396 / 530
395
Roman defensive system in south western Dacia in the second and third
centuries
. After the Roman conquest during Trajan’s reign the organization of the
defense system of the province was initiated, the segment of the south west having
a distinct place as its geographic location provided direct relationship with the rest
of the empire, with the main supply links, with the army and Italy if necessary.
This was made on the main communication routes inside Lederata–Tibiscum,
Dierna–Tibiscum and then the other two along the Danube and Mureş where earth
camps were built at a distance of about 20 km, such high density suggesting probably
the needs of the army during the Roman conquest. Initially, a legion fort (
Berzobis
)
and many auxiliary forts were placed on the mentioned alignements. In 118,
Legion IIII Flavia Felix was withdrawn south of the Danube and later during the
time of Antoninus Pius several auxiliary units were withdrawn to Moesia Superior
and Moesia Inferior.
At a few decades after, during Antoninus Pius, the formation of a defensive
system on the western border of Dacia was realised based on large stone fortifications
with 2–3 auxiliary troops in garrison, doubled by camps having one unit. The three
fortifications were: Tibiscum camp in central Banat, Micia on Mureş in northern
Banat, Porolissum in the northwest corner of Dacia. This defensive system was
based mainly on cavalry troops.
The lack of systematic and large scale research for every Roman fortification
in part, raises many questions of interpretation of the well functioning of this
system. All the difficulties observed at almost every camp creates the impression of
a highly week defense system against possible barbarian attacks. Thus, organised
mainly at least after the year 118, the defense system was based on the forts from
Vărădia, Berzobia on the outside line, then on the inside on the camps from Dierna
(camp supposedly?), Praetorium (Mehadia) and on the military center from Tibiscum,
and on Mureş delineation on the great fort from Micia. The defense of the north
bank of the Danube River was combined with the one on the south bank creating a
surveillance correspondence of the civil navigation.
The small number of troops, many of them deployed, determined the
organisation of the defense system of the province on different principles in this
sector, as the western defensive line delineated the hilly sector; it was doubled here
probably by another defensive element formed by the first ditch and rampant,
which closely follow the line of forts reaching Mureş, comprising here the camps
from Micia and Bulci, located on the south bank of the river.
Organizing the defense system was based until 118 on detachments of
Legion IIII Flavia Felix whose stamps are present in both camps from Surducu
Mare, Tibiscum, Aradul Nou, Vărădia (point Chilii) and perhaps Mehadia with the
civil environment of the mines from Bocşa Română, Eftimie Murgu. An important
part of the auxiliary troops stationed in the south west of Dacia at the start, later,
during Hadrian when most of the wooden forts will be rebuilt using stone, the
number of troops is drastically reduced all of them being directed towards the north
of the province or even to other provinces. Thus, in the castrum from
Tibiscum
the