On the finds of provincial Roman fibulae on the territory of Belarus

Abstract The article presents fibulae of provincial Roman origin from museum collections of the Republic of Belarus. They are relatively few in number and originate primarily from the southwestern regions of the country. The typological series of these fibulae is generally characteristic of similar imports that circulated in Central Europe, various regions of Sarmatian settlement, as well as in the circle of broadly understood Balt cultures. Their general dating covers the entire Early Roman and the beginning of the Late Roman period. Observations on the typology and distribution pattern of imported Roman fibulae contribute to the analysis of the connections of the population of present day Belarus within Barbaricum. Analysis of these finds creates new opportunities for synchronizing the Belarus antiquities from Roman times with the chronology of neighbouring cultures of Central Europe and the Baltic region. It also allows us to change our understanding of the role of the population of Belarus in the formation and distribution of artefacts from the “barbarian enamels” horizon.