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Dinogetia was an ancient Geto- Dacian settlement and later Roman fortress located on the right (southern) bank of the Danube near the place where it joins the Siret. The Dinogetia site is situated in
Northern Dobruja Northern Dobruja ( ro, Dobrogea de Nord or simply ; bg, Северна Добруджа, ''Severna Dobrudzha'') is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. It lies between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, bordered in the south ...
8 kilometres east of
Galați Galați (, , ; also known by other alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the Danube River. It has been the only port for the most par ...
, Romania and 2 kilometers north of Gărvan, a village in
Jijila Jijila is a commune in Tulcea County, Northern Dobruja, Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hung ...
commune.


Roman and Byzantine period

The Geto-Dacian settlement was conquered by the Romans and transformed into a boundary fortress. The site was mentioned by Ptolemy. Located in the center of an arc made by the Danube around Macin,
Galați Galați (, , ; also known by other alternative names) is the capital city of Galați County in the historical region of Western Moldavia, in eastern Romania. Galați is a port town on the Danube River. It has been the only port for the most par ...
and Gura Prutului, the Roman fortress of Dinogetia-Garvãn had initially been a
castellum A ''castellum'' in Latin is usually: * a small Roman fortlet or tower,C. Julius Caesar, Gallic War; 2,30 a diminutive of ('military camp'), often used as a watchtower or signal station like on Hadrian's Wall. It should be distinguished from a ...
(a small fortress), thereby playing a role in the defensive system on the Lower Danube. Some other important Roman fortresses at the time were those from Barbosi (Galați County) and
Troesmis Troesmis was an ancient Roman legionary fortress, a major site situated on the Danube and forming a key part of the Limes Moesiae frontier system. Around this fortress the Geto-Dacian town later developed.TOCILESCU 1883a, p. 101http://www.turc ...
(Tulcea County). Having been of great importance in Constantine the Great's time, the fortress was reinforced since the time of Diocletian. In Anastasius's and Justinian's time some structures were added to the stronghold. But by the end of the 2nd century AD, when the great barbarian invasions had begun, Dinogetia had grown in importance, especially after the abandonment by the Romans of the Dacian province. Its strategic position in the north-western corner of Dobrudja gave the fortress an important role in the defensive system of the province. After a period of rebuilding during the Severan period, in the 3rd century Dinogetia was again a target for the barbarian invaders. After the abandonment of Dacia, the strategic importance of the site had increased.
Aurelian Aurelian ( la, Lucius Domitius Aurelianus; 9 September 214 October 275) was a Roman emperor, who reigned during the Crisis of the Third Century, from 270 to 275. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited t ...
,
Probus Probus may refer to: People * Marcus Valerius Probus (c. 20/30–105 AD), Roman grammarian * Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus, consul in 228 * Probus (emperor), Roman Emperor (276–282) * Probus of Byzantium (–306), Bishop of Byzantium from 293 t ...
and
Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
initiated a policy of fortification of the entire Danubian lines, Dinogetia included. During the Late Antiquity Dinogetia had a key role in the defensive system of the Roman province. First Anastasius, then Justinian reinforced the fortress's walls. The attack of the Avars/
Kutrigurs Kutrigurs were Turkic Eurasian nomads, nomadic equestrians who flourished on the Pontic–Caspian steppe in the 6th century AD. To their east were the similar Utigurs and both possibly were closely related to the Bulgars. They warred with the Byza ...
under
Zabergan Zabergan ( grc-x-medieval, Ζαβεργάν) was the chieftain of the Kutrigur Bulgar Huns, a nomadic people of the Pontic–Caspian steppe, after Sinnion. His name is Iranian, meaning full moon. Either under pressure from incoming Avars,; or in r ...
's command in 559 had disastrous consequences for the stronghold. Archaeological research has uncovered ruins of a large house, a Roman bath, a church, a basilica and a graveyard outside the wall. These ruins have been heavily disrupted, though, because a feudal site had been built over the Roman one. The Diocletian constructed wall (c. 3 m wide) has fourteen horseshoe-shaped towers. *Buildings located on the Dinogetia Site: **praetorium **the ruins of a large house **4 c basilica **4 c ruins of a Roman bath **9 C church *Stamped Bricks From the Later Roman Empire there are registered at Dinogetia bricks stamped with the mark of
Legio I Iovia Legio I ''Iovia'' ( First Legion "Jovian", "devoted to Jupiter") was a Roman legion, levied by Emperor Diocletian (284–305), possibly together with II ''Herculia'', to guard the newly created province of Scythia Minor. The ''cognomen'' of this ...
(Scythica) and the presence of
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
federates as well. Also, the 4th century witnessed the building of "the house of the commander" (domus), as well as the baths, the latter perhaps having been built even earlier, according to the latest archaeological finds. Also, written sources, such as Notitia Dignitatum, certify some
Milites Milites were the trained regular footsoldiers of ancient Rome, and later a term used to describe " soldiers" in Medieval Europe. Roman Era These men were the non-specialist regular soldiers that made up the bulk of a legion's numbers and were t ...
Scythici (NDOr, XXXIX, 24), thus confirming the archaeological evidence. In the ecclesiastical sources there are registered Christian martyrs dated in the reign of Licinius, especially from the army, thus certifying the Christianization of the area. Other army units that were stationed at Dinogetia include: Legio V Macedonica, Cohors I Cilicum, Cohors II Mattiacorum, cl. fl. Moesica (2nd century), Legio I Iovia (4th century) The fortress had been inhabited until the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 7th century when, in the context of Phokas's rebellion, the entire lines of Lower Danube had collapsed under the pressure of Slav tribes. In this context, Dinogetia also was abandoned as a military strongpoint. The fortress was rebuilt and became the siege of a Byzantine garrison after the successful campaigns of the emperor Ioannes Tzimiskes (969-976) against the Kievian Russians, when Dobruja was again incorporated to the Empire. The presence of Byzantine troops is certified until the 12th century, when Dinogetia was gradually deserted and finally abandoned perhaps in 1186.


Middle Age period

9th-century church findings:


Gold artefacts


Wall paintings traces

File:Dinogetia Public Baths Garvani 4-7-2006 9-52-52 AM 640x3601.JPG, Public Baths File:Dinogetia Turn decopertat.1.JPG, tower File:Dinogetia Panorama.jpg, Site Panoramic View File:BisericaBizantinaSecolulIXDinogetia 4-7-2006 9-52-21 AM 640x3601.JPG, Byzantine Church File:Turnul Consolidat al cetatii Dinogetia 4-7-2006 9-52-44 AM 640x3601.JPG, Tower


See also

* List of castles in Romania * Tourism in Romania


References and archeologists


STRATEG. Strategii defensive şi politici transfrontaliere. Integrarea spaţiului Dunării de Jos în civilizaţia romană

Alexandru Barnea ArticleAlexandru Barnea ArticleAlexandru Barnea ArticleAlexandru Barnea ArticleAlexandru Barnea ArticleAlexandru Barnea Article
{{Authority control Castles in Romania Roman sites in Romania Byzantine sites in Romania Ruins in Romania Former populated places in Eastern Europe Dacian towns Buildings and structures in Tulcea County Tourist attractions in Tulcea County Historic monuments in Tulcea County