Resculum (castra) explained

Resculum
Alt Names:Rucconium
Known As:
  • Castra of Bologa
  • Castra of Poieni
Built During Reign Of:Trajan
Founded:2nd century AD
Abandoned:c. 4th-5th century AD
Attested By:Tabula Peutingeriana
Robust Struct Material:Stone
Robust Struct Dim1:122
Robust Struct Dim2:213
Robust Struct Area:2.6
Weak Struct Material:Wood and earth
Weak Struct Dim1:130
Weak Struct Dim2:203
Weak Struct Area:2.6
Cohorts:
Province:Dacia
Admin Unit 1:Dacia Superior
Admin Unit 2:Dacia Porolissensis
Limes:Porolissensis
Links:
Coordinates:46.8857°N 22.8846°W
Altitude:c. 527
Map:Romania
Place Name:Grădiște
Location Town:Bologa
Location County:Cluj
Ref:Ro:Lmi:CJ-I-s-A-06975 [3]
Ref:Ro:Ran:59069.01
Condition:Ruined
Excavations:
  • 1930
  • 1970
  • 2012-2013
Archaeologists:
  • Mihail Macrea
  • Nicolae Gudea
  • Felix Marcu
  • George Cupcea
  • Gelu Oloşutean
  • Cristian Filip
  • Imola Boda
  • Xenia Păuşa

Resculum or Rucconium[4] was an ancient Roman fort in the Roman province of Dacia. The ruins are located near the village of Bologa, Cluj county, at the confluence of river Sebeș with river Criș, on the promontory of a hill. A vicus developed close to the castrum.[5] An inscription cited by Károly Torma but now lost named the associated civil settlement as Anartorum.[6]

It was the southwestern start point of Limes Porolissensis, from which a road led to Porolissum. An advanced outpost, 30km down the Crișul Repede valley, at Negreni, was connected to the fort.

History

Three phases are know for the castra:

1. In the early phase, right after Trajan's Dacian Wars, the castrum was made of earth and timber. Initially Cohors I Ulpia Brittonum miliaria equitata was stationed there but it was later moved to Porolissum and replaced by Cohors II Hispanorum (renamed Cohors II Hispanorum scutata Cyrenaica equitata).

2. The fort was enlarged a couple of decades later as the presence of Cohors I Aelia Gaesatorum miliaria is also attested at the site.

3. At the beginning of the 3rd century it was rebuilt from stone [7] and reached a size of 133,30x213m. A horreum is attested at the site with a second, smaller logistic building of unknown function also present within the walls. It also manned numerous ancillary structures connected to it such as watchtowers and fortlets.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bologa . 2011-08-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120316100713/http://www.net4u.ro/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228:resculum&lang=ro . 2012-03-16 . dead .
  2. http://www.irregular.ro/articol%20petru%20ureche.pdf Tactică, strategie și specific de luptă la cohortele equitate din Dacia Romană, Petru Ureche
  3. Web site: Castrul roman de la Bologa - "Grădiște". ran.cimec.ro. National Archaeological Record of Romania (RAN). 2013-09-09. 2014-05-01.
  4. Deac . Dan . 2013-01-01 . Dan Deac, The Toponymy of Dacia Porolissensis. Recent Research and New Approaches . Ephemeris Napocensis XXIII.
  5. Web site: Repertoriul Arheologic Naţional . 2024-06-15 . ran.cimec.ro.
  6. Web site: Boragno . Lorenzo . 6 January 2022 . The iron of the Empire: the production of iron made military equipment in the province of Dacia (AD 106 - AD 270) . 19 June 2024 . HAL . 265.
  7. Forts, fields and towns: Communities in Northwest Transylvania from the first century BC to the fifth century AD . University of Leicester . 2010-07-07 . en . Robert . Wanner . 127.