Tropaeum Traiani

The Tropaeum Traiani is a monument in Adamclisi, Romania, built in 109 in then Moesia Inferior, to commemorate Roman Emperor's Trajan victory over the Dacians, in 102, in the Battle of Tapae. The monument was erected on the place where legio XXI Rapax had previously been crushed (92 AD). Before Trajan's construction, an altar existed there, on the walls of which were inscribed the names of 3000 legionaries and auxilia (servicemen) who had died "fighting for the Republic". Trajan's monument was inspired by the Augustus mausoleum, and got dedicated to the god Mars Ultor in 107/108 AD.On the monument there were 54 metopes depicting Roman legions against enemies; most of them are preserved in the museum nearby. The monument was supposed to be a warning to the tribes outside this newly conquered province. [F.B Florescu Das Siegesdenksmal von Adamclisi: Tropaeum Traiani (1965) ] The original monument has long since disintegrated. The present edifice is a reconstruction dating from 1977. The nearby museum contains many archaeological objects, including parts of the original Roman monument. Of the original 54 metopes, 48 are in the museum and 1 is in Istanbul.

Trophy

The monument was decorated with a large inscription dedicated to Mars the Ultor (the revenger). The inscription has been preserved fragmentarily from two sides of the trophy hexagone, so it could be reconstructed as follows [http://cimec.ro/Arheologie/tropaeum/introen/body.html] :

MARTI ULTOR [I] IM [P(erator)CAES] AR DIVI NERVA [E] F(ILIUS) N [E] RVA TRA] IANUS [AUG(USTUS) GERM(ANICUS)] DAC] I [CU] S PONT(IFEX) MAX(IMUS) TRIB(UNICIA) POTEST(ATE) XIII IMP(ERATOR) VI CO(N)S(UL) V P(ater) P(atriae) ?VICTO EXERC] ITU D [ACORUM] ?---- ET SARMATA] RUM ---------------------] E 31.

The inscription from the main monument can be translated in this way [http://groups.msn.com/legioXI/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=0&ID_Message=68] :

"To Mars, the god of war, Caesar the emperor, son of divine Nerva, NervaTrajan, Augustus, who defeated the Germans, the Dacians, great priest, forthe 13th time tribune of the plebeians, proclaimed emperor by the army forthe 6th time, elected consul for the 5th time, father of our homeland,after defeating the Dacian and the Sarmatian armies."

Metopes

Roman General Tomb

Legionares Memorial

[http://cimec.ro/Arheologie/tropaeum/introen/body.html]

Metopes Gallery

1977 Reconstruction

The monument was restored based on a hypothetical reconstruction in 1977.

Archeological research

The monument was researched by Grigore Tocilescu, O. Benford and G. Niemann, between 1882 - 1895 [Cimec http://www.cimec.ro/scripts/muzee/id.asp?k=246] , George Murnu in 1909, Vasile Parvan stop the researches in 1911, Paul Nicorescu has studied the site between 1935-1945, Gheorghe Stefan and Ioan Barnea in 1945. From 1968 the site is researched under Romanian Academy supervision.

Tropaeum Traiani the city

The name of the site was given after the monument, the anicent name of the city is unknown.

Notes

External links

http://www.cjc.ro/engleza/adamen~1.htm