The Rotunda of St. George and Late Antique Serdica: From Imperial Palace to Episcopal Complex

The topic of this dissertation is the Rotunda of St. George, the oldest standing structure in the city of Sofia (ancient Serdica). Built in the early 300s C.E., the structure has been in nearly continuous use for sixteen centuries. Originally a part of a Roman bath, by the second half of the fifth century it was converted into a church. This church served Serdica as a cathedral between the fifth and the sixteenth century, when it was converted into a mosque. The Rotunda became a church again in 1878. At the time of its construction in the early fourth century, the Rotunda was part of a large architectural complex that comprised the imperial palace in Serdica. In all likelihood, this was the residence of Emperor Constantine the Great during his lengthy stays in Serdica at different times between 316 and 321 C.E. The late antique imperial palace in Serdica is virtually unknown and it has never received sufficient attention from scholars. This dissertation focuses on the connection between the Rotunda and the palace complex. Special attention is accorded to the urban development of late antique Serdica, marked by the transition from a small provincial city into an imperial residence.