THE ANCIENT CITY OF CALLATIS AND THE NEOTECTONIC MOVEMENTS

Abstract

Southeastwards of Mangalia, 6-7 meters under the sea level, on a surface of about two hectares, there were discovered vestiges of the ancient fortress of Callatis. The settlement known since the 4th century B.C. had almost a millenary existence, but it is not known when it ceased to exist and what causes triggered it. Different suppositions were made and, among them, the telluric causes are plausible. The Southern Dobroudja Platform is penetrated by mobile faults and the compartment of Mangalia is affected by a negative neotectonic movement that gets accentuated towards southeast, where the epicentres of earthquakes with repeated manifestation have been observed. The negative movement rate is 3-4 mm/year and, cumulated during the 15 centuries that passed since the disappearance of the city of Callatis, it could explain the depth at which the vestiges of the settlement are presently located.