About Mediana

Mediana, suburban area of Niš

1) Villa with the Peristyle   2) Thermae   3) Nimphaeum   4) Horreum   5) Water tower   6) Fortress   7) Villa with semicircular conches   8) Villa with surrounding wall   9) Villa 10) Villa with the central corridor 11) Horreum 2 12) Holly object 13) Holly object 14) Vicus 15) Necropolis

The structures of Mediana, the residence of Roman emperors, were erected on flat terrain, on an area which covers over 40 hectares, on a high bank, some distance from the river, at the foot of the hills which frame the Niš valley, near a thermal water source. There was a street in the east-west direction which passed on the south side of the villa with peristyle and the granary located 150 meters from it. From this street it was possible to approach these buildings. The central area was occupied by the villa with peristyle, nymphaeum and the baths; to the west of the villa was the granary, and somewhat to the north a spacious building with octagonal and circular rooms. To the south of the villa are the remains of several villas and economic buildings. What strikes the eye is that the luxurious buildings of solid material with columns, decorated with marble facing, mosaics and frescoes, are concentrated mainly around the central villa with peristyle, while the economic buildings are located to the west of the granary towards Naissus.