Develtos: An Ancient Thracian and Roman Settlement in Bulgaria
Visitor Information
Google Rating: 4.6
Popularity: Low
Google Maps: View on Google Maps
Country: Bulgaria
Civilization: Byzantine, Roman
Remains: City
History
Develtos is located in present-day Debelt, Bulgaria. It began as a Thracian settlement known as Debelton, a name meaning “two-swamp area,” reflecting the local landscape. Founded in the 7th century BC, it served as a trading post for Apollonia Pontica, a Greek colony on the Black Sea coast. From the 6th to 4th centuries BC, Develtos functioned as a commercial link between the Thracians and Greeks.
In 46 AD, the Roman Empire annexed the area. During Emperor Vespasian’s reign in the 70s AD, the site became a Roman colonia, a settlement for retired soldiers of the VIII Augusta legion. It was renamed Colonia Flavia Pacis Deultensium, a title commemorating the peace following Rome’s civil wars. The colonia was established near the original Thracian settlement, blending local and Roman elements.
Throughout the Roman period, Develtos held political and military importance. It is mentioned by Pliny the Elder and appears in the Antonine Itinerary, a Roman road map. The city endured barbarian raids in the 2nd century and was sacked by the Goths in the 3rd century. Despite this, it was rebuilt and fortified in the 5th century, reflecting its continued strategic value.
In the medieval era, Develtos became a border fortress between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian state. From the 8th to the 14th centuries, control of the city shifted multiple times due to wars and treaties. In 812, Khan Krum of Bulgaria besieged and destroyed the fortress. Later, the city was repopulated and restored but gradually declined during the 14th century. It fell under Ottoman rule in 1396.
Develtos was also an important Christian center from the 2nd century onward. It had an established bishopric, with its bishops attending major church councils. The city is linked to early Christian martyrdoms and is possibly connected to the baptism of Bulgarian ruler Boris I, symbolizing the Christianization of Bulgaria.
Archaeological interest in Develtos began in the late 19th century. Systematic excavations started in the 1980s under archaeologists including Stefan Damyanov and Petar Balabanov, continuing into the 21st century. Recent finds include a sarcophagus from the 2nd–3rd centuries with a Greek inscription confirming the city’s role as a port, and a Christian amulet from the same period bearing the earliest regional reference to Christ.
Remains
Develtos covered about 62 acres (0.25 square kilometers) by the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries AD. The city had a rectangular layout, documented since the 19th century. Excavations have uncovered the eastern city gate and part of the main street, which featured niches for statues of patron deities. Among the artifacts is a fragmented bronze statue of a Roman emperor.
Within the city stood temples dedicated to Asclepius, the god of healing, and Cybele, a mother goddess. The temple of Asclepius was later converted into a temple for the imperial cult, located in the northeastern part of the city. A Roman mint operated here from the reign of Caracalla (early 3rd century) to Philip the Arab, producing commemorative coins for the city’s 30th anniversary and imperial visits.
East of the medieval fortress lies a necropolis with rock-cut rectangular graves up to 1.5 meters deep. These graves, dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, have grooves for stone slab covers. Some were reused during late antiquity and the Middle Ages, showing continuity of burial practices.
The medieval fortress, known locally as “Malkoto gradishte,” has two main occupation phases: from the 4th to 7th centuries and again from the 12th to 14th centuries. It is situated slightly apart from the main ancient city and has been partially excavated.
At Kostadin Chesma, a 9th-century basilica church was uncovered. It had a three-nave plan with a western narthex (entrance area) and measured 14.5 by 12 meters. Built of quarried stone with white mortar, the church was oriented east-west. Four columns supported a dome added in a later phase. The site contained 34 Christian burials, with bodies laid on their backs and right hands raised in blessing. Three skeletons wore large silver-plated crosses dated to the 9th–10th centuries.
Sixty-four lead seals were found at the church site, many bearing monogram crosses and names of Byzantine officials from the iconoclast period (726–843 AD). Among these were three seals of Bulgarian ruler Boris I, inscribed with invocations to Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Nearby defensive earthworks called the Erkesia ditch were built around 705 AD. These fortifications are linked to Khan Tervel and later Khan Krum, marking the medieval border. Archaeological sondages in the ditch revealed materials dating back to the 4th–2nd centuries BC, indicating earlier Thracian occupation.
Today, visible remains include the temple of Asclepius, city walls, the necropolis, ruins of the medieval fortress, and foundations of the basilica church. A museum opened in 2016 near the site displays finds such as a bronze head of Emperor Septimius Severus.
