Roman Cultural Heritage of Europe

Roman Thermal Baths in Varna The Roman thermae of the ancient Roman city of Odessos are the largest in Bulgaria and the fourth-largest preserved Roman baths in Europe. They were built at the end of the 2nd century and were over 20 meters high taking a total area of about 7000 sq.m. The baths functioned until the end of the 3rd century. Due to the decline of the Roman Empire and their expensive maintenance, the Roman baths were abandoned, and smaller ones, the so- called Small Roman terms, were built nearby, which can also be seen nowadays. The thermae were not just a place for bathing but also a social space where people gathered and interacted. The rooms were lavishly decorated with columns and statues that can still be seen today. Nowadays, the Roman thermae of Varna are adapted to the modern cultural life of our sea capital and often held concerts and performances during the summer season.

Hercules villa in Aquincum, Budapest It was a home of high-ranking administrators, now called Hercules Villa. The core of the building was probably constructed in the first half of the 2nd century. At the beginning of the 3rd century the buiding was extended and equipped with underfloor heating, and the floors were decorated with mosaics. In the southern two rooms only parts of the mosaic’s frame from a Pannonian workshop survived, but in the third room a large part of the central panel has survived. It depicts the duel between Heracles and Nessus the centaur. This mosaic is so far the only imported mosaic, not only in Aquincum, but in the whole of Pannonia. The floor of the tablinum displayed a merry, drunken Dionysian thiasus. In the intact section of the mosaic, Amor offers grapes to an approaching tigress. The detached bath, too, was decorated with a mosaic. The mosaic covering the apodyterium, depicting boxers survived almost entirely. It depicts a winner, standing, with muscles flexed, in a victorious pose, and his opponent lying on the ground with a bleeding head.

Bibliography/ Sources: 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/roman-forum">https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/roman-forum</a> 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rome.net/roman-forum">https://www.rome.net/roman-forum</a> 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/ara-pacis-museum-rome-richard-meier/">https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/ara-pacis-museum-rome-richard-meier/</a> 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome/attractions/capitoline-museums/a/poi-sig/389381/359975">https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome/attractions/capitoline-museums/a/poi-sig/389381/359975</a> 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/roman-aqueducts/">https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/roman-aqueducts/</a> 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostia_Antica">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostia_Antica</a> 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ostiaantica.beniculturali.it/en/archaeological-sites-and-monuments/ostia-antica/">https://www.ostiaantica.beniculturali.it/en/archaeological-sites-and-monuments/ostia-antica/</a> 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.danubetourism.eu/late-roman-fortlet-dunakeszi/">https://www.danubetourism.eu/late-roman-fortlet-dunakeszi/</a> 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.introducingbudapest.com/aquincum">https://www.introducingbudapest.com/aquincum</a> 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.aquincum.hu/en/a-muzeumrol/budapest-romai-emlekei/rejtozkodo-romai-oroksegunk-2/">http://www.aquincum.hu/en/a-muzeumrol/budapest-romai-emlekei/rejtozkodo-romai-oroksegunk-2/</a> 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.romanaqueducts.info/aquasite/segobriga/index.html">http://www.romanaqueducts.info/aquasite/segobriga/index.html</a> 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.viajesdivertidos.com/parque-arqueologico-de-segobriga-en-cuenca/">http://www.viajesdivertidos.com/parque-arqueologico-de-segobriga-en-cuenca/</a> 13.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.comunidad.madrid/en/cultura/patrimonio-cultural/ciudad-romana-complutum">https://www.comunidad.madrid/en/cultura/patrimonio-cultural/ciudad-romana-complutum</a> 14.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carranque">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carranque</a> 15.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ilovebulgaria.eu/en/roman-thermae-varna/">https://ilovebulgaria.eu/en/roman-thermae-varna/</a> 16.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.123rf.com/photo_49709487_ruins-of-the-roman-thermae-in-varna-bulgaria.html">https://www.123rf.com/photo_49709487_ruins-of-the-roman-thermae-in-varna-bulgaria.html</a> 17.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://varnacitycard.com/place/roman-thermae-2nd-3rd-c-ad/">https://varnacitycard.com/place/roman-thermae-2nd-3rd-c-ad/</a> 18.&nbsp;&nbsp;Angelov, Anastas. "Museum of Mosaics in Devnya" ,2010 19.&nbsp;&nbsp;https://bulgariatravel.org/en/abritus-archaeological-reserve-razgrad/

