EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS - Institutul de Arheologie şi Istoria Artei

EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS
XXII
2012

ROMANIAN ACADEMY
INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF ART CLUJ-NAPOCA
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor: Coriolan Horaţiu Opreanu
Members: Sorin Cociş, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu, Ioan Stanciu
ADVISORY BOARD
Alexandru Avram (Le Mans, France); Mihai Bărbulescu (Rome, Italy); Alexander Bursche (Warsaw,
Poland); Falko Daim (Mainz, Germany); Andreas Lippert (Vienna, Austria); Bernd Päffgen (Munich,
Germany); Marius Porumb (Cluj-Napoca, Romania); Alexander Rubel (Iași, Romania); Peter Scherrer
(Graz, Austria); Alexandru Vulpe (Bucharest, Romania).
Responsible of the volume: Ioan Stanciu
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EPHEMERIS NAPOCENSIS
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ACADEMIA ROMÂNĂ
INSTITUTUL DE ARHEOLOGIE ŞI ISTORIA ARTEI
EPHEMERIS
NAPOCENSIS
XXII
2012
EDITURA ACADEMIEI ROMÂNE

SOMMAIRE – CONTENTS – INHALT
STUDIES
FLORIN GOGÂLTAN
Ritual Aspects of the Bronze Age Tell-Settlements in the Carpathian Basin.
A Methodological Approach .............................................7
ALEXANDRA GĂVAN
Metallurgy and Bronze Age Tell-Settlements from Western Romania (I) ............57
DÁVID PETRUŢ
Everyday Life in the Research Concerning the Roman Army in the Western European
Part of the Empire and the Province of Dacia .................................91
CORIOLAN HORAŢIU OPREANU
From “στρατόπεδον” to Colonia Dacica Sarmizegetusa. A File of the Problem ........113
CĂLIN COSMA
Ethnische und politische Gegebenheiten im Westen und Nordwesten Rumäniens
im 8.–10. Jh. n.Chr. ...................................................137
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND EPIGRAPHICAL NOTES
AUREL RUSTOIU
Commentaria Archaeologica et Historica (I) .................................159
VITALIE BÂRCĂ
Some Remarks on Metal Cups with Zoomorphic Handles
in the Sarmatian Environment ............................................185
FLORIN FODOREAN
“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas: thermal Water Resources
in Roman Dacia .......................................................211
DAN AUGUSTIN DEAC
Note on Apis Bull Representations in Roman Dacia ...........................223
SILVIA MUSTAŢĂ, SORIN COCIŞ, VALENTIN VOIŞIAN
Instrumentum Balnei from Roman Napoca. Two Iron Vessels Discovered on the Site
from Victor Deleu Street ................................................235
IOAN STANCIU
About the Use of the So-Called Clay “Breadcakes” in the Milieu of the Early Slav
Settlements (6 th –7 th Centuries) ............................................253

DAN BĂCUEŢ-CRIŞAN
Contributions to the Study of Elites and Power Centers in Transylvania during the second
Half of the 9 th – first Half of the 10 th Centuries. Proposal of Identification Criteria Based
on archaeological Discoveries .............................................279
ADRIANA ISAC, ERWIN GÁLL, SZILÁRD GÁL
A 12 th Century Cemetery Fragment from Gilău (Cluj County) (Germ.: Julmarkt;
Hung.: Gyalu) ........................................................301
ADRIAN ANDREI RUSU
Stove Tiles with the Royal Coat of Arms of King Matthias I Corvinus ..............313
REVIEWS
IULIAN MOGA, Culte solare şi lunare în Asia Mică în timpul Principatului/Solar and Lunar Cults in
Asia Minor in the Age of the Principate, Editura Universităţii “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Iași (Iași
2011), 752 p. (Szabó Csaba) .............................................327
DAN GH. TEODOR, Un centru meşteşugăresc din evul mediu timpuriu. Cercetările arheologice de la
Lozna-Botoşani/An Artisan centre from the Early Middle Ages. The archaeological research from
Lozna-Botoşani, Bibliotheca Archaeologica Moldaviae XV, Academia Română – Filiala Iași,
Institutul de Arheologie, Editura Istros (Brăila 2011), 200 p. (including 118 figures), abstract
and list of figures in French (Ioan Stanciu) ...................................331
CĂLIN COSMA, Funerary Pottery in Transylvania of the 7 th –10 th Centuries, Series Ethnic and
