Source: Photo: Drums in words
The oldest discovered customs office from Roman times for Northern Bulgaria is located on the territory of the municipality of Belene in the ancient Roman fortress “Dimum“.
It is located on the banks of the Danube, in the northern part of the city. The fortress existed from the first to the seventh century.
It is believed that the name Dimum comes from the name of the Thracian tribes that inhabited these lands – Dimenzi.
It is one of the large urban centers along the Danube and is the last, northernmost customs station. Dimum was one of the longest-standing military fortresses in the Lower Danube region during the Roman era and late antiquity. The municipality of Belene has carried out the restoration and reconstruction of part of the fortress wall and the western and southern towers in their appearance from the IV century. Even during the period of Roman settlement in the eastern part of the Balkans at the time of Emperor Octavian Augustus, Dimum was a garrison and customs office between the region they controlled and the lands of the Thracians. In Dimum from the beginning of the 1st century AD. until the end of the 4th century, a cavalry unit was stationed there, which built the fortress.
As a result of the studies of the ancient castle, three main periods of habitation have been established, which are:
1. Early Roman period – from the first half of the 1st century AD. until the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117 – 138);
2. Late Roman period – from the reign of Emperor Aurelian (270 – 275) to 378;
3. Late antique period – corrections from the 5th – 6th centuries AD.
A drilling survey of the terrain began in 1989, when a part of the fortification system of the castle was explored and a preserved section of about 60 meters and the southern tower of the western fortress gate – Porta Pretoria – were discovered. During excavations in recent years, objects have been found, including a bronze statuette of the goddess Demeter (Isis), a bronze belt buckle, an earring, appliqués, glass bracelets, household items, coins. Main sectors of the interior of the fortress have been revealed – the headquarters of the military unit (Principia), as well as the eastern gate of the castle, writes btsbg. org
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