-History:...
constituted the Diocese of Dacia
Diocese of Dacia
The Diocese of Dacia was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, in the area of modern Serbia and western Bulgaria. It was subordinate to the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum...
.
As the capital of Dacia Ripensis
Dacia Ripensis
Dacia Ripensis was the name of a Roman province first established by Aurelian circa 283 AD, south of the Danube River, after he withdrew from Dacia Traiana.-History:...
, Ratiaria served both as the seat of the military governor (or dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
) and as the military base for the Roman legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
XIII Gemina
Legio XIII Gemina
Legio tertia decima Gemina was one of the most prominent Roman legions. It was one of Julius Caesar's key units in Gaul and in the civil war, and was the legion with which he famously crossed the Rubicon on January 10, 49 BC. The legion appears to have still been in existence in the fifth century...
.
A number of Roman patricians (aristocrats) lived in Ratiaria, while the nearby Bononia
Bononia
Bononia is the Roman name of several cities, including:* Bologna, Italy* Boulogne-sur-Mer, France* Vidin, Bulgaria* Banoštor, Serbia...
(today's Vidin) had established a small military unit.