CONTRIBUTII LA ISTORIA MILITARA A DACIEI RIPENSIS
Author(s): Nicolae Gudea / Language(s): Romanian
/ Issue: -/2009
Keywords: castre; Dacia Ripensis; fortificatii; granita; stampile tegulare; toponime; turnuri
The author presents all or almost all types of stamped tiles with toponyms found in the
fortifications on the northern border of Dacia Ripensis (fig. 1-2). All dating from the period 275-
390 A.D.
According to the last evaluation 45 fortifications were in function on this border (fig. 3):
out of these 25 are small dimensioned forts, new constructions of quadriburgium type; four used to
be camps that functioned in the 2nd-3rd centuries and were rebuilt; four fortified towns in the late
roman period; 12 are presumed fortifications belonging to the same period; in addition are seven
signal and watch towers.
The quadriburgia were errected during the Tetrarchy (284-300); the old camps and the
towns were fortified under Constantinus (324-330); the towers could not be precisely dated, but
the general belief is that most of them belong to the reign of Valentinianus (365-375).The following tiled stamps with toponym have been identified: DIETRA/Tekija (fig. 4),
DIERNA DRPDIERNA/Orsova (fig. 5), DIANA DARDIANA (Kladovo-Karataš) (fig. 6),
DROBETA, DRVB, DRVBET/Drobeta T. Severin (fig. 7-8), P(onte)s/Kladovo-Kostol (fig. 9),
AQUIS DRPAQVIS/Prahovo (fig. 10-11), RAT(iaria)/Arcar (fig. 19), ALM(us)/Lom (fig. 13),
AVG(ustae) AVGVSTIS/AVG/SARM/Harletz (fig. 15), CEBR(us)/Cobrica-Gorni Cibar (fig. 14),
VARINIA, VAR(inia), VARI(nia)/Selanovci (fig. 15-17), OES(cus) OISCI I/Gigen (fig. 20),
VTO, OTV/Vit-Milkovica (fig. 18), ZON, AST, EIM/? (Fig. 21), unelucidated toponyms.
Not all the typs of fortifications have stamps with toponyms. Out of the 25 new diacletianic
fortifications only two have such stamps: Dierna/Orsova and Aquis/Prahovo; while all the four
former camps as well as two of the four fortified towns have such stamps: Diana/Kladovo-Karataš,
Drobeta/Drobeta Turnu Severin, Augusta/Harletz, Brza Palanka/Egeta, respectively Ratiaria/Arcar
and Oescus/Gigen.
An interesting facts is that in the former camps where bricks and tiles were manufactured
even before 284, the workschops producing building materials did not interrupt their activity. The
fact that it was possible to identify three great constructions phases and the spread of stamps with
toponyms in all border fortifications suggests that in each of these construction phases intense
work was carried on for the whole border.
The present work wisches to bring a contribution to a better knowledge of the border of the
late Roman province Dacia Ripensis.
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