The site was originally an ancient
Thracian settlement from around the 8th century BC. The site of over was protected from the East, North and Northwest by a deep valley.
Excavations have revealed the defensive walls, a Roman civic
basilica, an early Christian basilica with two
crypts, and a huge water reservoir. The walls had 32
bastions of various shapes and 3 main and 2 secondary gates. The double north gate was designed to enclose and trap attackers. Zaldapa is included in the list of fortifications renovated during the reign of Emperor
Justinian I the Great (527–565). It was also mentioned as the seat of a bishop. In 2015, a Greek stone inscription was discovered by the archaeologists excavating the ruins of a Christian bishop's basilica at Zaldapa. == References ==