LOWER DNIESTER (SNAKE) DEFENSIVE RAMPART:TOPOGRAPHY, ARCHAEOLOGY AND DATING

Abstract

The Lower Dniester (Snake) Defensive rampart on the border of the Roman Empire is one of the largest and most significant objects of the ancient Roman fortification of the Northern Ponticregion but at the same time the most controversial and least known not only to general public but to professional historiansas well. Over the last decade, based on a detailed study of cartographic sources and materials of numerous archaeological surveys it has been possible to reconstruct completely the line of this rampart which turned out to be the longest of all earthen ramparts in Budzhak or Bessarabia (Sapozhnikov 2011; 2013; 2020a). This paper is devoted to such components of this unique monument of military architecture and engineering as topography and archaeology as well as relative and absolute dating both by traditional methods and by the method of soil-genetic chronology. Today we can say that the rampart runs on the right bank of the Dniester from the Sergeevka village near the Black Sea to the right bank of the river Botna near the Plop-Stubei village for 123—125 km, and the total length of this structure (with additional fortifications and protection of the camps) reached 134—136 km. Since the rampart lies on the Late Scythiansettlements Mologa II and Vesele III its terminus post quem can be defined as the early 3rd century AD. Terminus ante quem according to soil-chronological studies by F. N. Lisetsky is limited to the second half of the 3rd century AD. Based on the historical situation in Tyras and its environs during this period the authors concluded that such a significant structure was built by the Romans (or the local population under their leadership) in the first half of the 3rd century AD.