Civitas Tropaensium

Cities and roads in eastern Moesia

Civitas Tropaensium

Civitas Tropaensium city wall

Basilica

Civitas Tropaensium was a Roman city situated in the Roman province of Moesia (later Scythia Minor) near modern Adamclisi in Constanța County, Romania.

History

The Battle of Adamclisi was a major clash fought nearby during Trajan's Dacian Wars in the winter of 101 to 102 between the Roman Empire and the Dacians resulting in a decisive Roman victory, though both sides suffered very heavy casualties. A monumental altar was built nearby in 102 to commemorate the victory.

After the Dacian Wars in 109 AD the Trophy of Trajan (Tropaeum Traiani) was built next to the altar to commemorate the Roman Empire's victories over the Dacians. It gave its name to the later Roman fort probably built around 106, 1.4 km to the southwest.

The city developed around the fort, colonised with Roman veterans of the Dacian Wars, and became a municipium.

The city was destroyed by the Goths, but it was rebuilt during Constantine the Great's rule with improved defensive walls. Civitas Tropaensium survived until the Avars sacked it in 587 when the Avar Hagan, although he had concluded a peace with the Empire from which he received the sum of 100,000 gold coins in exchange for the obligation to refrain from attacks, violated the imperial territory and conquered Tropaeum Traiani "through a military action which gave him a lot of work, because the cities did not surrender easily". It then ceased to be an important city of Dobruja and was no longer mentioned for seven hundred years.

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  A smaller copy of the original monument from the eastern city gates made in the era of Constantine and Licinius
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  Tropaeum Traiani