This is an overview of the Porolissum Forum Project, a joint American-Romanian archaeological mission.

1. The Porolissum Forum Project: archaeology on the fringes of the Roman Empire Eric C. De Sena

2. Rome and Dacia Rome dominated by Trajanic monuments commemorating victory over Dacians; despite this, Dacia is one of least understood provinces Overview of Dacia, new information from Porolissum

3. Dacia Danube River and Carpathian Mountains - protection - fertile valleys - very rich in minerals (Ar, Au, Cu, Fe, Pb, salt)

5. Late Iron Age Independent chiefdoms, political leagues – solid enough to repel Alexander the Great! Early contact with Rome: Burebista and Julius Caesar Blidaru citidel

6. The Dacian Wars (AD 86-106) King Decebalus - raids into Roman territory south of Danube; routed troops led by Cornelius Fuscus; held Roman army at bay for 15 years “ This man was shrewd in his understanding of warfare and shrewd also in the waging of war; he judged well when to attack and chose the right moment to retreat; he was an expert in ambushing and a master in pitched battles; and he knew not only how to follow up victory but how to manage defeat. Hence he showed himself a worthy antagonist of the Romans for a long time.” (Cassius Dio, Roman History , 67)

7. Trajan’s Dacian Wars (AD 101-102, 105-106) Military strategy: ca. 100,000 soldiers, fortify position, establish chain of supplies, warfare and diplomacy, construct new strongholds Post-war strategy: subdue/seduce local population, empower local elites, colonize, re-build

8. Building and maintaining Roman Dacia Cities: Colonia Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegethusa, Apulum, Tibiscum, Porolissum, Potaissa - land repartitioned amongst colonists and cooperative natives Infrastructure: roads, bridges, acqueducts, forts Technology: agriculture, construction, factory-like manufacture Culture: language, art (Roman style with provincial flair), customs (e.g., togas and baths) Strong military presense; strong symbiotic military-civilian ties; extra-Imperial relations

9. Historical summary of Dacia Relatively peaceful existence interrupted by Marcomannic-Sarmatian Wars (AD 166-180) Conflict followed by stability – reflected in new building activities and general prosperity Great enough stability to allow withdrawal of Roman administration AD 271 when troops were required elsewhere Immediate post-Roman period not well-known; clear links to Roman Empire; social continuity through 4th century Migration Period (5th-8th centuries)

12. Porolissum possessed all features of a Roman city: roads, aqueduct, temples, amphitheater, baths and.....

17. Porolissum: the mature Forum There are still far more questions than answers… The courtyards measures ca. 45 x 35 m. with a large public building (basilica?) on the north side, a porticus on the south side and a large structure with an extensive heating system (baths?) on the east side; the west side requires further excavation. This phase can be dated to the Severan period, ca. AD 200 based upon an analysis of artifacts and knowledge that the city was renamed municipium Septimium Porolissense at this time. basilica heated building porticus and shops

19. Porolissum: the mature Forum The east side of the forum also requires further study. There is, however, a public building with an extensive hypocaust (heating) system consistent with a bath complex. The discovery of a large subterranean cistern to the south may lend further proof. Trench 1 revealed a solid stone wall facing onto the courtyard; inside the wall, to the east, an incompletely excavated area of 7 x 2 m. hosted the pillars of a hypocaust. Trench 3, 10 m. to the east, revealed more hypocaust pillars as well as evidence for the praefurnium ; in the same trench was an apsidal wall (incompletely excavated).

22. Post-Roman evidence from Forum excavations Crude walls within Forum structures and dark stains in earth presumably dwellings Area within area of forum defended by a ditch Burial within area of forum Extensive spoliation – no/few furnishings discovered (columns, floors, wall revetment, etc.)

