Ancient coins from the newly found coin treasures from the Thracian ruler’s residence near Bulgaria’s Brodilovo. Photo: Lead archaeologist Deyan Dichev/Tsarevo Municipality
Next to the other Thracian paradynast’s residence, the one near Sinemorets, the archaeologists have found bronze coins from the Late Hellenistic Period as well as the ruins of a single-nave church from a later time.
“The [newly] discovered treasures show that the region of the Strandzha Mountain played an important role in terms of politics and economics. The [Thracian rulers’] homes were most probably destroyed in a military conflict,” the scholars have concluded.
The 2015 archaeological excavations of the fortified residences of the Asti rulers in Brodilovo and Sinemorets have been funded by Tsarevo Municipality, Bulgaria’s Ministry of Culture, and the international foundation “Horizons”.
In the Third Mithridatic War (73 – 63 BC) in which Rome ultimately prevailed over the Pontic Kingdom (Pontus), the cities and the Ancient Thracians inhabiting what is today Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast were allies of Mithridates VI who sent to their aid forces led by commander Epithinchanonus.
However, the Roman legions of general Marcus Lucullus routed the forces of Pontus as well as the troops of Apollonia Pontica and the Thracians.
Another Ancient Thracian stronghold, the previously unknown fortress Pharmakida discovered recently in Bulgaria’s Primorsko Municipality, has also been found to have been destroyed during Ancient Rome’s Mithridatic Wars.
Also learn more about the Ancient Thracian fortress Pharmakida which is also located in Southeast Bulgaria, and was destroyed in the Mithridatic Wars:
Newly Found Fortress Pharmakida near Bulgaria’s Primorsko Was Fortified Residence of Ancient Thracian Ruler, Archaeologists Conclude
Archaeologists Discover Coin Treasure in Recently Found Fortress Pharmakida near Bulgaria’s Primorsko, Link It to Rome’s Third Mithridatic War
Bulgarian Archaeologist Discovers Previously Unknown Ancient Thracian Fortress in Thick Forest along Ropotamo River
Background Infonotes:
The Ancient Thracians were an ethno-cultural group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting much of Southeast Europe from about the middle of the second millennium BC to about the 6th century AD on the territory of modern-day Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia.
http://archaeologyinbulgaria.com/2015/12/23/archaeologists-find-altars-for-chthonic-deity-rituals-in-fortresses-of-ancient-thracian-tribe-asti-in-southeast-bulgaria/