Cultural Interferences in the 1 st Millenium B.C. to the 1 st Millenium AD. 18, Romanian
Academy – Institute of Archaeology and Art History Cluj-Napoca, Mega Publishing House
(Cluj-Napoca 2011), 183 p., 49 plates (Aurel Dragotă) .........................339
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Crossing the Boundaries. Remodeling Cultural Identities at the End of Antiquity in Central and Eastern
Europe. A Case Study (Coriolan H. Oprean, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu) ...............343
Warriors and military retainers in Transylvania of the 7 th –9 th centuries (Călin Cosma) .........349
Seeing the Unseen. Landscape Archaeology on the Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire at Porolissvm
(Romania) (Coriolan H. Oprean, Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu) .......................352
Abbreviations that can not be found in Bericht der Römisch-Germanische Kommission .....363
Guidelines for “Ephemeris Napocensis” .........................................366

“SPA” VIGNETTES IN TABULA PEUTINGERIANA. TRAVELLING
AD AQUAS: THERMAL WATER RESOURCES IN ROMAN DACIA 1
Florin Fodorean 2
Abstract: Tabula Peutingeriana is the most famous “map” of the Roman world. It represents the main
Roman roads, the name of the cities with vignettes, representations of temples, and also edifices type “spa”.
Our paper will start with some considerations regarding the thermal water resources in the Roman world.
Then, we will present the main characteristics of the settlements represented with “spa” vignettes. Among
them, three are in Roman Dacia. The most famous is the settlement from Germisara (today Geoagiu-Băi,
Hunedoara County). This settlement was constantly visited in the Roman times, mainly because of the
quality of the thermal waters, and due to its position, in the centre of the province. Marcus Statius Priscus,
governor of Dacia Superior in 157 and 158 AD, is mentioned here in two votive monuments for the
gods and the protectors of the thermal water. The next governor of Dacia Superior (in 161 AD), Publius
Furius Saturninus, is also mentioned at Germisara in two votive inscriptions. This important character
is mentioned in Dacia in 7 inscriptions. The thermal place was also visited by decuriones and quaestores
from Sarmizegetusa and Apulum, augustales from Sarmizegetusa, soldiers from the auxiliary troops, a
representative of a collegium Galatarum and another of a collegium aurariarum. The other two settlements
were Ad Aquas (Călan) and Ad Mediam (Băile Herculane). So, we will explore the Roman Dacia and
the Empire trying to understand, perceive and describe, archaeologically and epigraphically, the resources
of these thermal settlements.
Keywords: spa vignettes, tourism, Roman Dacia, Ad Aquas, Germisara, Ad Mediam
1. Into the Roman world. Natural resources: thermal waters
It is hard today for us to understand, in an era in which we make online reservations,
fly by plain, ‘see’ using Google earth places we have never been, or schedule our time carefully,
how other civilizations developed their perception concerning free time and the possibility to
benefit of natural resources. But we would be surprised to see that, besides our technological
means, Roman world was conscious about these things, too. The passion of the Romans for
waters is famous 3 . It was transformed in exquisite, outstanding works of art. These were the
aqueducts. Hundreds were built all over the Roman Empire. They were extremely sophisticated
1 This article was written during my research stay in Germany, at the University of Erfurt. I received the
support of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, which provided me a post-doctoral scholarship in 2011, therefore I express
my gratitude for Thyssen Foundation. I also want to thank prof. dr. Kai Brodersen, my supervisor in Germany, for
all his constant help and support during my stay in Erfurt.
2 Assistant professor, Ph. D, Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of History and Philosophy, Department
of Ancient History and Archaeology, Avram Iancu street, no. 11, Cluj-Napoca; e-mail: fodorean_f@yahoo.com.
