RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

The Adamclisi Monument and Fortress

Adamclisi is known to host Tropaeum Traiani, a monument built to commemorate the Roman Empire's victories over the Dacians.

The Adamclisi Monument and Fortress
The Adamclisi Monument and Fortress

, 19.10.2013, 14:01

Romania’s southeastern county of Constanta, among other things, is known for its vast expands of plain field. Adamclisi is a locality lying in the southern part of the county and became famous due to the monument Roman emperor Trajan erected close by, as well as because of the vestiges of the ancient fortress. Both sites have the same name, Tropaeum Traiani and are closely connected to ancient Dacia’s transformation into a Roman province after 106 AD. The fortress was built on the site of a previous Gaete settlement. Archaeologist Gabriel Talmatchi.


“On the site of the former settlement the town would be erected, which had been flourishing during Emperor Trajan’s reign, actually after the first Dacian-Roman war. As soon as the Dacian-Roman wars ceased, for nearly 600 years the town was a thriving trade hub, growing into a dynamic urban settlement in Dobrogea’s central area. In the meantime it earned the status of municipal city, which was an important administrative unit across the Roman provinces. We have a clear image of its progress until the end of the 6th century when, due to Avar attacks around 586-587 AD, the town was destroyed and rapidly lapsed back from its urban status into a rural settlement.”



The development of the town brought peace to the region, also favouring the organization of Dacia as a Roman province.



“And that was how the area south of the Danube would become a sure and thriving region, which was extremely well protected, military-wise. Furthermore, the free Dacians who inhabited today’s northern Romania and the Gaeta were cut off from Thracian population south of the Danube. Settlers were brought over, but most of the Roman inhabitants of Tropaeum Traiani’s first century of existence were veterans. Since a great many military units were stationed in the province of Lower Moesia, after doing their time in the Roman army soldiers were disbanded. They were granted a military diploma and were also given plots of land. Apart from veterans, there were also settlers from Asia Minor.”



But what mainly provided the fame of the village of Adamclisi was the monument of Tropaeum Traiani, lying two kilometers outside the ancient fortress. Its image came to be known due to the cylindrical plinth and its cone-shaped roof, with a two-faced trophy on top of it, which became a symbol of the locality.



It had been built between 106-109 AD by the soldiers and craftsmen who had been part of the military units. That is why it does not have that exquisite artistic quality typical of monuments in Rome. Nonetheless, the fact that building it were craftsmen based with the military units gave the monument a certain spectacular touch. Emperor Trajan dedicated the monument to the God Mars Ultor (Mars the Avenger) and was part of a compound that also included a tumulus– a funeral hillock — erected in honor of a Roman military commander who was killed in action, as well as the destroyed vestiges of a funeral altar which had been built in honor of the thousands of Roman soldiers who had been killed on the battlefield during the war of 102 AD. It is ten meters taller than Trajan’s column in Rome, which reveals how important this monument was for the Roman emperor.”



The height of the monument, including the trophy that goes with it, is approximately equal to the diameter of the foundation groundwork, standing at around 40 meters. All around the plinth there are also 48 out of the 54 original rectangular slabs known as the metopes, engraved with war scenes. Lying above the slabs is a frieze with 26 pinnacles, only 23 of which were preserved. Since 1977, Tropaeum Trajani had not been restored. But in 2012 Constanta County officials won a European project that enabled them to undertake a complete restoration of the monument, whose structural frame had been seriously damaged. The original items are on display at the museum in Adamclisi and are awaiting their visitors who often travel to this area in large numbers.

Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School
RRI Encyclopaedia Tuesday, 05 November 2024

Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School

Theodor Aman (1831-1891), the first great Romanian classical artist, was a Romanian painter, graphic designer, sculptor, pedagogue, and academician,...

Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School
banner-Pro-Memoria.-960x540-1.jpg
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 27 October 2024

Colțea Street

Over 1703-1707, Mihai Cantacuzino, a member of a famous noble family, built a hospital and a school on the estate of Colțea Doicescu. The first name...

Colțea Street
Axiopolis
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 12 October 2024

The Cerchez family of architects

We’re more likely to come across the name of Cerchez, in the history of Romanian architecture, than other names of architects. The name of Cerchez...

The Cerchez family of architects
Ion Ratiu sursa foto: Copyright © 2024 Ratiu Family Charitable)
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 05 October 2024

The Ratiu family, an important Romanian family in Transylvania

The Rațiu family (Rațiu of Noșlac in Turda) is one of the oldest and most respectable aristocratic families in Transylvania with a history...

The Ratiu family, an important Romanian family in Transylvania
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 29 September 2024

Axiopolis

Dobrogea is considered the densest and most varied province of Romania from the point of view of the civilizations that inhabited it. On a territory...

Axiopolis
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 22 September 2024

The Kiseleff Agora

Kiseleff Park in Bucharest has become a model of good practice in managing historical parks and gardens, thanks to a project called the Kiseleff...

The Kiseleff Agora
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 11 August 2024

The neurologist Gheorghe Marinescu

Considered to be one of the most important Romanian physicians, Gheorghe Marinescu’s name is linked to the beginning of the study of mental...

The neurologist Gheorghe Marinescu
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 27 July 2024

Old Romanian books

The printing press emerged in mid-15th century. It was arguably the most important revolution in the history of the book and the circulation of...

Old Romanian books

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company