The castra of Aradul Nou was a fort in the Roman province of Dacia,[1] located on the western side of the defensive line of forts, limes Daciae. It is situated near Arad, Romania.[2][3]

Castra of Aradul Nou
Castra of Aradul Nou is located in Romania
Castra of Aradul Nou
Location within Romania
Founded2nd century AD[1]
Abandoned2nd century AD[1]
Place in the Roman world
ProvinceDacia
Administrative unitDacia Apulensis
Administrative unitDacia Superior
Nearby waterMarisus
Directly connected toMorisena(Lipova)
Stationed military units
Legions
vexill. XIII Gemina,[2] vexill. IV Flavia Felix
Location
Coordinates46°08′29″N 21°17′59″E / 46.14149°N 21.29969°E / 46.14149; 21.29969
Place nameAradul Nou neighborhood [3]
TownArad
CountyArad
Country Romania
Reference
RO-LMIAR-I-s-B-00423
RO-RAN9271.01
Site notes
Recognition National Historical Monument
ConditionUnidentified[3]
ExhibitionsMuzeul de Arheologie și Istorie Arad
Western Dacia forts

Development and function

edit

The large Dacian settlement, located on the southern edge of the present-day city of Arad, was burned down by the Roman army during the first Dacian war, between 101 - 102 AD. During the Second Dacian War (105-106 AD) Trajan also occupied the lands north of Marisus and incorporated them into the province of Dacia Superior.

The fort was probably built in the early 2nd century by legionary vexillationes. An auxiliary cohort possibly stationed later in this fort was responsible among other things for monitoring and securing the road connection from Micia to Partiscum,[2][3] which followed the southern bank of the river Mureș towards the northwest.

Four brick stamps of Legio XIII Gemina and Legio IIII Flavia Felix confirm the identification of the site as a Roman military complex.[2][3] Their bricks were often found on the lower reaches of Mureș, for example in Bulci, Cladova, Periam, Sânnicolau Mare and Szeged, which probably shows that the Romans had already brought this area under control at the beginning of their rule in Dacia. The brick stamps are now in the Museum of Archaeology and History (Romanian Muzeul de Arheologie și Istorie), in Arad.

Monument protection

edit

The entire archaeological site, and in particular the fort, are protected as historical monuments.

 
Brick stamp of the Legio IV Flavia Felix from the Castra of Aradul Nou

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c Bejan, Adrian (1998). Dacia Felix: Istoria Daciei romane ("Dacia Felix: A History of Roman Dacia") (PDF) (in Romanian). Timişoara. p. 44. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-15.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b c d "Aradul Nou". STRATEG MAPS: Defensive strategies and trans-border policies at the Lower Danube in Roman Antiquity (An interdisciplinary project). Archived from the original on 2012-05-14. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e Gudea, Nicolae (1997). "Der Dakische Limes: Materialien zu seiner Geschichte ("The Dacian Limes: Material for its History")" (PDF). Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz (in German). 2 (44). Mainz, Germany: Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz: 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-05. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
edit

References

edit
  • Nicolae Gudea: Der Dakische Limes. Materialien zu seiner Geschichte. In: Jahrbuch des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz. 44, 2 (1997), S. 24 (PDF) (German).
  • Nicolae Gudea: Limesul Daciei romanc de la Traianus la Aurelianus. In: Acta Musei Porolissensis 1. 1977, S. 109 (Romanian).

46°11′N 21°19′E / 46.183°N 21.317°E / 46.183; 21.317