3 BLACKMAN/TREVOR 2001; DEMAN 2005; LANDELS 2000; TREVOR 2002.
Ephemeris Napocensis, XXII, 2012, p. 211–221

212 Florin Fodorean
constructions, built to remarkably fine tolerances, and of a technological standard that had a
gradient (for example, at the Pont du Gard) of only 34 cm per km, descending only 17 m vertically
in its entire length of 50 km (31 miles). If this would not been enough, the Romans also
were conscious about the advantages offered by the thermal waters. Using these hot springs, they
built baths in Britannia (Bath and Buxton), in Gallia (Aix and Vichy), in Germania (Wiesbaden,
Aachen), or in Pannonia Inferior (Aquincum) 4 . Some of these locations rapidly became
important centers for recreational and social activities in Roman communities. Libraries, lecture
halls, gymnasiums, and formal gardens became part of some bath complexes. In addition, the
Romans used the hot thermal waters to relieve their suffering from diseases. The Roman bath
included a far more complex ritual than a simple immersion. ‘Were the baths, then, and their
concomitant aqueducts, a luxury?’ This question of Trevor 5 finds its answer easily: it depends
what we understand today as ‘luxury’ and what Romans did understood. In an advance civilization
like the Roman Empire was, bath was not considered a luxury.
2. Tabula Peutingeriana. Spa vignettes or thermal symbols
Tabula Peutingeriana is the most representative piece of cartography of the Roman era.
The map kept today in the National Library of Wien is a copy of another map created during late
Roman era. The original can be dated in the fifth century AD. A long discussion developed within
the historiography concerning the date of the original, with no concluding results even nowadays.
Dozens of attempts were made. The original is a ‘compilation tardive’ 6 , was dated in the late third,
fourth, fifth century AD, created in the third century and then completed with other data in the
fourth and fifth centuries AD 7 , around 250 AD 8 , after 260 AD 9 , during Diocletian’s Tetrarchy
(c. 300 AD) 10 , in 365–366 AD 11 , in between 402 and 452 AD 12 , in 435 AD 13 , ‘the fourth to fifth
centuries’ 14 or, according to an attempting/speculative, but, unfortunately, not sufficient argued
hypothesis, in the early nine century AD 15 . These attempts were based on the content of the map,
the presence of certain cities and settlements (Rome, Constantinople, Antiochia 16 – personified
vignettes; Ravenna, Aquileia, Nicaea, Nicomedia, Tessalonicae, Ancyra? – vignettes type ‘cities
surrounded by walls’), the mentioning of landscape details (silva Vosagus: 2A2–3, silva Marciana:
2a4–3a1), the mentioning/non-mentioning of certain roads, the representation/non-representation
of vignettes type ‘double-tower’, the signification of special vignettes/draws (Ad Sanctum
Petrum, temple of Apollo in Antiochia). Suppositions about the author, place of production,
method of creation, dimensions, purpose, role, sources used were also emitted.
Dacia is represented in the segments VI and VII 17 . Five settlements are represented with
double-tower vignettes: Tivisco, Sarmategte, Apula, Napoca and Porolisso. Ad Aquas is represented
with a special vignette, corresponding to spas or thermal constructions. The other settlements,
villages or mansiones are marked only with their names and the distance between them.
