Centres of the Late Roman Military Supply Network in the Balkans: a Survey of horrea (original) (raw)
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Storage Pits from the Late Roman Fort by the Rákos Stream Data on the Supply of the Late Roman Army
Hungarian archaeology, 2022
The paper analyses fourteen storage pits unearthed in a Roman fort established by the Danube in the Barbaricum, at the estuary of the Rákos Stream, in today's District 13 of Budapest. Two types of storage pits were unearthed; their find material and context dated both to the second half of the 4th century AD. The pits, which were most probably used for storing cereals, were not established for commercial purposes but for keeping produce that was part of the supply of the garrison by the Rákos Stream. Similar storage pits (in a Late Roman context and established for keeping military supplies) were also unearthed at the forts of Paks-Dunakömlőd (Lussonium), Ságvár, and Alsóhetény.
Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade, 2023
The subject matter of arsenals (Lat. “armamentaria”) is still among the least investigated aspects of Roman military camps and cities. In most cases, their locations have been established based on the available few written and epigraphic sources as well as on the occurrence of weapons and military gear. The past Polish-Bulgarian archaeological and interdisciplinary studies at the site of the legionary camp and the Roman and Early Byzantine town of Novae have made it possible to identify and analyze a number of elements constituting its urban and architectural uniqueness. Polish and Bulgarian missions have exposed a significant section of the latera praetorii. The via quintana and the via principalis divided the camp into three districts: the latera praetorii, the praetentura and the retentura. In the latera were the arae, the auguratorium, the tribunal, horrea or carnarea, as well as the armamentarium. Studies carried out in the course of previous science and research projects related to uncovering the large legionary baths and the bishopric complex in Novae led to the discovery of a monumental complex, the only one of its kind in this part of the Roman Empire, which represents several architectural and construction stages. The team found remains of five monumental pillars, 5.20 × 1.40 m each. Their uniqueness stems from the fact that they were built from rectangular rusticated limestone blocks — a method previously found in Novae only in defensive walls, towers and gateways. Passageways between the pillars are 5.50–5.70 m wide. During the successive stages of the structure’s use, it underwent substantial modifications, which improved its functioning and characteristics. Thus, the passageways between the pillars were neatly replaced with walls and at least eight new pillars were built of stone and brick, of the size of 1.80 × 1.60 m, laid out in two rows of four. The research team has proposed the hypothesis that in the second local stage, the arsenal operated in conjunction with the fabricae which produced and repaired artillery for the Legio I Italica. Previous results of long-lasting Polish-Bulgarian archaeological studies in Novae clearly indicate that the main representative structures of the legionary camp were located within the latera pretorii to the west of the principia in the direction of the porta principalis. The fact that an arsenal used to be located in this place, which in the second phase of its operation was connected with the fabricae, shows how unique this complex was, situated beside three other crucial complexes: the legionary bath to the east, the alleged praetorium to the south and the complex of the barracks, conceivably occupied by a Roman ala, to the west. ISBN 978-86-6439-091-0
Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade, 2023
The subject matter of arsenals (Lat. “armamentaria”) is still among the least investigated aspects of Roman military camps and cities. In most cases, their locations have been established based on the available few written and epigraphic sources as well as on the occurrence of weapons and military gear. The past Polish-Bulgarian archaeological and interdisciplinary studies at the site of the legionary camp and the Roman and Early Byzantine town of Novae have made it possible to identify and analyze a number of elements constituting its urban and architectural uniqueness. Polish and Bulgarian missions have exposed a significant section of the latera praetorii. The via quintana and the via principalis divided the camp into three districts: the latera praetorii, the praetentura and the retentura. In the latera were the arae, the auguratorium, the tribunal, horrea or carnarea, as well as the armamentarium. Studies carried out in the course of previous science and research projects related to uncovering the large legionary baths and the bishopric complex in Novae led to the discovery of a monumental complex, the only one of its kind in this part of the Roman Empire, which represents several architectural and construction stages. The team found remains of five monumental pillars, 5.20 × 1.40 m each. Their uniqueness stems from the fact that they were built from rectangular