Bulgaria’s Pomorie Opens Archaeological Exhibit with Historical Reenactment by Ancient Roman Legionnaires
Historical reenactors representing the Ancient Roman Scythian Fourth Legion (Legio IV Scythica) have participated in the events for the opening of the new archaeological exhibition of the history museum in Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort of Pomorie. Photo: Pomorie Municipality
The Bulgarian Black Sea resort of Pomorie which is the modern-day successor of the Ancient Roman city of Ulpia Anchialos (originally one of the Ancient Greek colonies on the Western Black Sea coast) has opened a new archaeological exhibit with a historical reenactment performed by “legionnaires” from Legio IV Scythica (“Scythian Fourth Legion”).
The event has been organized for the opening of an exhibition by the Pomorie Museum of History displaying the numerous archaeological artifacts discovered during the rescue excavations carried out at the end of 2014 as part of the construction works for the rehabilitation of the town’s water supply and sewerage system.
The most interesting archaeological items that have been added to the collection of the Pomorie Museum of History are a Byzantine family sarcophagus from the 10th-11th century AD which belonged to a man called Theophylact Lagomatis, ancient floor mosaics from the Late Roman period, a terracotta statuette of goddess Athena from the 2nd-3rd century AD as well as a large number of coins, decorations, and architectural fragments.
“Anchialos was one of the most influential cities in the [Roman] Empire which determined parts of history. The displayed artifacts illustrate perfectly [some] elements of this history, which is why the exposition will remain as a permanent exhibit in the Pomorie Museum of History,” reads the statement of Pomorie Municipality.
The procession of the Roman legionnaires from Legio IV Scythica which went down the main street of Pomorie leading to the Pomorie Museum of History has been performed by a historical reenactment association named “Scythia Minor” after one of the provinces of the Late Roman period in today’s Bulgaria.
Archaeologist Sergey Torbatov from the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology in Sofia speaking at the opening of the new exhibit of the Pomorie Museum of History surrounded by “Roman legionnaires”. Photo: Pomorie Municipality
During the formal opening of the new archaeological exhibit, Bulgarian archaeologist Assoc. Prof. Sergey Torbatov from the National Institute and Museum of Archaeology has spoken on behalf of all 27 archaeologists who participated in the rescue excavations in the Black Sea town in 2014 thanking Pomorie Mayor Ivan Aleksiev and the Director of the Pomorie Museum Anton Karabashev for their joint work.
Torbatov has described last year as the most successful year in the study of the history of the ancient predecessors of today’s town Pomorie, and as a “year of archaeological challenges”.
Visitors viewing the newly opened archaeological exhibit in the Pomorie Museum of History showing artifacts from the ancient city of Anchialos discovered during the 2014 rescue excavations. Photo: Pomorie Municipality
Historical reenactors representing the Ancient Roman Scythian Fourth Legion (Legio IV Scythica) have participated in the events for the opening of the new archaeological exhibition of the history museum in Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort of Pomorie. Photos: Pomorie Municipality
