PhDr. Jaroslava Schmidtová

has worked at the Bratislava City Museum since 1988 and is one of the leading figures who have shaped the understanding, preservation and presentation of Roman cultural heritage in Slovakia. Trained in classical archaeology at Charles University in Prague, she has dedicated her professional career to researching the Roman fort of Gerulata in Bratislava-Rusovce and its surrounding area. She has led dozens of archaeological excavations that have significantly expanded our knowledge of Roman and early medieval settlement in the Bratislava Gate region and the Middle Danube area. Her most notable excavations include the Roman rural estate (villa rustica) in Čunovo, the unique Lombard burial ground in Rusovce, the Bergl archaeological site and the House with a Hypocaust, a National Cultural Monument.

Of particular importance is her long-standing contribution to securing the inscription of the Roman fort of Gerulata on the UNESCO World Heritage List. As a member of the Limes Romanus Nomination Committee, she systematically contributed to the preparation of expert documentation and international cooperation that ultimately led to the successful inscription of this significant heritage site. She has also actively participated in international projects, including Culture 2000, Interreg, ERDF and Frontiers of the Roman Empire, making a substantial contribution to raising the profile of Slovak Roman archaeology in a European context.

She has consistently shared the results of her research with both academic audiences and the general public through permanent exhibitions, temporary exhibitions, publications and lectures. She is the author of three permanent exhibitions at Gerulata, the founder of the popular Roman Games at Gerulata, an initiator of digitisation projects and an active advocate for promoting Bratislava’s Roman history.

For nearly four decades, her scholarly, organisational and public engagement activities have shaped the development of the Ancient Gerulata Museum and made a significant contribution to the preservation and public accessibility of Slovakia’s Roman archaeological heritage. In recognition of her lifetime achievements, she received the Mayor of Bratislava Award and the title of Personality of Rusovce in 2022.