THE SARMIZEGETUSA

REGIA COMPLEX
a brief presentation made by Simona-Liliana Popovici

Member of the team project from Romania

coordinated by Octavian Horia Minda

 INTRODUCTION

Sarmisegetusa is a complex of six

Dacian Fortresses in Orăștie Mountains,
in Romania, built in “murus dacicus”
style in the 1st centuries BC and AD, as
protection against Roman conquest. The
six fortresses are: Sarmizegetusa
Regia, Costeşti-Cetăţuie, Costeşti-
Blidaru, Piatra Roşie, Băniţa and
Căpâlna. All together formed the
defensive system of King Decebalus.

The complex in considered UNESCO

World Heritage Site since 1999.
 SARMISEGETUZA REGIA

Most of the archeologists assert that the city

was raised in between the 3rd and the 2nd
century before Christ, while others sustain
that it would be at least 600 years older than
that. One of the reasons of this dispute could
be the striking resemblance of the Big
Rounded Sanctuary with those of
Stonehenge. It seems that the same architect
has conceived them both, the only difference
being that the one from Orăştie is smaller.
Then, The Andesite Sun can be easily

Sanctuaries at Sarmizegetusa Regia resembled to the famous Maya calendar.

 SARMISEGETUZA REGIA
The town of Sarmizegetusa Regia was the capital
and major fortress of the Dacian kingdom. It
consisted of perimeter walls and fortifications, a
sacred precinct, and a settlement area primarily for
nobles and supporting servants. It was located at the
top of a 1200 meter hill with excellent visibility of
the surrounding lands. The sacred precinct was on
the east side of the town, with a prominent plaza
and circular shrines. There were two settlement
areas one on the east side and a larger one on the
west. In addition to dwellings they included
workshops, storage buildings, and agricultural
processing areas. Notable for the time is a
distribution system for drinking water that used
ceramic pipes.
ULPIA TRAIANA SARMIZEGETUSA
Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa was the
capital and the largest city of Roman
Dacia situated 40 km . away from
Sarmizegetusa Regia. It Was Built on the
ground of a camp of the Fifth
Macedonian Legion, the city was settled
by veterans of the Dacian wars. The exact
period when the city was built is not
known. Some say the first settlement was
Amphitheatre
erected between 106-107, others say it was
between 108-110.
 However, due to an inscription discovered at the
beginning of the 14th century in the village of
Grădişte, it is known that the new town was
settled in the first years after the conquest of
Dacia. The inscription reads: "On the command of
the emperor Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus, son of
the divine Nerva, was settled the Dacian Colony by
Decimus Terentius Scaurianus, its governor.“

The settlement of the colony was marked by a

coin minting (sestertius) emitted by Rome, by
order of the Senate, dedicated to " the best
Principe" - Emperor Trajan.
Sestertius coin
 TODAY ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE REMAINS:
• Amphitheatre
• Gladiator school
• Goddess Nemesis Temple
• Liber Pater Temple
• Gods Aesculapius and Hygieia
Gods Aesculapius Temple
Gladiator school
and Hygieia Temple • Temple Basilica
• Great Temple
• God Silvanus Temple
• Glass blowers' workshops
• Horreum
• Financial procurator's office
• Thermae
Goddess Nemesis
• Forum
The Forum Temple