23. Widespread post-Roman destruction – single phase or gradual deterioration? All structures encountered to date with reverse sequence: rubble layer immediately above “tile layer”; frequent amounts of charcoal within tile layer; both layers with mix of post-Roman and Roman material Probably gradual deterioration. Very little pavement preserved (only the mortar base); no columns, but several column bases; several post-Roman features within the “Roman” structures Useful materials stripped away  fire/collapse  some “quarrying” of building material (but much untouched)

26. Table 1. Percentages of pottery from mid second century deposits in Trench 14 (PFP 2008). PFP. Statistical data of pottery. Most produced regionally with some imports from Gaul and Italy 1.4 0.4 0.7 0.1 0.1 1.1 0.6 Unclassified – – – 0.1 0.1 – – Unclassified – – – 0.1 0.1 – – Early glazed ware 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.6 Sig. Italian 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.6 Sig. Gallic 3.6 6.7 6.9 1.5 2.0 2.5 6.3 Sig. Porolissensis 8.3 6.7 9.0 2.4 4.3 4.8 10.1 Black Slipped – – – 0.1 0.1 – – Overpainted 0.9 1.3 1.4 2.4 0.8 4.3 1.2 Dacian hand-built 1.0 1.3 1.4 1.8 0.8 0.4 1.2 GF-1 9.2 14.6 9.0 9.1 9.7 6.9 8.8 GC-2 – – – 0.1 0.1 – – GC-1 slipped 7.0 9.6 9.7 9.5 8.7 7.4 8.8 GC-1 1.3 2.5 2.8 5.3 2.6 3.2 3.1 PF-2 slipped 11.8 9.6 8.3 17.8 13.6 10.3 8.2 PF-2 11.8 5.9 6.9 1.4 3.5 2.8 7.5 PF-1 slipped 4.6 7.1 4.2 4.1 6.8 1.7 4.4 PF-1 – – – 0.1 0.1 – – PC-4 – – – 0.3 0.1 – – PC-3 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.4 0.7 0.2 0.6 PC-2 slipped 9.5 8.4 9.0 14.3 7.2 31.2 9.4 PC-2 7.8 7.9 9.7 5.9 7.1 6.9 8.8 PC-1 slipped 20.5 16.3 18.8 23.0 31.3 16.5 19.5 PC-1 EVE (15.31) EVC max (239) EVC min (144) Total wt (24311 g) Total no (1521) Rim wt (3167 g) Rim no (159)

28. The Project Directors wish to thank Drs. Dan and Sanda Bacueţ-Crişan (Archaeologists, Salaj County Museum of History and Art, Zalau), Drs. Ioan and Corina Bejinariu (Archaeologists, SCMHA), Peter Cooper and Corina Stirb (Journalists, Zalau), Patrick and Sandra De Sena (Somers, N.Y.) Prof. Patricia Fleming (Vice President and Dean of Faculty, Saint Mary’s College), Dr. Joseph Hagen (Chairman of Board of Trustees, John Cabot University), Dr. Michael MacKinnon (Dept. Anthropology, University of Winnipeg) Elisabeta Marianciuc (Chief Conservator, SCMHA), Prof. Archer Martin (Archaeology Supervisor, American Academy in Rome, 2002-2007), Prof. Mary Merva (Dean of Academic Affairs, JCU), Dott. Maurizio Miranda (Indo- Italian Institute for Trade and Technology), Prof. Carol Ann Mooney (President, SMC), Elena Musca (Former Director, 2005-08, SCMHA), Prof. Gene Ogle (Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, JCU), Prof. Franco Pavoncello (President, JCU), Dr. Horea Pop (Archaeologist, SCMHA), Prof. Portia Prebys (Director, SMC Rome Program), Daniel Sana (Salaj County Commission for Cultural and Natural Patrimony), Prof. Catherine Shoupe (Chair, Dept. Anthropology, SMC), Robert Wanner (University of Leicester) and Daniel Weiss (University of Virginia), t he Romanian Ministry of Culture, John Cabot University Saint Mary’s College, and especially...the 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Field School Students! www.porolissum.org Please visit us on site June 22-July 24, 2009