Felix Romuliana/Gamzigrad in the fifth century – results of recent research

Abstract

Over the last sixty years excavations at the later Roman site of Felix Romuliana/Gamzigrad, in eastern Serbia, have brought to light numerous objects from the period of the Tetrarchy but also well-pre-served layers of the post-palatial period which have enabled researchers to identify the main charac-teristics of the site at the end of the fourth century and during the fi ft h. In this contribution we are presenting new settlement features and burial fi nds of this period. Various structures were erected within the earlier defence. Th ese did not respect the spatial organisa-tion of the previous palatial complex. A basilica was erected within the walls of an earlier audience hall, while textile workshops were established in some chambers of the palace. Th e empty space be-tween the palatial buildings, temples and baths was occupied by modest structures. Glass, metal and bone production is likely to have taken place within these buildings. During the same period elements of the fortifi cation (towers and porticoes) were adapted for the same purpose, as workshops and dwellings. Finds such as coins, fi bulae and specifi c types of combs enabled us to date the end of this phase to the end of the fourth and fi rst half of the fi ft h century. Th e end of this post-palatial period is usually seen as marked by the Hunnic incursions of the fourth decade of the fi ft h century. Th e fi nd of a grave outside Romuliana’s northern gate, dated to aft er AD 450, suggests that life continued in Romuliana in the second half of the fi ft h century.