Thesis (Ph. D.)--Princeton University. / Bibliography: p. xi-xii.

The work presented here focuses on the development of economic activities in the provinces of Thrace and Moesia Inferior (in today's Bulgaria), specifically on the problematic of glassmaking in Roman period and the Late Antiquity. In my work I have focused on the systematic interpretation of the economical development of the rural environment in a context of social, political and economic transformation during Roman rule. The second part of the work presents the glassmaking in the Roman Empire - its beginning, the development of certain technological processes and the specifics of trade activities with raw glass and finished glass products. A collection from the Roman site of Yurt-Stroyno was selected as a case study (during seasons 2012-2014) 1413 fragments of glass were found here. The main aim of the presented study is a typological analysis of the glass finds, supplemented by an analysis of the material composition of selected artifacts. Chemical XRF analyses of the material composition were applied due to clarify the chronological framework of the study group, to determine the source of raw glass for the local glassworks and to raise awareness of Roman and late antique glass in southeastern Bulgaria. 116 samples from the Yurta-Stroyno site were analysed. The selection of samples was carried...

Yes / A non-destructive survey conducted in 2017–2019 in the proximity of the auxiliary fort brought forth new data regarding the military base on the bank of the Danube, in the frontier zone between the Roman provinces of Moesia Superior and Dacia Inferior. It became clear that the previously acknowledged large stone fort was preceded by an unknown small earth-and-timber fort likely dated to the late 1st – early 2nd century. Analysis of the internal planning of the large fort, as well as the results of test trenching near the East Gate not only allowed to verify some geophysical results but also gave insight into the chronology of the large fort and contributed to the discussion of the changes to the fort’s garrison. The evidence shows that the base functioned until the 260s CE, and while the Roman military was probably present in the area at some point in the 4th century, it was a relatively short episode during an attempt to reconquer the Dacian riverbank.