Jordan Iliev's personal web page: List of publications

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

The Ancient Thracian Origin of the Name “Cepina” – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Readings. University of Sofia, 20. December 2014 (in print)

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The focus of the article is the available information about the oracles of Dionysos in ancient Thrace. After a careful analysis of the currently know sources the author states that in the ancient Thracian lands there was not only one or two (as most modern scholars assume) but several oracles of Dionysos. The author proves this point by giving a special attention to some details in the ancient information, such as the localization of the different oracles, the features of the mantic session, the officials etc. In conclusion is summed up that although the provided by the ancient writers' more or less detailed information, oracles of Dionysos in Thrace are not yet localized.

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Rhodope Mountains in Antiquity, book II: Ancient Societies in Rhodope Mountains. Pleven: Izdavam.com, 2014, 233 p.

The book is a natural extension of the author's considerations on “ Rhodope Mountains in Antiquity, Book I”, published a year ago. While the first book was centered on Rhodope as a reality in the ancient world, this book is focused on the information about mountain's inhabitants in antiquity.

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The Campaign of Antiochus II Theos in Thrace – History Studies. International Journal of History. Volume 5, Issue 1, (January) 2013, pp. 211-222.

The author presents a systematization of all ancient sources, which can be associated with the Thracian campaign of Antiochus II Theos. As a result he thinks that there is no indisputable evidence about the connection of this king with the Thracian lands, except his coins. Presumably he never made war with the Greek cities over the Thracian coast, as is considered in historiography. It is likely that they were his allies, which provoked the expedition against an anonymous ruler of Seuthopolis, as some epigraphical records and archaeological evidence suggests.

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Rhodope Mountains in Antiquity, book I: Rhodope as Reality in the Ancient World. Pleven: Izdavam.com, 2013, 117 p.

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Ancient Sources about the Prophetic Abilities of Orpheus – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Readings. Sofia, 21. December 2012 г. Sofia, 2014, pp. 7-22.

Traditions, Directions and Challenges in the Study of Divination in Ancient Thrace – Traditions, directions, challenges. Jubilee conference with International participation. Volume I: Humanities. Smolyan, 2013, pp. 401-10.

Rhodope Mountains in the History of Ancient Thrace – Extended abstract of PhD Dissertation. Sofia, 2012, 32 p.

Rhodope Mountains in the History of Ancient Thrace. PhD Dissertation. Sofia University “St. Clement of Ohrid”, 2012, 585 p.

Rhodope Mountains and the Oracle of Dionysos in Ancient Thrace – Doctoral and Postdoctoral Readings '2011. Sofia, 2013, 5-22.

Monumental Tombs in Rhodope Mountains – Young Science about the Art ‘2011. Second session for PhD Students. Sofia, 2012, pp. 82-97.

Rhodope Mountains in Roman Thrace (45 – 284 AD) – The Man and the Universe. Jubilee Scientific Conference with International Participation. Smolyan, 6.-8. October 2011, pp. 297-311.

Epigraphic Information about the Institutions of the Roman Colonies in Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior (1st – 3rd centuries AD) – Days of Science '2011: Studia in memoriam professoris Alexandri Bourmov.Veliko Tărnovo, 2012, pp. 41-56.

Rhodope Mountains and the Roman Conquest of Thrace (188 BC – 45 AD) – Collegium Historicum, vol. I. Sofia, 2011, pp. 309-31.

Stefan Zahariev (1810 – 1871) and the ancient history of Rhodope Mountains – “Stefan Zahariev – life, work, family”. Pazardzhik, 2011, pp. 47-50.

The article is addressed to only one thematic group in Stefan Zahariev's book, which remained in the shadow of his contributions to the post-ancient history of Bulgarian lands, namely: the various data, collected by the author and their importance for the history of Rhodope Mountains in antiquity. At the same time is presented (briefly) and the current state of researches into the questions raised by the same author; most of these questions are not answered clearly even today. See more.

Rhodope Mountains and the Thracian Campaign of Alexander the Great in 335 BC – Bulletin of the Stara Zagora Historical Museum, volume IV . Stara Zagora, 2010, pp. 276-284.

In the article are discussed in detail the ancient sources about the Thracian campaign of Alexander the Great in 335 BC from its beginning to the so called „peak of Haemus”. Special attention is paid on some sources, remained unknown for the Bulgarian historiography, such as a papyrus from the Hellenistic age and an epigraphic monument from Philipi. In conclusion is pointed out, that the attached data allow to be assumed with relative certainty only the general direction of movement of Alexander and his forces in Thrace. Having gone from Amphipolis, Alexander starts in the north to the Mesta river valley. The independent Thracians perhaps because of superiority of the Macedonians withdrew to a strategic position, which in the north-west Rhodope or near Trajanovi vrata pass must be sought; this area was called not uncommon Haemus. The state of the sources, however, didn't allow more detailed aspects of the campaign to be supposed.

The Images of Rhodope – “Young Science about the Art”. First Session for PhD Students, 21. May 2010. Sofia, 2010, pp. 177-186.

In the various encyclopedias cannot be found a detailed article on the spread of the name Rhodope in antiquity. The aim of the proposed paper is this gap to be filled and all available (literature and visual) images to be systematized in three groups: (1) literary heroines; (2) personification of the eponymous mountain in Thrace and (3) the late Roman province with the same name.

Rhodope Mountains and the Thracian Campaigns of the Macedonian King Philip II (359 – 336 BC) – 3-rd Annual International Conference on Mediterranean Studies. Abstract book. Athens, 2010, p. 24.

