RomanArmyTalk

In brief (photo's will follow):
In last two week's we have started protective excavations in SW part of castra in Singidunum. Besides the large object (60 m in length) in the NE part (see map) we have found the remains of the via decumana. Two phases -IV century (dating based on coin finds and glased lamp), and earlier phase which emerges right now bellow the previous one. From via decumana to the SW part of the large building emerge but we have to determine its purpose yet. Further to the SW a channel (sewer ?) built with tegulae on the floor. Brick stamps of legio VII claudia on almost every brick. This is the first time that we have found VII claudia stamps in situ in Singidunum. Also we have IIII FF stamps which is usual. Somewhere we have just the foundation parts of architecture, and somwhere the parts above the floors. Feel free to ask anything, I will try to answer as soon as possible, but I have a lot things to do and I work from 8 till 20 h and I wont be able to answer every day.

Just the part of the large building before the excavations . Foundation walls dug into virgin soil. Walls are made of rough stone and lime mortar. In one of the rooms a lower part of a pit. Inside the pit a pot with lamp stamped fortis, a bronze button, and part of a animal bone-bovid (?). In this part of the site above the virgin soil pottery sherds are dated to II-III century period.

Quote:In last two week's we have started protective excavations in SW part of castra in Singidunum.

So you are inside the legionary fortress in the area occupied by barrack blocks, Stefan? (There was some confusion over the precise site of your excavations.)

It seems that the press report was way off (as usual).

Please give me the link to the international source. I was patient with the guy from BBC radio, and showed him everything, so I suppose he did not made the mistake . In my opinion this large building is something else, not the barack blocks. Simply barack blocks in all the castra are oriented differently towards the shorter side, as You can see in the plan this building is paralel to the SE wall, so these are not the baracks. Regarding the other parts of site, the tram tracks are going through the fortress by its width so I expect other buildings, especially in the SW part. I'll update the plan when I get some free time. For example tonight I have to write for some magazine about Singidunum. In these days I have to use media attention here in Serbia, in order to get money from authorities, to start large project for excavations in part of castra which is public park right now. This is the time to start action.

Quote:Please give me the link to the international source.

I found it on the site of the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, who claim as their source the newspaper Politika.

Quote:Simply barack blocks in all the castra are oriented differently towards the shorter side, as You can see in the plan this building is paralel to the SE wall, so these are not the baracks.

It is true that, from our meagre haul of fortress plans, the barracks tend to be oriented with the centurions' quarters along the front and rear ramparts, but remember ... Sir Ian Richmond thought that he had discovered otherwise at Inchtuthil.

Now, I would be the first to agree that we must tread carefully when generalising from Inchtuthil. But equally, perhaps we should maintain an open mind until more of your building is known?

I'll try to explain in the folowing posts history of excavations in fortress with the main phases of construction as well as problems I am dealing with in the interpration. About the fifth century problem, we have Sintana de Mures -Chernjahov horizont inside the fortress, but just the pits. Not the dwellings, or any kind of houses. ALso there are no undisturbed layers above the walls which identifie destruction of the fortress walls. In nearby site that we are digging in the last five years, lower layers inside the fossae (3 of them) are filled with the end of the III century pottery. My dating of the castra legionis IIII FLaviae to the Trajan-Hadrian period is based on few arguments. Above one barack-verandah floor pottery from I half of the II century was found. Coin circulation inside the camp begins with Trajan-Hadrian coins. I am not going to consider one Nerva coin. This coin circulation is the fact for the whole Singidunum also. Another important argument for me are the IIII FF abreviations on brick stamps.Atribute Felix was not in use after Antoninus Pius as far as I know. Another one is - if leg IIII Fl is not in SIngidunum after its engagment in Sarmisegetuza and Bersovia, where could it be D .