Late Roman Potter

Abstract

The Roman theatre in Nicaea is the most famous and well preserved monument from the Roman Imperial Period which was built under the supervision of the Bithynia governor, Plinius, during the rule of Trajan.1 The examined Late Roman pottery was found in a rubbish dump which covered the theatre. Following the stratigraphy and dating of the dump it is estimated to be from between 368 A.D. and 557 A.D. There is a renovation of the colonnaded gallery probably after the earthquake of 368 A.D. which is mentioned in the records.2 Many coins of the fourth century A.D. which were found during excavations might also be related with this renovation. But further earthquakes resulted in the theatre being gradually destroyed and abandoned. It seems that the theatre was used as a rubbish dump after the late fourth century A.D. until the earthquake of 557 A.D. A great number of African Red Slip ware has been found in this fill of the theatre. The main ceramic types are plates and bowls –Hayes Forms 53, 61 and 67– which have recently been classified as Africana D by S. Tortorella. A small group of Phocean Red Slip Ware “Late Roman C”, mainly bowls, dated to early in the 4th century until its disappearance in the third quarter of the sixth century A.D. have also been attested in the theatre of Nicaea. There is some “Eastern Sigillata C”, mainly in Hayes 3, also discovered in this dump. We have discovered some Light Colored Ware fragments in the Nicaea theatre which appear to be quite similar to the ones found in Parion. Recently E. Ergürer has published a group of Light Colored Ware dated between the fifth early sixth centuries A.D. from Parion.3 The production center of this ware is not securely determined so far but it is interesting to note that this ware is quite common both in Bithynia, Propontis and the Troad. As a result the aforementioned wares, which are treated for the first time in Nicaea, were found in the same rubbish dump over the theatre and are dated between the late fourth century and third quarter of the sixth century A.D.