4 YEGÜL 2010.
5 TREVOR 2002, 6.
6 CHEVALLIER 1997, 53–56.
7 LEVI A./LEVI M. 1967.
8 VON HAGEN 1978, 14.
9 MANNI 1949, 30–31.
10 TALBERT 2010, 136, 153.
11 MILLER 1888; BOSIO 1983, agree with this date.
12 WEBER 1999 (see http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mad/articles/WeberPeutingeriana.html#Web9).
13 WEBER 1989, 113–17.
14 SALWAY 2005, 131.
15 ALBU 2005, 136–148; ALBU 2008, 111–19.
16 LEYLEK 1993, 203–206.
17 I prefer to use Weber’s system, who counted the 11 existing segments.

“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas
According to Talbert’s database 18 , there are 9 settlements with the name Ad Aquas
(or deriving from it). These are: 1. Ad Aquas (segment grid 3C5 – IV 5 at Miller; with vignette);
2. Adaquas (segment grid 4B3 – V 3/4 at Miller; no vignette); 3. Adaquas (segment grid 5C1 –
VI 1 at Miller; vignette); 4. Adaquas (segment grid 5C3 – VI 3 at Miller; vignette) 19 ; 5. Ad aquas
(segment grid 6A4 – VII 4 at Miller, no vignette); 6. Adaquas (segment grid 6A5 – VII 5 at
Miller, vignette). This is the only settlement of this type mentioned in Dacia; 7. Adaquas Albulas
(segment grid 4B5 – V 5 at Miller, no vignette); 8. Ad Aquas casaris (segment grid 3C4 – IV 4
at Miller; vignette); 9. Ad aquas Herculis (segment grid 3C1 – IV 1 at Miller, vignette). These
vignette usually depicts the same draw, a building drawn ‘à vol d’oiseaux’, quadrangular, with
two front towers and a wall, and an inner yard. So, Tabula represents in Dacia with vignette only
a thermal settlement: Adaquas, today Călan, Hunedoara County. But in the former province
Dacia other two important settlements with thermal baths functioned: Germisara (Geoagiu
Băi, Hunedoara County) and Băile Herculane (Fig. 1). So, a question arises: why these last two
settlements mentioned do not appear in the famous Roman map with their specific vignettes?
The answer is simple. Tabula is a selective map. The cartographer was forced by his support
(a parchment roll of 7 m length and 34 cm high) to select the information, as a cartographer
today, depending on the scale, reduces and selects the main cartographic elements of a map,
according to the well known principle of cartographic generalization. In the following, we will
present data based on antique sources and archaeological researches, which will provide information
about the importance of these thermal settlements.
Fig. 1. Thermal settlements in Roman Dacia.
18 See: http://www.cambridge.org/us/talbert; http://peutinger.atlantides.org/map-a, also http://omnesviae.org.
19 One should notice the interesting way or mentioning the distance from this Adaquas to the next settlement,
Tacapae: aB AQVIS TACAPA MILIA XVI. See: http://www.cambridge.org/us/talbert/talbertdatabase/TPPlace226.
html. This kind of indication is the basic formula found in the inscriptions from the milestones.
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214 Florin Fodorean
3. Germisara – the ‘five stars’ thermal accommodation in Roman Dacia
The area between Geoagiu Valley, in the East, the village of Geoagiu in the South and
the locality Geoagiu-Băi was named in the Roman era Germisara 20 . The toponym is of Dacian
origin. Archaeologically and topographically, the Roman city and the Roman fortress were
extended on the territory of the current village of Geoagiu, in the East, and Cigmău in the
West. So, we can distinguish two points situated on the northern, right bank of Mureş, close to
the main military road that connected Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa with Apulum. One of these,
which took advantage of the thermal waters, had a civilian character. This place is situated North
of Geoagiu. The other, which developed a little later, had a military character and included the
Roman fortress from Cigmău and the civilian settlement (vicus militaris). We can say that under
the name of Germisara three areas have functioned in the Roman era: 1. the Roman camp
from Cigmău, situated on the “Turiac” plateau, at “Pogradie” point; 2. the civilian settlement
(vicus militaris), placed between Cigmău and Geoagiu; 3. the thermal settlement, approximately
positioned 5 km North of the Roman fortress 21 (Fig. 2).
Tabula Peutingeriana places Germigera along the imperial Roman road Sarmizegetusa
– Apulum, between Petris (Uroiu) and Blandiana (Vinţu de Jos), at IX m(illia) p(assuum) away
from both of these settlements. Between the military fortress from Cigmău and the thermal
settlement a Roman road was identified and investigated in 2002–2003 22 . As I noticed above,
Germisara is not represented in Tabula with the specific vignette for thermal buildings. Instead,
Ad Aquas (today Călan, Hunedoara County) is depicted with the specific vignette. The explanation
relies on the fact that Germisara was famous as thermal settlement in Roman Dacia, but
its position, north to the main road Sarmizegetusa – Apulum, determined the mapmaker, using
the same principle of selecting the information, not to represent it with vignette.
The remains of the Roman spa are visible today. They are situated west of the current
thermal complex. The Romans were extremely pragmatic. This is the reason why here they
literally excavated the travertine promontory and created an outstanding, open air, system
of basins, on a circular surface of circa 90–95 m. During time, beside this, numerous other
artifacts were discovered: 1. a temple dedicated to Nymphae 23 ; 2. statues representing the divinities
of health protection (Aescupalius and Hygia, Hercules); 3. seven gold votive plates found in
the nimphaeum 24 ; 4. a marble statue representing Diana; 5. small finds, mainly coins. Beside
these, we are aware of the importance of this place if we analyze the Roman inscriptions found
here. These are published in IDR III/3, no. 230–247 (votive inscriptions). Some of them were
raised by very important persons involved in the administration of Dacia Superior.
