Archaeologists discover Roman Capitol in Romanias Dacia province

Romanian archaeologists have found the Capitol of Sarmizegetusa, a temple in the ancient Roman province of Dacia, present day Romania.

Bucharest, Aug. 24 : Romanian archaeologists have found the Capitol of Sarmizegetusa, a temple in the ancient Roman province of Dacia, present day Romania.

"We were glad to confirm the suppositions we have been nourishing for 25 years, about the place where the Capitol lies, one of the most important temples of Roman Dacia," Rompres news agency quoted Ioan Piso, an official of Transylvania National History Museum in central Romania, as saying.

"This is the temple of Jupiter and the Triad Capitoline, made of Jupiter, Junona and Minerva," Piso said.

Piso said though such temples used to be erected in every Roman city, after the model of Rome, the Capitol of Sarmizegetusa is unique.

The dedication of the edifice meant that the cult of Jupiter had been officially brought to the Roman province of Dacia, he said.

"This happened around 150 AD and the temple's dedication day, May 23 by the Julian calendar, became one of the biggest feasts in Dacia," Piso said.

Piso said Sarmizegetusa was the most important Dacian military, religious and political centre.

The Dacian capital reached its peak under Decebalus, before being overwhelmed by the Roman Empire after two wars (101-102 and 105-106), led by emperor Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan.

After the Battle of Sarmizegetusa, which culminated in the defeat of the Dacians, the Romans established a military garrison there. Later, the capital of Roman Dacia was named after the Dacian capital - Sarmizegetusa, established 40 km from the ruined Dacian capital.

Piso said, presently archaeologists have only revealed one single section of the Capitol, adding that the rest of the structure will be exposed with more excavations in the coming years.

ANI