The ruins of the roman colony Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa can be found 40km away from the dacian capital of Sarmizegetusa Regia, on the romanian national road 68 between Haţeg and Caransebeş, in the comune of Sarmizegetusa - here. Across the street there is also the museum that hosts many of the archaeological findings.
There is a small entrance fee and a bigger one for photos (10RON) or videos (30RON) but the ruins are placed among the village's fields and can be accessed from country roads too, avoiding the main entrance ;) .
The city was founded by the governor Decimus Terentius Scaurianus and it became the capital of the Dacian Colony. The flourishing city had a strategic position, beeing at the border of the Roman Empire. The romans suffered attacks by the free dacians, the marcomanni, the goths and during the rule of Emperor Aurelian the army and the officials retreated across the Danube. The city continued its existence with a smaller population, living in the abandoned palaces and defending themselves against the migrating people from inside the fortified amphitheatre, probably until the invasion of the Huns.
There are still diggings underway at the site, and among the ruins one can see the amphitheatre, the gladiator school, temples dedicated to different gods, such as Nemesis, Silvanus, Liber Pater, Aesculap and Hygieia, the Big Temple dedicated to an unknown god, the glass blowers' workshops, the financial procurator's office, the thermae and the forum.
Some more information can be found here and some of my photos follow:
- the Forum
- workshops and temple
- the amphitheatre
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