Ioan Carol OPRIȘ, Alexandru RAȚIU, Roman customs station from Capidava. Statio for publicum portorii Illyrici in the 2nd century AD and a hypothetical model for interactions with Barbaricum in the 4th century AD (original) (raw)

2016, 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

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