Нумизматика, СфрагиСтика и Епиграфика 15 (2019) Табла XV-XIX NEW LEAD SLING BULLETS WITH INSCRIPTIONS ΣΤΡΑΤΗ | ΑΛΕΞΑΝ AND ΒΑΣΙΛΕ | ΑΛΕΞΑΝ FOUND IN DOBRUDJA (IN ROMANIA AND BULGARIA) Metodi MANOV, Gabriel TALMAŢCHI, Gabriel CUSTUREA Inscribed lead sling bullets are rarely found during archaeological ex- cavations and until recently have been underestimated as some, in fact, quite important sources of historical information. In recent years, interest in this kind of archaeological finds has increased significantly. Already all authors who publish and interpret such small objects have discovered and realized the very important role of these immutable elements of ancient weapons for the reconstruction of certain historical events from a par- ticular region. Especially when there are inscriptions and symbols on the surface of the found sling bullets, this significantly facilitates the linking of some military activities in the region of their discovery with ancient authors’ accounts of specific historical events. Recently, an important study of such types of findings has been made, in which, along with general information on the distribution of this type of armament in the ancient world, with a brief overview of the main literature on the subject, there is also a relatively large number of such small lead objects, which bear inscriptions (Paunov, Dimitrov 2000, 44 – 57). Several years ago, a compact group of several inscribed lead sling bullets with the names of some of the prominent Philip II’s commanders was also published, which were found during regular archeological excavations at the high mountain Thracian residence in Sredna Gora, in the area of the peak named “Kozi Gramadi”. The sling bullets from this Thracian residence were definitely related to a battle of Philip II’s troops at that place against Thracian troops – probably some forces of the Thracian ruler Teres II or Kersebleptes, in the years 342 – 341 BC (Christov, Manov 2011). It was found that two of these Philip II’s com- manders had earlier participated also in the siege of the city of Olynthus in the Chalcidice peninsula, in 348 BC (Christov, Manov 2011, 25). The importance of this particular information and the conclusions drawn on the basis of the inscribed lead sling bullets from the Thracian residence at 133 134 Metodi MANoV, GAbriel tAlMAŢCHi, GAbriel CUStUREA the peak of „Kozi Gramadi“ which were certainly from the time of Philip II (359 – 336 BC) were appropriately appreciated, and a little later the same sling bullets were presented again by another author who placed them in a wider context of mobility of ancient Macedonian troops in the Balkans, along with other newly found such sling bullets from Bulgaria, Greece and Republic of North Macedonia (Nankov 2015). Recently, sev- eral more important publications have appeared on inscribed lead sling bullets found in various other places (Avram 2011; Avram et alii 2013; Avram 2016). Some publications regarding the studies of inscribed sling bullets re- main fundamental and should be mentioned specifically. With special contribution to the discussed topic is the publication of this kind of finds from the excavations at Olynthus represented by D. Robinson as far back as 1941 (Robinson 1941). D. Robinson has identified a number of names inscribed on lead sling bullets found at Olynthus, among them being few with the name of the Macedonian king Philip II, as well as few were with the names of various commanders of Philip II. These facts gave grounds to D. Robinson without any doubt to present these sling bullets as belong- ing to the troops of the Macedonian king Philip II, who had besieged in 349 BC and had taken over the city of Olynthus in 348 BC, and eventu- ally, after its capture, on the order of Philip II this city was completely destroyed (Robinson 1941, 426). The inscribed lead sling bullets found at Olynthus are prime sources for the historical events in 349 and 348 BC, which in this case accurately confirm the events mentioned by the ancient orator and politician Demosthenes in his famous three speeches, devoted specially to the political situation around the city of Olynthus in 349 BC, known nowadays as the Olynthiacs. Some details of the siege and conquest of the city of Olynthus by Philip II in 348 BC are presented by the ancient author Diodorus (Diod. XVI, 53, 2-3). An appropriate place of the inscribed sling bullets is also given in the multi-volume study of different types of armaments and armed forces by T. Pritchett (Pritchett 1991, 43-53), and valuable advices on the study and understanding of this element of ancient weaponry has provided A. Foss, who has published one of the earliest known so far sling bullet that bears inscribed the name of the Persian satrap Tissaphernes (413 – 395 BC) (Foss 1975). It has already been established by modern scholars that the inscribed sling bullets often provide specific information about some persons who are also known by reports of ancient authors, which is why sometimes we get the opportunity to attempt reconstruction of some historical events and to reach important conclusions. Slingers were part of the light armed troops who fought in some military units along with archers and spearmen (Robinson 1941, 419). It is believed that military formations composed of slingers were used by vari- 134 NEW LEAD SLING BULLETS WITH INSCRIPTIONS ΣΤΡΑΤΗ | ΑΛΕΞΑΝ... 