Sostra

Sostra is an ancient Roman fort and settlement near the village of Lomets [1]. Sostra was strategically situated along the major Roman road (the Via Traiana) linking ancient Philippopolis and Diocletianopolis in the Roman province of Thrace with the Roman outposts on the Limes Moesiae on the Danube such as Ulpia Oescus and Novae via the Troyan Pass in the Balkan Mountains [1]. Sostra fort was built around 147 AD at the order of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius [1]. The cohort II Mattiacorum of around 1000 soldiers was stationed here according to a statue base found in the principia, after being based at Sexaginta Prista until 145 AD [1]. The settlement to the west and east of the fort gradually grew into a town with a civilian population [1]. The original fort of 147 AD had no bastions and the walls were rounded at the corners [1]. The rebuilt fort from 254 AD was placed inside the original walls and conformed to later Roman norms with many bastions for better defence [1].