THE ROMAN ROAD DISCODURATERAE – AUGUSTA TRAIANA (Venelin Barakov – tryavna_museum@mail.bg) The field survey of the Roman road Discoduraterae – Аugusta Traiana showed that it was part of the road system that connected the Province of Thracia with Nicopolis ad Istrum and Novae in Moesia Inferior. The road began from Nicopolis ad Istrum, crossed through Еmporium Discoduraterae, founded during the second half of the 2nd century AD and located near the Village of Gostilitsa, and continued to the south, crossing the Balkan Range near the Bedek Peak. From the top of the mountain the road descended to the south towards the Gradovete Fortress, identified as Late Antique Mezideva, and towards a Roman villa of the 2nd – 4th centuries AD, explored near the Village of Kran, and continued to Аugusta Traiana. The road was built along hills and highlands and the builders aimed at constructing the road following the shortest distances, no matter if the access was difficult. The road was up to 4 m wide in the Balkan Range of Tryavna, while on the hills and the peaks it was up to 2 – 3 m wide. The road runs along a number of single Thracian tumuli and tumuli grouped in necropoleis. It was well preserved near the Village of Bizhovtsi and three sondages were carried out there. Sterile earth was discovered at 30 – 40 cm in depth and it was trampled in order to be leveled. A layer of rubble, 10 cm thick, was documented above it. The rubble served as the overlay of the road, which was constructed of roughly cut stone slabs, 20 cm thick, arranged close to each other. The joints between the slabs were filled with small stones and earth. The road was 4 m wide and there were curbs of vertical stone slabs on both sides. Probably, the road was constructed during the second half of the 2nd century AD.