Sarmizegetusa

Romania

Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa - the capital of the Roman Dacia - rose at the bottom of Retezat Mountains, in the South-Western part of the Hateg region. The town was at 8 km from the pass between Banat and Transylvania, which old name was Tapae, today Iron Gates of Transylvania.

The settlement date of the capital is not known exactly. An inscription discovered at the beginning of the 14th century, in the village Gradiste - Sarmizegetusa says: "On the command of the emperor Cesar Nerva Traianus Augustus, son of the devine Nerva, was settled the Dacian Colony by Decimus Terentius Scaurianus, its governor". The name of the governor shows that the settlement of the new town was done in the first years of the concerning of Dacia (after some opinions in 106-107, after others 108-110). The settlement of the colony was marked also by the emission of a coin (sestertius) at Rome, from the Senate order, dedicated to "the best ruler", Traian emperor. The choosing of the place of the town by Traian was not at random. The metropolis had some strategical and economical advantages. Retezat Mountains at the South and Poiana Ruscai Mountains at the North were natural barriers difficult to cross for the eventual invaders. The capital, who's territory territorium was from Tibiscum to Micia till the entrance in the Jiu pass, was developing in peace, defended by the Roman camps Tibiscum (today Jupa), Voislova, Micia (Vetel) and Bumbesti. By Ulpia Traian was crossing the imperia

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