Abritus (ancient stronghold)
Abritus is an ancient stronghold located in Lower Moesia, in present-day northeastern Bulgaria. Originally established as a Thracian settlement, it transitioned into a Roman fortress in the first century AD and grew into an urban center by the second century. The site is notable for its extensive fortifications, likely built in response to the Gothic invasions of the mid-third century. A significant event in its history occurred in 251 AD, during the Gothic incursions when it became the site of a catastrophic battle. Roman Emperor Trajanus Decius attempted to confront the invading forces led by King Kniva but ultimately found himself and his son trapped in a bog, leading to their deaths and marking the first time a Roman emperor was killed by a foreign enemy in battle. The ruins of Abritus today reflect a blend of architectural influences, featuring city walls adorned with towers of various shapes, showcasing its historical significance and complex past.
Subject Terms
Abritus (ancient stronghold)
Abrittos (Razgrad)
A stronghold in Lower Moesia (northeastern Bulgaria), on the road from Marcianopolis (Reka Devnia) to the Danube. Originally a Thracian settlement, it became a Roman fortress in the first century AD and attained urban status in the second. Extensive fortifications have survived, probably dating from the Gothic incursions of the mid-third century.
In 251, these attacks made Abrittus the scene of one of the most catastrophic battles in Roman history. After the king of the Goths, Kniva, had invaded Lower Moesia, the emperor Trajanus Decius arrived in the province and tried to cut off the Goths' retreat. In the ensuing battle, however, Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus, following initial successes, were trapped (as the fifth-century historian Zosimus, despite his partiality for Decius, had to admit) in a bog, where they were killed and the bodies never recovered. This was the first time a Roman emperor had been slain in battle by a foreign foe. The greater part of the imperial army was destroyed. The city walls, erected soon afterward, combine towers of three different shapes.