On October 12, the book “Roads Through Antiquity” was presented at the “Prof. Boyan Penev” Regional Library in Razgrad. Its author is Assistant Professor Dr. Danail Petrov—a scholar with roots in Razgrad who teaches in the Department of History and Archaeology at Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen.
Due to the author’s connection to Razgrad, the research study devotes special and significant attention to the ancient roads of the Ludogorie region and their links to Abritus. Specialists from the Regional History Museum in Razgrad—colleagues of the author who are well-versed in the subject—attended the book presentation. The author was introduced by Assoc. Prof. Yordanova from Shumen University.
Dr. Danail Petrov presented the book, using maps to visually illustrate the routes of ancient roads. The author highlighted key aspects of the scholarly work, tracing the development of transport networks and providing information on the naming of Roman roads and the legislation in Ancient Rome that determined road widths. The book is the result of nearly two decades of research, during which the author overcame challenges such as deciphering inscriptions in Latin and Greek. Following the presentation, the author received congratulations from Tanya Todorova, Director of the Regional History Museum in Razgrad; Prof. Dr. Rositsa Angelova, Head of the Department of History and Archaeology at Shumen University and Head of the Modern and Contemporary History Department at the museum; Chief Assistant Professor Dr. Vladimir Bekov, an archaeologist and numismatist at the museum and lecturer at Veliko Tarnovo University; and Hristo Hristov, a museum educator with a keen interest in the archaeology of the Ludogorie region.
Prof. Rositsa Angelova PhD emphasized that the author has explored a specific yet important niche that has deservedly captured his attention. Tanya Todorova, Director of the Regional History Museum in Razgrad, highlighted the book’s immense importance for the study of the Ludogorie region. The author received flowers and souvenirs from the Regional History Museum, as well as from the library director. In an informal conversation with the author, fellow historians from the Razgrad museum discussed the book’s subject matter, and those interested received autographs from Dr. Danail Petrov.
The book “Roads Through Antiquity” is a research monograph based on Danail Petrov’s doctoral dissertation on the subject; the work was reviewed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mitko Madzharov, a renowned specialist in Roman road systems. The book incorporates certain additions to the information originally presented in the dissertation. While the author also examines pre-Roman roads, the primary focus is on the Roman roads of the Ludogorie region, a topic he has personally researched.
The study focuses on the major roads that traversed the region: Sexaginta Prista–Abritus–Marcianopolis; Durostorum–Abritus–Nicopolis ad Istrum; and Cabile–Abritus. The routes are described in great detail, based on direct field observations. The author also utilized numismatic evidence to determine the road alignments. The book is a valuable research work containing information that allows one to draw conclusions about the road networks that shaped the economic and social life of the Ludogorie region over the centuries.
