July 2016
CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
CAI Archaeological Tour of Bulgaria 1-14 May, 2016
One of the highlights of van Dommelen. He, Joan the programme of the and Andrew had put Classical Association of together a programme Ireland is the biennial that included some of the tour of a country of most interesting sites and classical interest under museums but also gave the inspired (and us great insights into inspiring) leadership of contemporary Bulgarian Joan Wright and Andrew society. Julien was a mine Smith. of information and his This year’s tour theories about Thracian was to one of the less culture sparked some familiar parts of the lively discussion! In Greco-Roman world. We addition to this, he was know it as Bulgaria but to unfailingly kind and The group at Plovdiv. (Photos on these pages the ancients it had a helpful. When we recall courtesy of our tour guide, Julien van Dommelen.) variety of names: Thrace, that we stayed in nine Moesia, Mesembria. It was the land of Orpheus different hotels over the fortnight and, for and was associated with some of the great names various reasons, used four different buses, it was of antiquity: Philip of Macedon, his son a very challenging assignment. Alexander the Great, the Roman poet Ovid, the Sophia (Roman Serdica) has one metro emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Diocletian. It was line in operation and another is planned (Dublin: occupied by a succession of invaders: Celts, please note!). The excavations revealed extensive Thracians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, remains from the Roman period, very well Bulgars and, for many centuries, the Ottomans. preserved and displayed. Sophia also boasts the All of these peoples have left their mark on the most amazing collection of Thracian gold in its country. archaeological museum. Our trip began and ended in Sophia and Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second city and took in quite a large slice of the country. What quite different to Sophia. It gets its name from we experienced was a beautiful country with Alexander’s father Philip but it is the Romans stunning scenery, a wonderful variety of who have left extensive remains. We were archaeological sites, and a friendly and entertained that evening by local singers and dancers. welcoming people. Our local guide was Julien
Above: David and Maire Lohan and Christine Shine. Below: joining in the folk dancing.
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