In the article is pointed out that if we want to know more about the Thracian policy of the Macedonian king Philip II, we must investigate first – as far as possible – the facts about its reflection on separate areas in ancient Thrace, also the differences between these separate areas and only then maybe will be possible some well grounded general observations and conclusions to be formulated. An attempt to contribute in this direction is made in the submitted paper, where the author is looking for the importance of Rhodope Mountains in the Philip of Macedon's Thracian campaigns, by synthesizing all available information on the topic (written, archaeological and numismatical evidences). As conclusion he notes that the presented overview of the written evidences doesn't allow a sufficiently well substantiated general conclusion about the place of Rhodope Mountains in the Philip II of Macedon's Thracian campaigns to be formulated, but the archaeological and numismatical data attest to some serious alterations in the territory of the Rhodope Mountains during the second half of the 4th century BC, which must be connected with the Thracian policy of Philip II.

The Thracian Campaign of Antiochus II Theos – National Scientific Conference with International Participation under the heading “Bulgaria: crossroad of cultures and civilizations”. Sofia, 2009, pp. 207-216.

The author presents a systematization of all ancient sources, which can be connected with the Thracian campaign of Antiochos II Theos. As a result he thinks that there are no indisputable evidences about a connection of this king with the Thracian lands, except his coins. Presumably he never makes war with the Greek cities over the Thracian coasts. Maybe the last were his allies, which were provoked the expedition against the anonymous ruler of Seuthopolis, as shows some epigraphic records and archaeological evidences.

The Ancient Concepts about Rhodope Mountains According to some Europaean Maps from the 15th century AD – Bulgaria and the Bulgarians in Europe. Veliko Tărnovo, 2010, pp. 99-108.

The article presents an overview over the ‘Geography' of Claudius Ptolemy and some early renaissance maps under the heading ‘Tabula Europae IX', in which the Rhodope Mountain is presented. The information is in several fields of study classified, as follows: (1) The Information of Ptolemy, (2) The maps from the 15th century and after an emphasizing of differences in a number of cases, the author formulated (3) several conclusions about their significance as historical sources about the ancient geography of the Mountain.

Rhodope Mountain and the Crisis in Thrace at the time of Philip II (359 – 336 BC) – Doctoral Researches in Social and Humanities Sciences, vol. 2. Sofia, 2010, pp. 13-32.

The article presents some political aspects about the reflection of the crisis in Thrace in the time of Philip II of Macedon over Rhodope Mountains and the problems, connected with her. After a systematization of all available sources, consist of literary, epigraphical, numismatical and archaeological evidences, several observations about the specified problem are formulated. Among them the most important is about the belonging of Rhodope Mountains to the economic situation in Thrace and the supposition about a probable Macedonian control over the biggest part of the Mountain.

Epigraphic Records about some Religious offices connected with the Emperor's cult in the Roman provinces of Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior (1st – 3rd c. AD) – May Readings “Days of Science 2009”. Veliko Tărnovo, 2010, pp. 151-160.

After a collecting of all epigraphic records about the religious offices connected with the emperor's cult in the roman provinces of Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior, the author formulated some observations about this problematic. The most important of them is that there are some variations about these offices in the different towns. The full group of priests is only for two towns in the provinces presented: Vimina-cium (Moesia Superior) and Oescus (Moesia Inferior).

Urban Institutions in Upper and Lower Moesia (1st – 3rd c. AD). Sofia: “St. Clement of Ohrid” Sofia University, 2008, 100 p.

The Education in Ancient Thrace – Science, Education and Time as Our Concern. Proceedings of the Jubilee Scientific conference with International Participation, part IV: Pedagogy and History. Smolyan, 2007, pp. 122-128.

The author makes a review of all the most important references to the education in ancient Thrace (arranged in several fields of study) and formulated in a nutshell some observations about this problematic. He shows (after peaces of information to social rising and influence of some legendary and real persons) that the education was in ancient Thrace highly esteemed and consistent with the Thracian two component social structure. Percentage of the literates wasn't high and with necessary cadres for normal functions of the king's administration must be connected. There's no information about educational institutions in ancient Thrace – except in the Greek cities along the Thracian coasts. Substantial changes about the education in Thrace came after when the Roman provinces of Moesia and Thrace were organized.

The Rhodopes in the Province of Thrace According to the Concepts of the Ancient Writers – Rhodopica. Journal of the Society of the Archaeologists and Historians in Smolyan, IV, 2007, 1, pp. 89-98.

The author is trying to present the history of the Rhodopes in antiquity looking at the works of some ancient writers. The information is differentiated in several fields of study, arranged in chronological order and enriched with new sources.

History of Colonia Ulpia Ratiaria according to Epigraphical Monuments. BA Thesis. Smolyan, 2006, 89 p.

The Economy of Ratiaria (106 – 271 AD) – Students' Scientific Session. Smolyan, 2006, pp. 65-86.

Epigraphical and Archaeological evidences about the Religious Life of Ratiaria (1st – 3rd c. AD) – Students' Scientific Session. Smolyan, 2005, pp. 46-65.

In the article are summarized all available epigraphical and archaeological evidences about the religious life of Ratiaria (Upper Moesia) in 1st – 3rd centuries AD. The documented cults are presented in four groups:
(1) Widespread in the Empire Graeco-Roman gods;
(2) Eastern cults;
(3) Rare deities and
(4) Local cults.
In conclusion it is stated that in Ratiaria were honored mostly the widespread in the Roman Empire cults, but there are also some particularly rare deities (Pales, Porobonus), who were not traditional for the older (pre-Roman) local population. Thracian gods are attested rare even in the urban territory. There is a lack of sufficient information on the organization of the religious life in Ratiaria.

Origin and Development of the Colonia Ulpia Ratiaria – Students' Scientific Session. Smolyan, 2004, pp. 26-32.