Written and archaeological sources for the reconstruction of Roman road network in the province of Lower Moesia

Abstract

"In Moesia inferior traces of Roman roads are rare. Most of their descriptions belong to the late nineteenth century and were carried out especially by the Shkorpil brothers. Many of the roads thus mentioned do not exist anymore. The aim of this article is to propose the reconstitution of the communication network of the province based on the analysis of literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources. Th e most important written sources are listed grouped by the type of given information on the roads: defi nition, types, stages of construction, juridical regime etc. Th e cartographic sources are the main ones: Tabula Peutingeriana, Itinerarium Antonini, Notitia Dignitatum etc. Epigraphical and archaeological sources are added to these. If the literary or juridical sources, maps, etc. contain general information, valid throughout the Roman Empire, for the reconstitution of the road system of Moesia Inferior the most important role is played by inscriptions: the milestone inscriptions, those mentioning military annexes built along the roads or second-ranking soldiers charged with guarding roads. All these data enable not only to outline the routes but also to establish their chronology. "