Graham 1980-Recenzja

NOTICES OF BOOKS 269
PETSAS (P.) Pella, Alexander the Great's capital. (In- previously unknown Thracian city, Seuthopolis, un-
stitute for Balkan Studies, 182.) Thessaloniki: Insti- doubtedly the site being excavated and capital of the
tute for Balkan Studies. 1978. Pp. 164, [118] illus. Seuthes (III) who founded it and ruled the Odrysae dur-
incl. 2 plans, 2 folding maps at rear. Price not stated. ing the late fourth and early third centuries B.C. A short
account in Antiquity (xxxv [1961] 91-102) is usefully
Pclla was the capital of a great kingdom for several supplemented for the English reader by the present slim
centuries, and for a few years of the civilized world, but volume which provides a sketch of Thracian history in
until recently it was little but a name. The excavations the light of the excavations, and presents the results of the
conducted there between 1957 and 1968 by P. for the first authors' study of the city's plan, its architecture, econo-
time revealed some of its riches. The most remarkable mic life, coinage, religion, etc.—all of which features
finds were the great houses of the late fourth and early exhibit a mixture of Thracian and Greek elements. Parts
third centuries, with their floors in pebble-mosaic, which of a Doric column were found and the city-plan itself is of
showed that this art, the precursor of tessellated mosaic, Hippodamian type with insulae 150 by 60 'Ionic' feet
had reached heights of sophistication and beauty quite (0295 m, as at Abdera, A]A lxxvi [1972] 295); I would
unsuspected before. Other aspects were no less important, also see insulae 200 by 60 feet along the north-west
particularly the discovery that the hill to the west of Palaia city-wall. The un-Greek, un-democratic character of
Pella was part of the Acropolis; preliminary investiga- Thracian society is illustrated by the form of the living-
tions suggest that important buildings are to be found quarters: the king in his citadel shrine-palace; nobles in
there. Between 1958 and 1975 P. published articles on the large houses, usually two to an insula; and commoners
progress of excavation and discovery; and the scholarly extra muros in huts. In Antiquity and in the present study D.
world looked forward eagerly to further work and full points out that one house (5) was laid out on the 'pastas'
publication. Unhappily, owing to circumstances briefly principle (cf. Olynthos and the reviewer in Phoenix xx
referred to on pages 161 ff. of the volume under review, [1966] 1ff.)while the others, he claims, were Thracian or
he had to leave the site. He put offpublication in the hope nondescript. But I think it clear that at least one house (2)
that he would soon return and excavate further; but this is of the 'prostas' type (like Priene or, as we now know,
did not happen. He has here gathered ten articles, the first Abdera); and probably two or three others should be so
from the Illustrated London News of 2nd August, 1958, the classified. This Ionic influence is important to note,
last 'Archaeological Chronicles 1968-70' from Make- though hardly surprising. The 'palace' shows little resem-
donika xv (1975), with a brief preface. It is good to have blance to either house-type, but the fine 'incrustation'
the articles collected; but we must hope that the author style walls of the 'Throne Room' are certainly Hellenistic;
will be enabled to take up his work again, and that one the strange scarcity of living rooms is not explained.
day we shall have the definitive book by him on Pella Other aspects of the excavation discussed include pot-
which we need. His book on the great tomb at Lefkadia tery, both local and imported; pithoi with stamps and
(which gave us our first glimpse of what classical painting graffiti—the latter, Greek acrophonic numerals giving,
was really like, work unsurpassed in quality even by the according to the authors, the capacity of the jars (but very
spectacular compositions lately revealed by Andronikos similar graffiti on Olynthian pithoi record values in
at Vergina) shows that P. is an excavator capable of drachmas of vessels or contents). Discussed also is the early
presenting his discoveries promptly, fully and worthily. use of oven-baked bricks for architectural purposes; the
The articles inevitably overlap a bit, but illustration has influence of Greek (especially Athenian) art on Thracian
been rationalized to avoid too much repetition. For com- metal-work, etc.; the evidence of local coin-types and of
pleteness one would have liked a general view of the the two inscriptions for Thracian religious beliefs; decor-
ruined threshold-mosaic with Centaurs; and there is no ated 'hearth altars' in each house; and burials in tumuli and
illustration or even mention of the circular building with beehive tombs.
mosaic floor illustrated in Laourdas and Makaronas Ar- Three errors which may cause confusion: p. 43, for
khaia Makedonia (1971; cited on p. 162) pi. 18. The most 1935 read 1953; reverse the two tomb plans referred toby
enduring of these articles is the indispensable 'Mosaics figs 86 and 89; the scale to fig. 95 is wrongly numbered.
from Pella' (pp. 83—114; from La mosaiquegre'eo-romaine, We feel inclined to agree with the authors that 'the
1965), with its detailed study of technique, and its modest excavations at Seuthopolis reveal new and hitherto un-
and impressive account of the difficulties attending exca- known pages in the history of the material culture of the
vation and conservation of these floors and the ways the Thracians in the Early Hellenistic age. It was found that
difficulties were surmounted. they too had succeeded in developing their own urban
MARTIN ROBERTSON culture which, as a rule, did not fall below the urban
Cambridge culture of the Hellenic world in many respects' (p. 57).
J. WALTER GRAHAM
Uniuersity of Toronto
SEUTHOPOI.IS. The Thracian city of Seuthopolis. By
D. P. Dimitrov and M. Cicikova. Trans. M. P.
Alexieva. (British Archaeological Reports, suppl. WASOWICZ (A.) Olbia pontique et son territoire:
ser., 38.) Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. l'amenagement de l'espace. (Annalcs litteraires
1978. Pp. [ii] + 63, [58] plates (including 1 map, de l'Universite de Besancon, 168: Centre de
plans—ifolding). ^2.50. recherches d'histoire ancienne, 13.) Paris: 'Les Belles
Lettres'. 1975. Pp. 252, 131 illus., 2 maps. No price
A recent excavation in central Bulgaria (near Kazan- stated.
luk) directed by the late Professor Dimitrov, 1948-54,
discovered a 37-line Greek inscription (treaty) mention- This book is the culmination of a lengthy period of
ing shrines of the Megaloi Theoi and Dionysos in a study devoted to Olbia by W., who is a Research Fellow

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NOTICES OF BOOKS 269

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