Marcus Statius Priscus 25 , governor of Dacia Superior in 157–158 AD, is mentioned at
Germisara in two votive monuments for the gods and the protectors of the thermal waters 26 .
He began his career as an equestrian officer, receiving a decoration from Hadrian during
the Jewish rebellion. He then served as procurator in Southern Gaul before being made a
senator and commanding two legions in succession. Priscus was in charge of Dacia as a governor
between 157 and 158 AD. He held the consulship in 159. After this, he governed Moesia
Superior in 160–161 and became governor of Roman Britain immediately afterwards, serving
until perhaps as late as the mid 160 s .
20 See, for a short presentation, IDR III/3, 211–13.
21 PESCARU A./PESCARU E. 2001, 439–52; WOLLMANN 1968, 109–20.
22 FODOREAN/URSUŢ 2001, 203–20; FODOREAN 2006, 257–65.
23 On the cult of Nymphae in Roman Dacia: GHINESCU 1998, 123–44.
24 PESCARU 1988–1991, 664–66.
25 On this character: URLOIU 2010, 65–66.
26 IDR III/3, 240, 241. RUSU 1988–1991, 653–56; RUSU/PESCARU 1995, 33.

“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas
Fig. 2. Geoagiu
Publius Furius Saturninus 27 was also the governor of Dacia Superior in 160 He may
have visited the thermal settlement, since two inscriptions with his name mentioned were found
here 28 . In IDR III/3, 232 Saturninus dedicates this votive altar to the health gods, obviously
after a pleasant voyage here at Germisara, and an efficient thermal treatment, as one who entirely
benefited of the healing powers of the thermal waters.
Beside these two important persons, governors of Dacia Superior, monuments mention
other people who visited this place and dedicated inscriptions. One of these monuments is IDR
III/3, no. 233 29 . This votive altar, raised for the health of the three emperors (Septimius Severus,
Aurelius Antoninus – Caracalla and Septimius Geta) was placed here from the order of the governor
of the three Dacian provinces, Lucius Octavius Iulianus around 200–201 AD. The person designated
to fulfill this order was the commander of the auxiliary unit of cavalry Ala Asturum.
Aurelius Crhestus, a Roman citizen with Roman gentilicium (Aurelius) and a Greek
cognomen, also dedicated an inscription for the health gods 30 . The members of the collegium
Galatarum (citizens who came in Dacia from Asia Minor) dedicate an inscription pro salute
imperatoris to Hercules Invictus 31 . The members of collegium Aurariarum, with their representing
27 PISO 1972, 463–471.
28 IDR III/3, 232; IDR III/3, 236.
29 Votive altar, fragmentary kept (broken in the right side), the camp of inscription is deteriorated in the center by
a ‘circle’ shape, obviously a modern intervention made by a person who wanted to use the monument for a purpose.
Its dimensions are: 100 × 52 × 46, with letters of 4 cm height. The monument was discovered in a point situated north
of Geoagiu Băi, on the left side of the Geoagiu valley. It was kept for a while in the medieval castle Kuun, where it was
identified and copied by A. Fodor. Text: Fortuna[e]/pro salute/aug(ustorum) n(ostrorum) (trium]/L(ucius) Octavius I[u]/lianus
co(n)s(ularis) II[I]/Dac(iarum) fieri iussit/instante … L Ge– (?)/M A N T [p]rae[f(ecto) a]lae/Astu[rum_ _ _ _] B. Translation:
‘To (the goddess) Fortuna, for the health of our three augusti, Lucius Octavius Iulianus, consular of the three Dacia,
ordered for this (monument), it took care for (this monument) Aelius Geminus (?), praefectus alae Asturum _ _ _ _’.
30 IDR III/3, 231.
31 IDR III/3, 234.
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216 Florin Fodorean
person, Lucius Calpurnius, dedicate another inscription to Jupiter, also pro salute imperatoris 32 .