Segobriga Segobriga is one of the best preserved Roman cities and one of the most important archaeological sites on the Spanish meseta. It is located on a hill called 'Cabeza de Griego'.&nbsp;The town was fully built in the 2nd century AC. Since the 1st c CE it became a center of communication and trade, agriculture and mining, and the administrative capital of a great territory. Segobriga became the largest town in this region specialized in the mining of lapis specularis, a transparent gypsum as mentioned by Pliny the Elder. The mines were located in the area and near Osa de la Vega, 30 km of Segobriga. Large blocks of lapis specularis were sent to Carta Nova to be shipped to Rome; after processing they were used as window glass and floor decoration. The major highlights now are the Roman theater and amphitheater, the city walls and its gates, two baths complexes, and above all, the Forum. From the top of the hill, one can also enjoy a wonderful view of the city and its surroundings.

Carranque Carranque is a town in the Toledo province, Spain. It is located by the River Guadarrama, near a Roman road. It seems to be near the lost city of Titultiam In this archaeological park is located one of the largest Roman Villa dating from the late fourth century. There are three main buildings visible by above-ground remains, the ruins of a Roman mill and a modern interpretation building. The buildings date from the late fourth century and are thought to belong to a "Villa of Maternus Cinigius", the uncle of Theodosius, Roman emperor, who was born in Hispania. In 1983 a local peasant, Samuel López Iglesias, found a series of mosaic floors while plowing in the fields known as las Suertes de Abajo. There is the Basilica, a Theodosian-era building that takes as models the governors' palaces. The hall was surrounded with 32 monolithic marble columns from the emperor's private quarries in Chios in Greece.

Marble

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СРЕДНО УЧИЛИЩЕ "ГЕО МИЛЕВ" - ВАРНА “Erasmus+” Project: 2018-1-BG01-KA229-047945_1-‘Forceful History and language – applying competence- based methodology’.&nbsp;

Ostia Antica It is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 25 kilometres southwest of Rome. "Ostia" (plur. of "ostium") is a derivation of "os", the Latin word for "mouth". At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but due to silting the site now lies 3 kilometres from the sea.The site is noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings, magnificent frescoes and impressive mosaics. According to the legend, Ancus Marcius king of Rome, founded Ostia in 620 BC as a crucial spot to make use of the salt pans at the mouth of the Tiber. The oldest archaeological remains however, date back much later, to the second half of the 4th century BC, and belong to an armed camp (Lat. castrum) built in tufa blocks: it was built by roman settlers to protect the river’s mouth and the Lazio coast.

The Thermae Maiores One of the halls of the legionary fortress’s baths in Budapest was found in 1778, during the first archaeological excavation in Aquincum. The excavated section of the baths was soon presented to the general public in a protective building. Today we are familiar with almost the entire legionary baths. The monumental structure (120 m by 140 m) lay at the intersection of the fortress’s two main roads. The baths’ main entrances opened onto these two roads. The building was constructed in the 2nd century and rebuilt a number of times afterwards. The bath complex offered soldiers an exercise court (palaestra), cold, warm, and hot pools, baths, steam baths, and spacious halls with underfloor heating. Soldiers here had numerous opportunities to exercise and bathe.

