Micia was initially a large Roman fort for auxiliary troops outside which a large town developed. The archaeological site is located in the municipality of Vețel (Witzel), Hunedoara County in Transylvania, Romania.

Micia
Micia is located in Romania
Micia
Location within Romania
Known also as
  • Castra of Mintia
  • Castra of Vețel
Founded2nd century AD
Abandonedc. 4th–5th century AD
Place in the Roman world
ProvinceDacia
Administrative unitDacia Apulensis
Administrative unitDacia Superior
Nearby waterMarisus
Directly connected toGermisara, (Hunedoara)
Structure
— Stone structure —
Size and area181 m × 360 m (6.5 ha)
— Wood and earth structure —
Stationed military units
Legions
Cohorts
Alae
Numeri
Maurorum Micensium[3]
Location
Coordinates45°54′43″N 22°48′55″E / 45.911806°N 22.815278°E / 45.911806; 22.815278
Altitude186 m (610 ft)
TownVețel
CountyHunedoara
Country Romania
Reference
RO-LMIHD-I-s-A-03214 [4]
RO-RAN91991.01 [4]
Site notes
Recognition National Historical Monument
ExhibitionsMuzeul Civilizației Dacice și Romane, Deva

It was important as it monitored and secured the road to the centre of Transylvania and the river route along the frontier to Partiscum, today Szeged, Hungary as well as supervising the adjacent mining area. In addition, there was a strategically important river port.

In the civil settlement were large baths and a small amphitheatre. The large number of ancient inscriptions are significant.

Every year a roman reenactment festival, Micia Rediviva, is held on the archaeological site.

Western Dacia forts

Castra

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It had a quadrilateral shape of 360 x 180 m placed unusually with the long sides to the east/west unlike traditionally with the narrow side facing the enemy. It lies across the modern road and railway.

Vicus

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Thermae

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Amphitheatre

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100 m to the southeast of the military bath is a small amphitheatre with a circumference of 104 m. The arena was of diameter 31 × 29 m.[5]

Necropolis

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Micia". Archived from the original on 2012-11-16. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
  2. ^ a b Țentea, Ovidiu (2012). EX ORIENTE AD DANUBIUM - The Syrian units on the Danube frontier of the Roman Empire. MEGA Publishing House. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
  3. ^ a b c Tactică, strategie și specific de luptă la cohortele equitate din Dacia Romană, Petru Ureche[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b "Situl arheologic de la Veţel-Micia". National Archaeological Record of Romania (RAN). ran.cimec.ro. 2013-06-06. Archived from the original on 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
  5. ^ Russell L. Sturzebecker: Photo Atlas. Athletic-Cultural Archaeological Sites in the Greco-Roman World. Europe, North Africa & the Middle East. Russell L. Sturzebecker, West Chester, PA 1985. ISBN 0-9600466-2-3. p. 349.

See also

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