Building with an Apse Outside the Walls of the Citadel at Tyras
Building with an Apse Outside the Walls of the Citadel at Tyras

A Further Step Towards Explaining Its Function

Author(s): Radosław Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski, Krzysztof Misiewicz, Oleg Saveliev
Subject(s): Archaeology
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Roman Army; Mithras; Mithraeum; Dolichenum; Tyras
Summary/Abstract: In the immediate vicinity of the citadel in Tyras (Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine), a Ukrainian-Romanian expedition discovered part of a mysterious building with an apse in the 1990s. Although the structure was located outsidethe defensive walls, in light of the current state of research, it was interpreted as a Christian basilica, headquarters building (principia) or bathhouse (balneum). Dating the accompanying layers to the 2nd–3rd century may indicate a connection to the Roman garrison stationed in the citadel during this period. The location of the extra muros, as well as the plan and size of the structure, prompts a search for analogies among temples where Roman soldiers participated in private worship outside garrisons. Therefore, it was assumed that the building with the apse served as a Mithraeum or Dolichenum. The impossibility of carrying out the excavation verification prompted the authors of this study to conduct geophysical surveys. The obtained results confirmed that the size and proportions of the building with the apse are very similar to such structures as e.g., the temple of Jupiter Dolichenus, founded by Roman soldiers near the fort in Balaklava.

• Details
• Contents