Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa

Welcome, students of classical antiquity, to the magnificent ruins of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. Do not be confused by the name; this is not the ancient, mountain stronghold of the Dacian King Decebalus. …

We begin our detailed exploration in the absolute center of civic life: the Roman Forum. This massive, sprawling complex was the political and commercial nucleus of Ulpia Traiana. …

We now move to the spectacular, highly emotive sector of the city located extra muros, outside the primary defensive walls. Before you lies the Amphitheater, undisputedly the largest structure of its kind ever discovered in Roman…

Let us venture into the very center of the arena floor, where a fascinating, highly complex piece of Roman theatrical engineering is visible. Traversing the entire length of the arena, along the east west axis, is a deep,…

Immediately adjacent to the eastern gate of the massive Amphitheater, we find the ruins of a highly specialized, deeply ominous religious structure: the Temple of Nemesis. In the complex, syncretic world of Roman religion,…

Moving further into the designated sacred zone, the area sacra, we encounter a massive, highly complex sanctuary dedicated to the preservation of life, a stark contrast to the amphitheater's celebration of death. This is the…

Adjacent to the medical sanctuary lies the Temple of Liber Pater. This deity is incredibly fascinating from a sociological perspective. …

As our extensive tour of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa draws to a close, we must confront the dramatic, highly abrupt demise of this once glorious metropolis. For nearly two hundred years, this city was an impregnable bastion of…