An officer (centurio) from legio V Macedonica dedicates an altar to Jupiter 33 . All these examples
show that Germisara was intensively visited.
Maybe the most interesting example to sustain what we already highlighted above is the
inscription IDR III/3, 243. This is a votive altar identified by the middle of the XVI th century in
Orăştie, where the text was copied by M. Singler. The dedicant, a signifer from the military trooped
garrisoned in Cigmău, close to Germisara, raises the monument because he escape the danger of death
maybe after he benefited of the qualities of the thermal waters. The inscription dated from 186 AD.
4. Ad Aquas (Călan)
This settlement is represented in Tabula Peutingeriana with vignette. Călan is positioned
on the left bank of the Strei River, at the altitude of 230 m. The thermal water resources are
positioned circa 2 kilometers north of the current city (Fig. 3). During Roman times, the same
point was positioned exactly along the main imperial road of the province. The settlement had
the status of pagus, as the inscriptions prove (pagus Aquensis).
Archaeologically, today we can still visit the Roman basin, directly cut in the rock 34 .
It encloses a total perimeter of circa 94 m (length of 14.2 m, width of 7.2 m and a depth of 4 m).
The water source is still active today. The water of these sources has an average temperature of
23°–24°. Epigraphically, we know that this settlement was also intensively visited in the Roman
era. Six inscriptions are published in IDR III/3 (no. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11). Among those who came
here, we mention Quintus Decius Vindex, financial procurator of Dacia Superior. He erected
a monument for Fortunae Augustae 35 . Another important character who visited Ad Aquae was
Caius Iulius Marcianus, decurion in Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa and also member in the administrative
staff of pagus Aquensis.
5. Ad Mediam – Băile Herculane
The third point on the map of Roman Dacia with thermal waters is Băile Herculane 36 .
During Roman times it was also intensively visited. The name of the settlement also appears in
the work of the Anonymous of Ravenna (Medilas). The Roman ruins were discovered during
the 18 th century (Fig. 4). During the Habsburgic and Austro-Hungarian Empire the name of
the settlement was Herkulesbad/Herkulesfürdő.
The discoveries consist of water pipes, basins, public and private buildings, sanctuaries,
altars with inscriptions dedicated to the gods of the health, statues of divinities and votive reliefs,
funerary inscriptions, reliefs and funerary monuments, sarcophagi, stamped tiles of several
military troops (legio VII Claudia, XIII Gemina, IV Flavia Felix), coins. Roman Ad Mediam was
a totally different settlement, separated from the military fortress from today’s Mehadia, where
cohors III Delmatarum was garrisoned. Only from 1817 the settlement received an official
name. In 1736 begins the reconstruction and the modernization of the ‘baths’. Most of the new
buildings carry the imprint of an impressive Austrian Baroque style. The thermal settlement is
visited by important people: emperor Josef II, Emperor Francis I, emperor Franz Josef. In 1852,
Herculane was considered the most beautiful thermal settlement of Europe. Numerous inscriptions
are dedicated to Hercules, which was the protector of the thermal waters 37 .
32 IDR III/3, 235.
33 IDR III/3, 237.
34 RUSU/PESCARU 1996, 23–24.
35 IDR III/3, 7.
36 BOZU/MICLI 2005, 123–42.
37 19 inscriptions published in IDR III/1 (no. 54 to 68).

“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas
One of the most interesting inscriptions found in Băile Herculane is a votive altar of
marble, 73 × 37 × 30 cm. The base and the upper part have an elegant, symmetric shape. This
monument stood a while actually built in the wall of the bridge over the Cerna River, within
the thermal settlement 38 . This is an outstanding example with direct reference to the healing
38 IDR III/1, no. 55.
217

218 Florin Fodorean
powers of the thermal waters from Băile Herculane. After a long infirmitas, a husband raises
here an altar for the gods of health, specifically mentioning the she was cured ‘through the
power of the thermal waters’.
That Băile Herculane was intensively visited during Roman times is no longer a new fact.
