Visiting history

On the third weekend of the project, the group had an excursion to two of the most important historical sites of the region – to the Hunedoara/Vajdahunyad Castle and to the ruins of the Roman settlement Colonia Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. The Hunedoara Castle is a late Gothic-Renaissance style castle which was mainly built in the second half of the 15^th century. Its construction was started by Jancu de Hunedoara/János Hunyadi, the famous governor and the father of King Matia Corvin/Mátyás Hunyadi who was one of the most prominent rulers of medieval Hungary.

Colonia Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa was perhaps the most important settlement of Roman Dacia. It was founded right after the conquest of Dacia by the orders of Emperor Traianus, as it is attested by an inscription: Auspiciis / [Imp(eratoris)] Caes(aris) divi Nervae f[il(ii)] / [Nervae] Traiani Augusti / [Germ(anici) Dac(ici)] condita colonia / [Ulpia Traiana Augusta] Dacica / [Sarmizegetusa] per / [D(ecimum) Terenti]um Scaurianum / [legatum] eius pro pr(aetore) / [------? (Translation: “By the orders of Imperator Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus Germanicus Dacicus, son of the divine Nerva, the colony of Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa was settled by Decimus Terentius Scaurianus, his governor.”) The settlement was the seat of the financial procurator of Dacia, and the concilium provinciae (a religious festivity in honour of Rome and the Emperor) was also held in the city annually.