Hospital Works Reveal a Hidden Tomis Necropolis
Heritage Daily reports on how Archaeologists from the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța (MINAC) carried out preventive excavations at a municipal hospital site, an area legally protected as part of the ancient Tomis necropolis. Work ran in two phases between September 2025 and February 2026, required before major upgrades could proceed in an archaeologically sensitive zone. Such “rescue” excavations can be slow and complicated, but they often yield the most surprising results - especially in cities built directly atop ancient layers.
Some of the ruins of the ancient city of Tomis (modern Constanța), Romania. (Denis Barthel/CC BY-SA 3.0)
The find also sparked a public debate about delays to the hospital project, with the museum stressing that the duration of preventive archaeology cannot be reliably predicted ahead of time. In a statement carried by Romania’s national news agency, Agerpres, the museum confirmed “34 tombs from the Roman period,” some with multiple inhumations in catacombs, alongside jewelry, glass vessels, coins, and “African amphorae,” plus two exceptional pieces: the Greek inscription and the parade-shield umbo.
- The Insane Theatrics of Ancient Roman Funerals
- Opulent Tombs & Untold Wealth Revealed at Newly Found Roman Necropolis
One of the burials at the Tomis necropolis. (Museum of History and Archaeology in Constanta)
Catacomb Burials and Grave Goods Show a Trading City
Many of the graves contained multiple inhumations arranged in catacomb-like chambers - evidence that parts of the Tomis necropolis were carefully planned and reused over time, not simply filled with isolated burials. Alongside personal adornments, coins, and glass, archaeologists reported an “exceptional quantity” of ceramics, with African amphorae standing out as a key clue to long-distance commerce. In other words, these burials are not just about death rites; they point to a community plugged into empire-wide supply routes.
Amphorae were the workhorse containers of Roman trade, moving staples like wine and olive oil across sea lanes and along river networks. One way to appreciate the scale of that system is to look at places such as Rome’s Monte Testaccio - literally a mound built from millions of discarded oil amphorae - showing how mass distribution could reshape entire landscapes. Finds like African amphorae in the Tomis necropolis hint that even a far-flung Black Sea port participated in the same commercial rhythms.
- Roman Necropolis of "Regular Folk" Found in France
- Hundreds of Roman Wine Amphorae Found in Underwater Cave
Left; Stone with Greek inscription, Right; Umbo or boss from a shield. (Museum of History and Archaeology in Constanta)
Greek Inscription Hints at a Local Cult Group
One of the most intriguing discoveries according to Agerpres is a Greek inscription dated to the 3rd century AD, said to attest to a religious association operating in Tomis. At a minimum, this suggests organized communal worship or a formal social-religious group, exactly the kind of association that could also provide funerary support, commemoration, and a shared identity in a diverse port city. The museum described the inscription as exceptional, and it may ultimately help reconstruct the civic and spiritual networks behind the burials.
A separate report notes that the inscription fragment appears to have been reused later as building material, and preserves several personal names (including multiple men called “Aurelius”), which can be chronologically suggestive in the post-212 AD Roman world.
“The inscription refers to the dedicators as an ‘association’ of a deity whose name is unfortunately lost,” with named members including “Dionysylion, son of Valens” and “Aurelius Ataes,” among others notes The History Blog.
Historic Importance of the Tomis Necropolis
Tomis is often remembered through literature - especially the poet Ovid, banished here in 8 AD - yet archaeology keeps putting the city back on the map as a thriving imperial hub rather than a remote edge of the world. The 34 tombs, grave goods, and inscription build a grounded picture of ordinary lives and local institutions in a Roman Black Sea port, while the parade-shield umbo hints at status, display, or military connections in at least one burial. Importantly, the discovery also demonstrates that substantial parts of the Tomis necropolis survive beneath modern infrastructure, raising the stakes for future urban development and heritage protection.
Top image: Part of the excavated necropolis in Tomis, and some of the grave goods. Source: Museum of History and Archaeology in Constanta
By Gary Manners
References
Jalbă, N. 27 Feb 2026. Constanța: Zeci de morminte romane descoperite… Available at: https://agerpres.ro/cultura-media/2026/02/27/constanta-zeci-de-morminte-romane-descoperite-in-urma-cercetarilor-arheologice-pe-santierul-spitalul--1532481
Milligan, M. March 2026. 34 Roman-period tombs found in Ancient Tomis. Available at: https://www.heritagedaily.com/2026/03/34-roman-period-tombs-found-in-ancient-tomis/157221
The History Blog. 4 March 2026. Roman shield umbo, Greek inscription found in necropolis in Romania. Available at: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/75516
