View source for Libida

[[File:Eastern Moesia 2.png|thumb|Eastern Moesia and Limes Moesiae]]
[[File:Plan_of_(L)Ibida_town_and_the_position_where_the_Basilica_is_located.png|thumb|right|Plan of Ibida by Ștefan]]
[[File:Cetatea (L)Ibida.jpg|thumb|The northern walls of Ibida]]
[[File:Cetatea Ibida 20180814 181046 08.jpg|thumb|Northern walls]]
[[File:Zidul cetatii Ibida 2.jpg|thumb|4th c. walls built over 2nd c. buildings]]
[[File:Horseshoe-shaped tower.jpg|thumb|Horseshoe-shaped tower]]
'''Libida''' or '''Ibida''' was an ancient city in Roman [[Moesia]], later Roman [[Scythia Minor (Dobruja)|Scythia Minor]], today's [[Dobruja]] region of modern [[Romania]]. It is in the village of [[Slava Rusă]].
==History==
A [[Getae|Getic]] settlement existed here in the 4th century BC.
The Romans conquered the area in 27 BC; it became the Roman province of [[Moesia]] in around 6 AD<ref>Dio Cassius IV 29</ref> and the first city walls were built under the [[Principate]].
In Roman times its growing importance as a centre of commerce led to the construction of grandiose city walls during the reign of the [[Tetrarchy]] with modifications under [[Constantine the Great]]. The city walls encompassed approx. 24 ha with an attached fort of approx. 3.5 ha on Harada hill. It suffered attacks by the [[Goths]] (4th century under [[Valens]]), by the [[Kutrigurs]] in 559 under [[Justinian I]] who made the most extensive reconstruction,<ref>Procopius De aed. IV,7</ref><ref>Theophylactus Simocatta, Historiae 1.8</ref> and the [[Pannonian Avars|Avars]]-Slavs (6th century).<ref>SITUL ARHEOLOGIC IBIDA https://www.arheologie-ibida.eu/sectoare_de_cercetare-i3</ref>
The town and area around was abandoned in the 7th c. AD after the [[Bulgars|Bulgar]] invasions.
==The site==
The city lay on the flat land while attached to it on the hill to the southwest was a fort. The northern part of the city walls has been excavated.
A Christian basilica in the city has been excavated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/6758570/D._Paraschiv_I._Ia%C5%A3cu_THE_CHRISTIAN_BASILICA_OF_IBIDA._ELEMENTS_OF_INTERIOR_DECORATION |title=D. Paraschiv, I. Iaţcu, The Christian Basilica Of Ibida. Elements Of Interior Decoration &#124; Dorel Paraschiv |publisher=Academia.edu |date=1970-01-01 |access-date=2015-03-28}}</ref>
A paleo-Christian monastic complex from the Byzantine period lies about 2.5 km to the west of the city.
The Roman necropolis of the 4th to 6th centuries AD covers several hectares up to 2.5 km from the city walls.<ref>Aparaschivei, Dan & Iacob, Mihaela & Soficaru, Andrei & Paraschiv, Dorel. (2011). Aspects of everyday life in Scythia Minor reflected in some funerary discoveries from Ibida (Slava Rusă, Tulcea county)</ref>
==Archaeological history==
The town was described by [[Pamfil Polonic]] in 1897, who identified 33 towers and 3 gates.{{cn|date=June 2024}} [[Vasile Pârvan]] identified the settlement in 1911 as Ibida. [[Constantin Moisil]] named the town in 1916 when a treasure of drachmes was found. In 1917 the Bulgar lieutenant Iconomof performed excavations and found the remains of a Basilica with 3 naves. Research in 1953 led to the discovery of [[Getae|Getic]] and Roman-Byzantine bricks and pottery and bronze coins from the [[Justinian I]] era.{{cn|date=June 2024}}
{{commons category|Ibida}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
* A. Aricescu, “Despre numele aşezării antice de la Slava RuSt,” Buletinul Monumentelor Istorice 40.3, (1971) 58-60.
* Pârvan, V. 1912, Ulmetum I. Descoperirile primei campanii de săpături din vara anului 1911, AARMSI 2, 34, p.&nbsp;497–607.
* Pârvan, V. 1923, Începuturile vieţii romane la Gurile Dunării, București.
* Barnea, I. 1968, Perioada Dominatului (sec. IV – VII), în Vulpe, R., Barnea, I., Din istoria Dobrogei. II. Romanii la Dunărea de Jos,București.
* Suceveanu, Al., Barnea, Al. 1991, La Dobroudja Roumaine – București.
==See also==
* [[Histria (ancient city)|Histria]]
* [[List of ancient towns in Scythia Minor]]
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[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Romania]]
[[Category:Byzantine sites in Romania]]