EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF DOBRI DYAL (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg) A tower-gate with trapezoidal layout, built of roughly-cut stones bonded with mortar, was discovered at the southern side of the fortress. The front wall of the tower-gate was c. 6 m long, the back wall was c. 7.50 m long and the side walls were c. 5.30 m long. The walls were 1.80 – 1.90 m wide and the gate was c. 2 m wide. Two steps, constructed of stones bonded with clay, were discovered in the front part of the outer gate. A wall supporting the timber floor of the upper level of the tower-gate was discovered in the propugnaculum. Fragmentary burned clay plaster was found, originating from the inner walls, the floor of the upper level and the roof of the tower-gate. The finds discovered inside and around the tower-gate included pottery, iron objects, copper jewelry, a copper cow-bell, and c. 200 coins, some of them originating from layers that predated the construction of the fortress. A copper coin of Valentinian II , minted in AD 388 – 395, was found in secure context predating the construction of the fortress. Therefore, the fortress was built not before the end of the 4th – beginning of the 5th century AD. Most coins belonged to a hoard, which was buried during the time when the tower-gate was burned. Several coins from the hoard were minted by Theodosius II in AD 435. This is terminus post quem for the destruction and burning of the fortress. Sectors from the fortification wall situated to the east and to the west of the tower-gate were discovered. They had buttresses constructed at the curves of the fortification wall. The southeastern corner of the building, partly explored in 2010, was discovered in Sector D in the interior of the fortress. The building had two rooms and was situated along the southwestern fortification wall. Material from the period predating the construction of the fortress, dated to the 3rd – 4th centuries AD, was found.