DOI Artikel:
Nuţu, George; Paraschiv, Dorel: A medallion with an erotic scene from Beroe on the North Danubian limes
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41947#0131
George Nu(u
Dorel Paraschiv
A MEDALLION WITH AN EROTIC SCENE FROM BEROE
ON THE NORTH DANUBIAN LIMES
Abstract: The authors present a clay medallion (Patrize), a stray find from Beroe, found in the area between
the civilian settlement and the vast necropolis of the fortress. The medallion depicts a complex erotic scene,
unique in the repertoire of the type. Neglected for a long time in the Romanian scientific literature, due to
their “obscene” character and an easily emphasized feeling of shame, the main features of the artifacts were
overlooked, although they illustrate the mentality of the age and thus they contribute to describing the every-
day life within this area.
Key words: Moesia Inferior, Beroe, clay medallion, Patrize, erotic scene
Archaeological context of the find
Beroe,1 a Roman and later Byzantine fortress, lies at Piatra Freca(ei, 3 km south of Ostrov village,
in Tulcea County (southeast Romania) [Fig. 1 ]. In Antiquity (between the first and third centuries
AD), this area was in northern Moesia Inferior. The stony massif, on which the fortress is situated,
stands at the joining of an ancient branch of the Danube (Baroi) and the current course of the river.
It is not known when the site was founded, but in the fourth-fifth centuries AD a cuneus equitum
stablesianorum were stationed here. The fortress was abandoned at the beginning of the seventh
century (the latest Roman-Byzantine coin discovered here was issued by Phocas), but was repo-
pulated when the Byzantines returned to the Lower Danube area during the time of Ioannes
Tzimiskes. Traces of a civilian settlement overlapped the northern end of the site, just as the early
medieval settlement (eleventh-twelfth centuries) overlapped the fortress itself.
In 1891, the fortress was located by the topographical engineer P. Polonie, who recognized
a precinct of trapezoid shape. At the beginning of the twentieth century, C. Moisil reported seeing
an octagonal fortress.2 Starting in 1958, A. Petre conducted some limited research in the north of
the fortress, revealing a vast necropolis of Roman, Roman-Byzantine and early Medieval age (over
1100 graves) and a paleo-Christian basilica from the fourth through sixth centuries AD.3 In 1971—
1973, D. Valceanu and A. Barnea undertook extensive archaeological research inside the fortress.4
A team led by Barnea resumed excavation inside the fortress between 1998 and 2002. They con-
cluded that the Roman precinct fell into the Danube River because of erosion of the riverbank in
the south and west. The same was observed for the north and east, where a ditch used to separate
1 For Beroe, see Nutu, Paraschiv 2009, pp. 177-179 with 3 Petre 1987, pp. 5-171.
bibliography. 4 Valceanu, Barnea 1975, pp. 209-218.
2 Moisil 1911, pp. 45—46.
Dorel Paraschiv
A MEDALLION WITH AN EROTIC SCENE FROM BEROE
ON THE NORTH DANUBIAN LIMES
Abstract: The authors present a clay medallion (Patrize), a stray find from Beroe, found in the area between
the civilian settlement and the vast necropolis of the fortress. The medallion depicts a complex erotic scene,
unique in the repertoire of the type. Neglected for a long time in the Romanian scientific literature, due to
their “obscene” character and an easily emphasized feeling of shame, the main features of the artifacts were
overlooked, although they illustrate the mentality of the age and thus they contribute to describing the every-
day life within this area.
Key words: Moesia Inferior, Beroe, clay medallion, Patrize, erotic scene
Archaeological context of the find
Beroe,1 a Roman and later Byzantine fortress, lies at Piatra Freca(ei, 3 km south of Ostrov village,
in Tulcea County (southeast Romania) [Fig. 1 ]. In Antiquity (between the first and third centuries
AD), this area was in northern Moesia Inferior. The stony massif, on which the fortress is situated,
stands at the joining of an ancient branch of the Danube (Baroi) and the current course of the river.
It is not known when the site was founded, but in the fourth-fifth centuries AD a cuneus equitum
stablesianorum were stationed here. The fortress was abandoned at the beginning of the seventh
century (the latest Roman-Byzantine coin discovered here was issued by Phocas), but was repo-
pulated when the Byzantines returned to the Lower Danube area during the time of Ioannes
Tzimiskes. Traces of a civilian settlement overlapped the northern end of the site, just as the early
medieval settlement (eleventh-twelfth centuries) overlapped the fortress itself.
In 1891, the fortress was located by the topographical engineer P. Polonie, who recognized
a precinct of trapezoid shape. At the beginning of the twentieth century, C. Moisil reported seeing
an octagonal fortress.2 Starting in 1958, A. Petre conducted some limited research in the north of
the fortress, revealing a vast necropolis of Roman, Roman-Byzantine and early Medieval age (over
1100 graves) and a paleo-Christian basilica from the fourth through sixth centuries AD.3 In 1971—
1973, D. Valceanu and A. Barnea undertook extensive archaeological research inside the fortress.4
A team led by Barnea resumed excavation inside the fortress between 1998 and 2002. They con-
cluded that the Roman precinct fell into the Danube River because of erosion of the riverbank in
the south and west. The same was observed for the north and east, where a ditch used to separate
1 For Beroe, see Nutu, Paraschiv 2009, pp. 177-179 with 3 Petre 1987, pp. 5-171.
bibliography. 4 Valceanu, Barnea 1975, pp. 209-218.
2 Moisil 1911, pp. 45—46.