People’s Republic of Bulgaria

Of all the colonies mentioned above, only part of those along the west coast of the Black Sea are today within the boundaries of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria — Apollonia, Anchialo, Mesambria, Odessos and Dionysopolis. Their location on the shores of the two big Black Sea Bays of Bourgas and Varna proved so favourable from a geographical and economic point of view, that life never died out here. With changed aspects and names these settlements continued their existence without interruption throughout the Middle Ages and the period of Ottoman bondage; they exist to this day, as some of the most important and romantic cities of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. It is precisely this circumstance which makes a complete and systematic archaeological study of the cultural strata of the earlier settlements impossible. They lie deep beneath the foundations of the different districts of the modern towns.

The oldest of these colonies was Apollonia, founded probably at the end of the 7th century by the Miletan Greeks. It was situated on the site of present day Sozopol, upon a smal peninsula in the southernmost part of the Bay of Bourgas. Several islands lie around it. Certain ancient authors speak of Apollonia as a town the larger part of which was on an island. Accidental archaeological finds on the neighbouring island of Kirik confirm this piece of information tours bulgaria.

The Dorian colony of Mesambria

The Dorian colony of Mesambria, founded about 510 by settlers from the city of Megara, was similarly situated on the site of present- day Nessebur. It rose upon a rocky peninsula, linked by such a narrow isthmus with the mainland, that it is more like an island with steep shores, sometimes from 13 to 16 m. high.

We have almost no definite conceptions as to the outer architectural appearance of the Greek Black Sea colonies along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, nor of their private and public buildings, fortifications, etc. There can be no doubt, however, that their aspect as cities was no different in general lines from that of the aspect and character of the remaining Greek polises. They had their town squares and rich public buildings, both civic and religious. There was no lack here of palestrae so necessary for the physical training and amusement of the free and wealthy citizens, nor gymnasiums, in which the sons of these citizens were taught.

There was no lack of bouleutorions, where the full-fledged citizens held their meetings, nor of theatres, where different public ceremonies were held and plays were performed. Finally there was no lack of old Greek temple architecture, the most typical representative of the Greek art of building. From written data we know that there was a Temple of Apollo latros (The Ftealer) in Apol- lonia, for which a colossal bronze statue of this god was cast by Cala- mis, the well known Athenian sculptor, who worked in the first half of the 5th century B. C. There was a temple of Apollo in Odessos, and also in Mesambria. On an inscription from the latter city, the theatre is also mentioned, where festivals were held in honour of Dionysus Painting and sculpture were highly developed in these cities. An interesting archaic statue found in the surroundings of Apollonia and dating back as early as the 6th century B. C. is in the Bourgas Museum.