135 ous ancient cities in the Greek world as early as the 5th century BC and were also known long ago in Egypt, Troy and Mycenae (Paunov, Dimitrov 2000, 44 with ref.), as well as in ancient Assyria and Persia (Анохин 2010, 46-48 with ref.). However, the greatest was the distribution and appli- cation of such detachments of slingers in the troops of the Macedonian ruler Philip II, as well as in the troops of his son Alexander the Great, as well as in the armies of the kings of the Hellenistic kingdoms, formed after Alexander’s death in 323 BC. The presence of such units of slingers in the troops of Alexander the Great during his campaign to the north of Haemus against the Thracian tribes Triballi and Getae was explicitly reported by the ancient author Arrian (Arr. Anab. I, 2, 4). Several unpublished inscribed lead sling bullets will be presented here, found in Dobrudja, which is now located in the territories of Romania and Bulgaria. Two inscribed sling bullets found during regular archaeological ex- cavations in two different archaeological sites in Northern Dobrudja and now kept in the Museum of National History and Archeology in Constanta, Romania, will be presented for the first time here. Years ago a lead sling bullet has been found in the archaeological site at the village of Floriile, community Aliman, point „Adâncata”, Constanta County. The lead sling bullet is with the following metric data: length 33 mm; width 18.5 mm; weight 38.60 g; now kept in the Museum of National History and Archaeology – Constanta, inventory No. 46.724. Inscriptions on both sides: ΣTPATH | AΛEΞAN (Plate XV. 1). One of the most recent points in the light of the specialized research on the Pontic territory in the last two decades is the complex of settlements within the administrative territory of Alimanu community, not far from the village of Floriile, community Aliman, Constanta County (in points Adâncata I-V). They have been reported in specialized papers by the publication of many archaeological materials collected following the occasional surface research carried out in the 90’s of the last century. The set of settlements was ordered chronologically as follows: a fortified autochthonous settlement (point Adâncata I); another opened autochthonous settlement synchronous in evolution with the first one (point Adâncata II); a Roman settlement (point Adâncata III); a second possible Roman settlement (point Adâncata V); a late medieval settlement (point Adâncata IV) (Irimia 2004-2005, 319; Irimia 2006, 243; Irimia 2007, 150, 215, fig. 28, no. 5). Of interest to our topic are the first two settlements. The fortified settlement in the point Adâncata I, set about 3.5 km east of Floriile, identified in the point „Dealul Cişmelei” on the northern plateau of the hill Dedibal, benefits to a large extent with unforeseen archaeological discoveries and coin finds. This settlement was considered an important residential fortified centre with adjacent earth vallum and trenches, which experienced several stages of development. Its upper part coincides with 135 136 Metodi MANoV, GAbriel tAlMAŢCHi, GAbriel CUStUREA a possible acropolis in the south-west area of the plateau, with the sides of the quadrilateral 150 x 150 m (Irimia 2007, 150; Irimia 2010, 94). The open settlement (point Adâncata II) is located on a plateau, on a slope, and is delimited by two tumuli, about 800 meters away from each other. It seems to be of the open type and is organized in small „islands“, disposed in an area of about 500 x 250 m (Irimia 2004-2005, 341; Irimia 2007, 150; Irimia 2010, 96). The autochthonous fortified settlement Adâncata I and the open autochthonous settlement Adâncata II form a consistent archaeological ensemble, rich in archaeological and coin material – hand-made Getic pottery, pottery made on a potter wheel, luxury Greek pottery, Greek Hellenistic amphorae, spindle whorls, coulter-tools, flat axes with fins, bronze figurines of the Thracian scheme, a miniature bell that was probably part of a necklace, weapons – battle arrowheads and a spearhead (Irimia 1983, 91 – 92; Irimia 1999, 73 – 81; Irimia 2000, 102 – 112; Irimia 2004 – 2005, 320 – 339; 341 – 346), monetary signs, Greek autonomous, Geto-Dacian, Macedonian coins (Irimia 2004 – 2005, 339 – 340; Talmațchi 2008a, 212 – 213; Talmațchi 2011, 47 – 57; Talmațchi 2013, 8 – 12). The finds date back to different periods in the wide range between the end of the 6th century BC and the end of the 1st century BC.