HISTORY
The archeological reserve of Nikopolis ad Istrum is situated at a distance of 18 km north of
Veliko Turnovo on the main road E85 and 3 km southeast of the village of Nikyup.
The City of Victory was founded by Emperor Trayan at the beginning of the second century in honour of his victory over the Dacians. Nikopolis was established on the fertile bank of Rossitza River and on a crossroads of important ways. The favourable location of the town brought it prosperity during the second to the fourth century. The territory of the ancient town covered the nowadays Veliko Turnovo district south of the road Byala – Pleven. It lasted till the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 17th century - in that period the town was devastated by the invasions of the Avars.
ABOUT NIKOPOLIS AD ISTRUM
Deep moats and high stone walls surrounded the town. A forum (square), straight and wide streets, temples of Roman, Greek and Eastern gods, white-stone private and public buildings were found there during archeological excavation works. The town was provided with sewerage and water-supply systems. An enormous water pipeline, 27 km in length, supplied abundant mountain spring water from the cave near the village of Moussina. Veterans, big land owners, merchants and craftsmen from different parts of the Roman Empire, Asia Minor, Syria Minor, Egypt, inhabited the town. Nikopolis ad Istrum was one of the biggest trade centres of Lower Moesia.
Over 900 kinds of colonial coins were minted there. Well organized stone roads connected it with the other Roman centres in Moesia and Thrace.
The first excavations there started in 1900. Since 1975 the surveys have been conducted by the Archeological Institute
Sofia and the
Historical Museum Veliko Turnovo with the help of students from Veliko Turnovo University. A Roman marble statue of the God of Love – Eros, a bronze head of Emperor Gordian III (238 – 244), architectural details, statuettes, inscriptions and others were found there.
Description