The Roman Forum Also known as Forum Romanum in Latin, was the heart of the ancient city of Rome and the location of important religious, political, and social activities. Historians believe people first began publicly meeting in the open-air Forum around 500 B.C., when the Roman Republic was founded. The rectangular-shaped area, sited on low-lying land between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill, was home to many of the ancient city’s most impressive temples and monuments. After the fall of the Empire, the Roman Forum was forgotten and little by little it was buried under the earth. Although in the 16th century the existence and location of the Forum was already known, it was not until the 20th century that excavations were carried out. Today, the Roman Forum is one of the most famous tourist sites in the world, attracting more than 4.5 million visitors annually.

The Roman city of Complutum, Spain This city was built in the time of the Emperor Augustus, beginning its abandonment at the end of the IV century AC or the beginning of the V century AC. Unfortunately, a large portion of the archeological site was destroyed in the 1960’s after excavation to build housing projects in the neighborhood of Reyes Católicos. There have been a few rescued sites though, and the main one includes the center of the old city – the forum, some spectacular private houses, and a portion of the streets and old sewer system, etc. The archaeological excavations have shown that this city would follow the classical Roman scheme and would have public and private buildings, a sanitation network, and important suburban areas. The Roman city of Complutum was located next to the river Henares, in a privileged position with respect to the fertile valleys that define the landscapes of the southern part of the current Community.

Late Roman Fortlet, Dunakeszi Ruins of Román military fortifications stay along the left bank of the river Danube, near Dunakeszi.&nbsp;A block of wall ruin lies there, about which only a few people have known for long that once it belonged to a Roman outpost that had been pushed forward to the Barbaricum. In the backyard and basement of the building, which is located at 28 Duna Row, not only high remains of spectacular wall sections of the fortification and its tower can be visited, but also history of the fortress and archaeological finds recovered from its area are exhibited. The territory of native tribes of the northern Dunántúl (Trans-danubia) region, which became dependent upon Emperor Augustus, was annexed by the Roman army during the late-Tiberio -Claudian period. First military camps along the Danube, in the Dunakanyar, were developed in Solva (present day Esztergom] and nearby Aquincum (today Víziváros, Budapest) somewhat earlier than the middle of the lst century AD.

The Ara Pacis The Ara Pacis, a more than 2,000 years old "Altar of Peace" that was used (paradoxically) for sacrifices, is a commanding work of Roman art and architecture that had been lost to civilization for centuries. This monumental altar was dedicated to the Peace goddess it is named after, dating back to the 1st century BC. The construction of the Ara Pacis was commissioned by Augustus and the Roman Senate to celebrate the successful military campaigns against the Gauls. Dedicated to Peace (Pax), the giant marble altar was built in the Field of Mars (Italian: Campo Marzio), about half mile from its current site, and completed in January, 9 BC. Together with the altar, a sundial, composed of an Egyptian obelisk and known as Solarium Augusti, was erected in the same period.

The Roman aqueducts The Roman aqueduct was a channel used to transport fresh water to highly populated areas of&nbsp;the capital from the surrounding countryside. The Roman aqueducts were a crowning technological achievement of the ancient world. They supplied fresh, clean water for baths, fountains, and drinking water for ordinary citizens. Rome’s first aqueduct was built in 312 B.C., and many more would be built over the next five centuries. Both public and private funds paid for construction. High-ranking rulers often had them built; the Roman emperors Augustus, Caligula, and Trajan all ordered aqueducts built. The capital in Rome had around 11 aqueduct systems supplying freshwater from sources as far as 92 km away (57 miles). Despite their age, some aqueducts still function and provide modern-day Rome with water. The Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed by Agrippa in 19 B.C. during Augustus’ reign, still supplies water to Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain in the heart of the city.

