Kozlenko R. The Roman military presence in Olbia (1st – 3rd c. AD)

At the beginning of our era, the expansion of the Roman Empire border led to an increase in its influence on the territory of the Northern Black Sea area. Olbia was among the ancient city-states that caught the Roman administration’s interest, and played one of the key roles in the steppe Black Sea area, bordering on the barbarian periphery. Due to the purposeful Roman policy, soldiers of the Roman army appeared in this ancient city. The military trace of the Roman Empire in Olbia is one of the least explored issues of native classical studies. Despite availability of written and archaeological sources, many years of Olbia and its chora research, the Roman period still hides a great deal of unexplained data about historical events, whereof understanding of causes, development and consequences differ among researchers significantly. Currently, there are almost no works in historiography wherein, based on archaeological research held in Olbia in recent years, the relationship between Olbia and the Roman Empire in the first centuries AD would be fully studied; various points of view on the nature of Roman military traces in this city are outlined, and new materials directly related to the subject are presented. In the research, a number of finds that confirm Roman military presence in Olbia are introduced into scientific usage. I refer to, in particular, fragments of Roman military ammunition of 1st – 3rd c. AD and other military equipment from the excavations in Olbia and its surroundings; garrison everyday items, religious artifacts that were distributed in the Roman army; new epigraphic finds and more. On the basis of discovered sites, within already known architectural complexes, new areas of the Roman garrison location in Olbia are revealed.