ARCS Archaeology Programs Officer, Emil Nankov, Prof. Lyudmil Vagalinski (Director, National Institute of Archaeology with a Museum, BAS, Sofia) and Prof. Hallie Franks (New York Univrsity) successfully concluded the first season of the Heraclea Sintica excavations. This project, funded by the America for Bulgaria Foundation, was the first excavation with direct ARCS involvement. Heraclea was founded ca. 300 BC by a heretofore unknown Macedonian ruler; the city thrived through the Roman and Late Antinque periods. While the city is mentioned in the ancient sources very little is known about Heraclea and archaeologists have only begin to scratch the surface in recent years. The site is located along an important road that is still used today and is set upon an extinct volcanic system - in fact, there are still hot mineral water springs in the vicinty. The city must have hosted a population in the tens of thousands and architectural features excavated to date indicate a rich urban fabric. It is likely that the residential portion of the city was in the low lying area of the site, while the prominent hill served as the acropolis, possible with houses and workshops along its slope. The team consisted of about 40 members, including 10 American undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Nankov and Prof. Franks led the American students on a series of field trips in southern Bulgaria, northern Greece and the Republic of Macedonia on weekends. The students had the time of their lives!