Resculum or Rucconium[4] was an ancient Roman fort in the Roman province of Dacia. The ruins are located near the village of Bologa, Cluj county, at the confluence of river Sebeș with river Criș, on the promontory of a hill. A vicus developed close to the castrum.[5] An inscription cited by Károly Torma but now lost named the associated civil settlement as Anartorum.[6]

Resculum
View from South-East
Resculum (castra) is located in Romania
Resculum (castra)
Location within Romania
Alternative name(s)Rucconium
Known also as
  • Castra of Bologa
  • Castra of Poieni
Founded during the reign ofTrajan
Founded2nd century AD
Abandonedc. 4th-5th century AD
Attested byTabula Peutingeriana
Place in the Roman world
ProvinceDacia
Administrative unitDacia Porolissensis
Administrative unitDacia Superior
LimesPorolissensis
Directly connected to
Structure
— Stone structure —
Size and area122 m × 213 m (2.6 [1] ha)
— Wood and earth structure —
Size and area130 m × 203 m (2.6 [1] ha)
Stationed military units
Cohorts
Location
Coordinates46°53′08″N 22°53′05″E / 46.885694°N 22.884611°E / 46.885694; 22.884611
Altitudec. 527 m
Place nameGrădiște [3]
TownBologa
CountyCluj
Country Romania
Reference
RO-LMICJ-I-s-A-06975 [3]
RO-RAN59069.01 [3]
Site notes
Recognition National Historical Monument
ConditionRuined
Excavation dates
  • 1930
  • 1970
  • 2012-2013
Archaeologists

It was the southwestern start point of Limes Porolissensis, from which a road led to Porolissum. An advanced outpost, 30km down the Crișul Repede valley, at Negreni, was connected to the fort.

History

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Three phases of the castra are known:

1. In the early phase, right after Trajan's Dacian Wars, the castrum was made of earth and timber. Initially Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum miliaria equitata was stationed there but it was later moved to Porolissum and replaced by Cohors II Hispanorum (renamed Cohors II Hispanorum scutata Cyrenaica equitata).[7]

2. The fort was enlarged a couple of decades later as the presence of Cohors I Aelia Gaesatorum miliaria is also attested at the site.[8]

3. At the beginning of the 3rd century it was rebuilt from stone [9] and reached a size of 133,30x213m.[8] A horreum is attested at the site with a second, smaller logistic building of unknown function also present within the walls. It also manned numerous ancillary structures connected to it such as watchtowers and fortlets.[10]

 
Western Dacia
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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c "Bologa". Archived from the original on 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  2. ^ Tactică, strategie și specific de luptă la cohortele equitate din Dacia Romană, Petru Ureche[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Castrul roman de la Bologa - "Grădiște"". National Archaeological Record of Romania (RAN). ran.cimec.ro. 2013-09-09. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  4. ^ Deac, Dan (2013-01-01). "Dan Deac, The Toponymy of Dacia Porolissensis. Recent Research and New Approaches". Ephemeris Napocensis XXIII.
  5. ^ "Repertoriul Arheologic Naţional". ran.cimec.ro. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  6. ^ Boragno, Lorenzo (6 January 2022). "The iron of the Empire: the production of iron made military equipment in the province of Dacia (AD 106 - AD 270)" (PDF). HAL. p. 265. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  7. ^ Boragno (2022), p. 266.
  8. ^ a b Boragno (2022), p. 268.
  9. ^ Wanner, Robert (2010-07-07). Forts, fields and towns: Communities in Northwest Transylvania from the first century BC to the fifth century AD (Thesis). University of Leicester. p. 127.
  10. ^ Boragno (2022), p. 268-269.
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