ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF AQUAE SULPHURAE

This site (Arheološko Nalazište Aquae S) contains the remains of the Roman colony of Aquae Sulphurae ("sulphurous waters"), which was founded in the 1st century AD and collapsed at the end of the 4th century. The only indication of the name of the city comes from an inscription in honor of the emperor Diocletian (284-305) bearing the incomplete mention of "Aquae S". Most of the site was excavated in the 19th century, but it remains little developed. The two main remains are located between the Hotel Austria & Bosna and the river Željeznica. Near the Željeznica River, there are the foundations of a large rectangular thermal building of 2,880^m2 that was used in the 3rd and 4th centuries. It is a hospitium or hospitalium where guests or patients could take hot, warm and cold baths, but also chat and entertain themselves in the central atrium. It is among the many adjacent rooms that was discovered a mosaic of Apollo Tadenus, Roman-Dalmatian deity of the baths and archery. Opposite, to the south, are the foundations of a villa of almost square shape (34 x 37 m) and equipped with private baths. It was built in the first century, but its atrium was modified in the second or third century. In two rooms were there also brought to light mosaics. The mosaics of the site, but also amphorae, pottery, bronze jewelry, fibulae, oil lamps and coins dating from 42 to 375 are housed in the National Museum in Sarajevo.