site.bta7th Edition of Nike: The Game and The Victory Festival of Historical Reenactments Takes Place in Nicopolis ad Istrum

The 7th Nike: The Game and The Victory Festival of Historical Reenactments  took place on Saturday in the national historical and archaeological reserve Nicopolis ad Istrum near the village of Nikyup in Veliko Tarnovo. The event featured rituals from Roman times, gladiatorial games, military demonstrations, ancient fashion, ancient crafts, cuisine, ancient music and poetry Reenactment groups from Bulgaria, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, craftsmen and freelance reenactors from all over the country took part. The musical duo KsANa also participated.

Visitors learned about the ancient past of Nicopolis ad Istrum, erected by Emperor Trajan in 102 AD to commemorate his victory over the Dacians. The festival popularized the way of life of people in antiquity and introduced the guests to the historical and cultural heritage of the local lands, scenes from the everyday life of the Romans and Goths who lived in these places 1,700 years ago were also recreated.

This is the first Late Antique festival of its kind, which since 2016 has been promoting the rich cultural and historical heritage of Nicopolis ad Istrum, said Vladimir Popov, head of the Mos Maiorum Ulpiae Serdicae Association for Antique Reconstructions, which is one of the main organizers of the festival, along with the Regional History Museum of Veliko Tarnovo, Nikyup City Hall and the Future for Nikyup Association, with the support of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo.

Veliko Tarnovo Regional History Museum Director, Dr. Ivan Tsrov welcomed the hundreds of guests, along with archaeologist Kalin Chakarov, who is responsible for the Nicopolis ad Istrum site.

Nikyup Mayor Yordanka Atanasova, who initiated the creation of the the festival was created, shared her joy and satisfaction to BTA that this initially fragile idea from 2016 has turned into an established, sought-after, famous and visited festival by people who value history. She added that the event took is part of the Cultural Calendar of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo and has already become a tradition. 

Souvenirs and replicas of ancient artifacts were offered on the main craft street arranged especially for the festival, skills inherent to the ancient masters were also displayed, including crafts with leather, metal as well as animal bone, ancient household ceramics, weaponry and more.

Stefan and Petar Stefanovi from Veliko Tarnovo demonstrated a model of a water pump made according to drawings included in the works of the ancient Greek inventor, physicist and mathematician Heron, a weapon similar to a crossbow and used mainly for hunting and entertainment, an ancient sundial and other reconstructions of artifacts from Antiquity.

Emil Marinov from Shumen presented weaponry, equipment, jewelry and other metal products, and demonstrated live forging of brass bracelets.

Ivan Tsankov exhibited clay antique replicas of lamps from Roman times, Neolithic table ritual tables, idols from antiquity and other items. 

Georgi Genov has been engaged in experimental archaeology for about eight years. He mines clay, tests different deposits and builds vessels by hand, then bakes them over an open fire or in a pit. Polished pottery is his favorite, and on his stand he displayed black pottery, the most luxurious pottery for the Thracians. The color was achieved by smoking during the firing. Genov likes to experiment with pottery from different historical eras.

Rositsa Marinova from the ALOS Centre for Informal Education and Cultural Activities presented re-enactments of board games played during Antiquity and the Middle Ages in Bulgaria. With the help of archaeologists and historians from 10 museums in the country, the Centre has studied evidence of the Roman Game of Rota, an ancient game from the Mediterranean,  Checkers, a dice game and others, some of which were found drawn on the fortress walls of Pliska and Preslav, on the bench in front of the Rock Monastery in the Silista region, in Perperikon and various regions in the country.