Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana
Capital of the Dacian Provinces
First Civitas North of the Danube
Roman Imperial Urban Excavation
In the plains at the foot of the majestic Retezat Mountains in Southern Transylvania, rose the first Roman metropolis north on the Danube: Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa. Located less than 50km from the former capital of the mighty Dacians who were finally defeated in 106 by Trajan’s legions, built on a strategic site where a battle between the Roman legions and the Dacian troops took place, Sarmizegetusa Ulpia Traiana was the largest city of Roman Dacia and the capital of the Dacian Provinces. With an area of over 30 hectars, it was a very imposing cosmopolitan center, featuring four Palmyrene temples (among many others), a large forum with associated buildings, an amphitheater, gladiator schools, imposing fortifications and several necropoles.
This extraordinary city produced a plethora of beautiful monuments, quarried for 15 centuries both for artistic value and high quality limestone and marble. Medieval churches, such as the early medieval church of Densus, and castles display fragments from Roman Sarmizegetusa bas-reliefs and statues. The forum itself has been quarried for lime for at least one century, when the local stopped building with brick and started using cement.
The systematic excavation of the site has started in 1924 under the direction of Prof. C. Daicoviciu and continued until 1936. In 1973, the excavations have resumed under the expert leadership of Profs. H. Daicoviciu, D. Alicu and I. Piso. At the present time, less than 15% of the site has been exposed, revealing a cosmopolitan and rich metropolis. After finishing excavating in 2014 the temples of the Aria Sacra and associated structures as well as the area surrounding the North Gate of the city, we have started excavating the home of the imperial governor of the Dacian Provinces, the richest man in one of the richest provinces. The Domus Procutratoris has revealed a very complex hypocaust system, highly decorated walls and a rich material culture. In 2016, we plan to continue the exploration of this extraordinary residential complex.
LOGISTICS
Location: Sarmizegetusa, Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania
Dates: July 3 - August 6, 2016
Housing: beautifully renovated rural pension, 2-4 participants per room, semi private/shared bathrooms.
Meals: breakfast and dinner is served Mon-Fri; traditional country cuisine; we can accomodate vegetarian diets
Cost: US$1585 ($450 per week for short stays - 2 weeks minimum)
Fee includes: registration and field fees, lectures, field gear, housing and meals as described above