rusticated limestone blocks — a method previously found in Novae only in defensive walls, towers and gateways. Passageways between the pillars are 5.50–5.70 m wide. During the successive stages of the structure’s use, it underwent substantial modifications, which improved its functioning and characteristics. Thus, the passageways between the pillars were neatly replaced with walls and at least eight new pillars were built of stone and brick, of the size of 1.80 × 1.60 m, laid out in two rows of four. The research team has proposed the hypothesis that in the second local stage, the arsenal operated in conjunction with the fabricae which produced and repaired artillery for the Legio I Italica. Previous results of long-lasting Polish-Bulgarian archaeological studies in Novae clearly indicate that the main representative structures of the legionary camp were located within the latera pretorii to the west of the principia in the direction of the porta principalis. The fact that an arsenal used to be located in this place, which in …View full abstract
2017
This monograph comes as a result of the research carried out by the authors (Ioan Carol Opriș and Alexandru Rațiu) between 1993-1996, 2006-2010, as well as from several other survey ditches in 2011 and 2014 on a building of approx. 10 x 11 m and a surface of 109.5 m2 situated in the southern part of the fort at Capidava, next to the main gate. The building C1 functioned during the 6th c. until a violent attack destroyed it in 582 or subsequently, in the early years of Mauricius Tiberius` reign. On this occasion the whole southeastern side of the fort (curtains G and H, as well as the gate tower no 7 and the largest building known so far intra muros – a granary/ horreum) has been heavily burnt. Both the planimetric distribution, along the via principalis in the vicinity of the gate, and its specific architectural features, corroborated with the analysis of the finds, allowed us to establish the function of the building C1 as storage facility with commercial destination for the local distribution of annona goods (in LR 1 and LR2 amphorae), besides other expensive merchandise in Cretan, Western Asia Minor and above all Levantine containers. The latter are the unmistakable and so called Carthage LR 4 amphorae produced in Gaza - Palaestina Prima for the famous vinum Gazetum (Gazetina, Gazeticum). Three annexes follow the text: the first one focused on the numismatic analysis of an emergency hoard of bronze folles found in situ (Andrei Gândilă – Univ. of Alabama in Huntsville) and offers key elements of further dating the moment when the building was destroyed, under heavy attack; the second is dedicated to the dendrochronology of the building, based upon its wooden elements saved from the incendium post 582 (Tomasz Ważny, Peter I. Kuniholm, Charlotte L. Pearson - Univ. of Arizona in Tucson); the third is the analysis report of an organic sample collected from inside a Pontic amphora, indicating a content of pine tar, most likely needed in treating the boats sailing on the Danube (Adriana Rizzo and Choi Mak - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).
Vitalie BÂRCĂ (ed.), Orbis Romanus and Barbaricum. The Barbarians around the Province of Dacia and Their Relations with the Roman Empire, Mega Publishing House, Cluj Napoca, 2016, p. 89-109, 2016
Two inscriptions from the 2nd century AD found during the early archaeological research at Capidava are related to equestrians involved with the customs station (statio portorii) functioning on the right bank of the Danube. Cohors Germanorum having its garrison in the fort supervised the toll station, the ford of the river, as well as both civil and military navigation along the Danube. The inscriptions revisited mention a conductor – T. Iulius Saturninus and most likely a procurator, from the late reign of Antoninus Pius and from the time of Marcus Aurelius or Commodus, subsequently. On this occasion has been tackled the whole file mentioning stationes portorii in both Dacian provinces and Moesia Inferior, administratively composing the same tertia pars within the large customs district of Illyricum. Historical data (archaeological and toponymical elements, maps) regarding the fording of the river at Capidava and the corresponding crossing point to the Romanian Plain at Bordușani, have been inventored and revealed a territoriality pattern for the functioning of the buffer zone between Roman right bank and Barbaricum during the 2nd–3rd centuries. Based upon literary texts (Themistius, Oration X), as well as founding inscriptions from the 4th century at Cius (Gârliciu) and Carcaliu, we aimed at offering a functional image of the two sides – Romans and Gothic Sântana de Mureș – Chernyakhov one separated by the marshy 10–20 km wide buffer territory of Balta Brăilei and Balta Ialomiței. To this respect, an updated mapping of the Sântana de Mureș – Chernyakhov archaeological finds has been provided. Keywords: statio (publici) portorii, publicum portorium Illyrici utriusque et ripae Thraciae, publicum portorium vectigalis Illyrici, T. Iulius Saturninus, Carcaliu, Cius, Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhov, Valens, Themistius – Oration X