This is proved by the inscriptions 39 . Numerous soldiers are mentioned. For example, IDR III/1,
54, is a votive altar, of marble, discovered in the XVIIIth century in Băile Herculane and during
the same century transported at Viena. Now is kept in the Nationalbibliothek. The dedicant
Marcus Aurelius Veteranus was praefectus in the legion XIII Gemina from Apulum. He came
here to benefit of the qualities of the thermal waters. Another interesting inscription is a votive
altar, discovered in 1736 40 . As recognition at the end of their long journey from Ulpia Traiana
Sarmizegetusa to Rome, the delegates, who formed the provincial embassy of Dacia, erected
at Băile Herculane this altar. They travelled to Rome to participate to the ceremony of installation
of Marcus Sedatius Severianus in his consulship. Before that, he was the legatus legionis
of the legion V Macedonica at Troesmis. After his mission in Apulum ended, when he return
to Rome (in 153 AD) the Dacian delegates go to Rome. Returning back in the province, they
erected this monument as an expression of gratitude because they returned safe home.
Fig. 4. Băile Herculane.
39 Numerous monuments are dedicated for Hercules: IDR III/1, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68.
40 IDR III/1, 56: Text: Dis et Numinib(us)/Aquarum/Ulp(ius) Secundinus/Marius Valens/Pomponius
Haemus/Iul(ius) Carus Val(erius) Valens/legati Romam ad/consulatum Seve/riani c(larissimi) v(iri) missi incolu/
mes reversi ex voto/E A. Translation: ‘To the gods and to the holy powers of waters, Ulpius Secundinus, Marius
Valens, Pomponius Haemus, Iulius Carus, Valerius Valens, delegates send to Rome to the consulship of Severianus,
clarissimus vir, returned (home, in Dacia), safe, released the vow freely, as is deserved’.

“Spa” Vignettes in Tabula Peutingeriana. Travelling Ad Aquas
6. Concluding remarks. The thermal settlements and the road system
Germisara, Ad Aquas and Ad Mediam represent three important Roman thermal settlements
from Dacia. It is obvious, from what I presented above, that all three were intensively
visited. These points of attractions offered for the inhabitants the opportunity, the chance for
healing, but they also were perceived as touristic settlements. These ‘resorts’ offered what the
Romans borrowed from Greeks: the concept of leisure as a state of mind. They all were connected
to the road infrastructure of roads. Germisara was positioned 7 kilometers north of the main
roads of Dacia and connected with another road, well preserved even nowadays. Ad Mediam
was positioned 5 kilometers east of the road which connected Dierna (today Orşova, Mehedinţi
County). The toponym itself indicates a settlement positioned close to the middle part of this
road. Ad Aquas (Călan, Hunedoara County) was located along the main road of Roman Dacia,
which connected the Danube line with the northern parts of Dacia, via Lederata – Tibiscum
– Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa – Apulum – Potaissa – Napoca – Porolissum. This road was the
‘highway’ of Roman Dacia. It was built during the two military camapaigns of Trajan in Dacia
and finished immediately after the conquest. A Roman milestone discovered at Aiton (between
Potaissa – today Turda, Cluj County, and Napoca, today Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County) dated in
108 AD, during Trajan, demonstrates that the Romans succeeded to built this road up to the
northern parts of the province.
Using the infrastructure, and all the facilities created, including a rapid colonization
of the new province (Eutropius, Breviarum ab urbe condita, 8, 6: Traianus victa Dacia ex toto
urbe Romano infinitas copias hominum transtulerat ad agros et urbes colendas), people of all social
statuses (soldiers, functionaries of the states) started to travel, to communicate, to benefit of all
the advantages of the new province. The society of Roman Dacia (as well as of the whole Roman
Empire) became very dynamic. These three thermal settlements were very attractive, as the
archaeological finds and inscriptions inform us. Communication, as an essential element for any
civilization, was done ‘physically’ by infrastructure, which provided opportunities for goods and
people to travel and organize a territory. Communication also meant the possibility for people
to travel, to interact, to exchange information.
My examples, together with others already known from other provinces, are strong
evidences to contradict with solid arguments the old concepts spread in the historiography,
according to which the Roman Empire was a space of static communities. On the contrary, we
discover, step by step, the huge resources of the Roman Empire and how people interacted with
themselves and with the landscape.
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Inscriptiones Daciae Romanae (București)
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