Aquincum - Ancient Roman city Aquincum was a major Roman city situated on the northeastern borders of the province of Pannonia within the Roman Empire, today in the current limits of Budapest. It was founded after the Romans conquered the land from a Celtic tribe that had lived in the area since 400 B.C. It is believed that Marcus Aurelius wrote at least part of his book Meditations at this city.Aquincum was much larger than what is nowadays visible. Being the centre of operations on the Roman frontier against the neighbouring Iazyges, Aquincum was occasionally the headquarters of emperors.The city had at least 30,000 inhabitants by the end of the 2nd century, and covered a significant part of the area today known as the Óbuda district within Budapest. Currently, only a third part of city centre has been excavated. The ruins include certain surprises like a stone tile with a sewer grate built into it, an underground central heating system, mosaic-covered thermal baths or a market-place.&nbsp;

Colosseum The Roman Colosseum, or origanally named the Flavian Amphitheatre, is one of the capital's most remarkable monuments and&nbsp;the main symbol of Rome. The construction of the Colosseum began in the year 72 under the empire of Vespasian and was finished in the year 80 during the rule of the emperor Titus. After completion, the Colosseum became the greatest Roman amphitheater, measuring 188 meters in length, 156 meters in width and 57 meters in height. It was planned to host 50,000 people who could enjoy the exhibitions of exotic animals, executions of prisoners, recreations of battles and gladiator fights. The name was changed to Colosseum, because of the great statue "The Colossus of Nero" that was located at the entrance of the Domus Aurea, just opposite&nbsp;the Flavian Amphitheatre.

The Capitoline Museums They are located on the Piazza del Campidoglio, Capitoline Hill, and are the world's oldest public museums. The creation of the Capitoline Museums has been traced back to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues of great symbolic value to the People of Rome. In the 16th&nbsp;century Michaelangelo created the piazza at the top of the Capitoline Hill, (Piazza del Campidoglio) reached by a very impressive staircase, the Cordonata. The Capitoline Museums are made of two buildings facing each other. Their collection of classical sculpture is one of Italy's finest, boasting works such as the iconic Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline Wolf), a life-size bronze of a she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, a major symbol of Rome, and the Galata morente (Dying Gaul), a moving depiction of a dying warrior.

Roman Cultural Heritage of&nbsp;Europe

Project №2018-1-BG01-KA229-047945 "Forceful History and Language - Applying Competence-Based Methodology”

The Museum of Mosaics, Devnya It is located near&nbsp;Varna, in north-east Bulgaria. The museum, built on top of a large ruined Roman villa from Late Antiquity, exhibits mosaics from the Roman and early Byzantine city of Marcianopolis. The city was renamed after Trajan's sister, Ulpia Marciana. An important strategic centre, the city was part of Roman Thrace until 187–193, and then belonged to Moesia inferior. The museum was founded as a result of archaeological research that started in 1976 and&nbsp;uncovered the House of Antiope, a Late Roman villa decorated with floor mosaics. The villa was constructed in the late 3rd or early 4th century AD, perhaps during the rule of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306–337). The villa was nearly square in shape, measuring 37.15 m × 37.75 m and there were 21 rooms situated around an inner courtyard (atrium). The museum lies in a small park, with a well-preserved Roman street crossing under the building. Around the museum are several ancient walls, which, along with the villa, constitute most of the preserved ruins of Marcianopolis.

Abritus Abritus Archaeological Reserve is located 2 km east of Razgrad, Bulgaria. This ancient town was established at the end of the 1st century AD as a Roman military camp built on the ruins of an ancient Thracian settlement and grew to become one of the biggest urban centers in Moesia Inferior – a Roman province that was situated in the northern part of modern-day Bulgaria. The town of Abritus was mentioned by ancient authors in relation to the battle that took place in its region in 251 AD, a battle in which Emperor Trajan Decius was killed. On the territory of the reserve, visitors can see the remains of a 3200 sq m peristyle complex-a rectangular inner courtyard and a building, that used to be the residence of a high-ranking state magistrate. There are Roman-Ionic columns on the four sides of the inner courtyard.&nbsp;The biggest gold coin treasure from the 5th century in Bulgaria was discovered in Abritus. It consists of 835 solidi (coins).

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