Neolithic settlement from the 6th millennium BC (4th century) with remains of
Serdica in the foreground of
classicism|alt=Columns and Roman brick and stone ruins on the ground floor of a hotel lit by yellow lighting A Neolithic settlement discovered in
Slatina, in today's north-eastern Sofia, is dated to be from the 6th millennium BC. Another Neolithic settlement around the
National Art Gallery is traced to the 3rd–4th millennium BC. The earliest tribes who settled were the
Thracian Tilataei. In the 500s BC, the area became part of a
Thracian union, the
Odrysian kingdom. In 339 BC
Philip II of Macedon destroyed and ravaged the town. The
Celtic tribe
Serdi gave their name to the city of
Serdica. The earliest mention of the city comes from an
Athenian inscription from the 1st century BC, attesting
Astiu ton Serdon, i.e. city of the
Serdi. A local inscription and
Dio Cassius recorded that the Roman general
Crassus subdued the
Serdi and beheaded the captives. Around 29 BC, Serdica was conquered by the
Romans. It gradually became the most important Roman city of the region and became a
municipium, or centre of an administrative region, during the reign of Emperor
Trajan (98-117) and was renamed
Ulpia Serdica. The city was burnt and destroyed in 170 by the
Costoboci and the city was rebuilt, this time with its first defensive walls between 176-180 under
Marcus Aurelius as evidenced by inscriptions above the gates. The city expanded again, as public baths, administrative and cult buildings, a civic
basilica and a large
theatre, were built. When Emperor
Diocletian divided the province of
Dacia into
Dacia Ripensis (on the banks of the
Danube) and
Dacia Mediterranea, Serdica became the capital of the latter. Roman emperors
Aurelian (215–275) and
Galerius (260–311) were born in Serdica. In 268 a Gothic raid ravaged and burned parts of the city including the theatre which was abandoned. The city continued to expand and became a significant political and economical centre, more so as it became one of the first Roman cities where Christianity was recognised as an
official religion. The
Edict of Toleration was issued in 311 in Serdica by the Roman emperor
Galerius, officially ending the
Diocletianic persecution of
Christianity. The Edict implicitly granted Christianity the status of "religio licita", a worship recognized and accepted by the
Roman Empire. It was the first edict legalising Christianity, preceding the
Edict of Milan by two years. Moreover, in the Edict of Milan, only one sentence was dropped: “Ne quid contra disciplinam agent.” So the Edict of Milan preached unconditional religious tolerance where the Edict of Serdica stated a conditional tolerance (meaning of disciplinam here is: unless they, the christians, disturb the good or social order of the State). Serdica was the capital of the
Diocese of Dacia (337-602). An
amphitheatre was built over the remains of the theatre under
Diocletian (284–305) and later under
Constantine the Great (306–337). For Constantine the Great it was 'Sardica mea Roma est' (Serdica is my Rome). He considered making Serdica the capital of the
Byzantine Empire instead of Constantinople. The
Tetrarchs' and Constantine's efforts to secure a large supply network for the Danube army by building a large number of
horrea in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries appears to have included Serdica as a principal gathering base due to the 8 horrea discovered by excavation. In 343, the
Council of Sardica was held in a church located where the current 6th century
Church of Saint Sofia was later built.
Archaeology Many remains of the ancient city have been excavated and are on public display today. These include: •
Complex Ancient Serdica • eastern gate • western gate • city walls • thermal baths • bridge over the river (near the Lion's bridge) • 4th c.
church of St. George Rotunda •
amphitheatre of Serdica • the tombs and basilicas under the
basilica of St. Sophia Under Constantine the city expanded to the north of the walls (the so-called Northern Appendix) and the Roman bridge over the river became an important part of this area. A set of no less than 8
horrea (warehouses) were found inside the southwestern quarter of the walls and dated to the early 4th century indicate that Serdica was probably a supply-centre of regional importance, connected to the Danube by the valley of the river Iskur (Oescus). ==Middle Ages==