The triumphal monument Tropaeum Traiani

The triumphal monument Tropaeum Traiani.
North-east of the village, about 1.5 km along the side road from DN3
east of the village, the triumphal monument can be found. Its location is not
by chance, dominating the surrounding landscape for dozens of kilometres.
kilometres. The monument, like many of the creations of antiquity.
primarily for the amusement of the eye and the artistic senses of the beholder.
was to impress the local population and
always conveying an important message (with a precise social function), representing a
symbol of Rome and also one of the most important monuments
erected throughout the empire. Both the character of the scenes
monument, as well as the comparison with other monuments of the same character, more
more or less contemporary, and especially with the Column of Trajan, have made it possible
the realisation that the monument is not a “campaign diary”, but a
an artistic manifestation of imperial propaganda. The constituent material
(limestone) corresponds to stone quarried from the surrounding area. Also discovered
quarries (four in number) from which the Romans extracted the lithic material
located in the Enigea valley, approx. 4 km away from Adamclisi and at
approx. 1.5 km from Deleni. In its original image, the monument would have been
would have looked like a huge cylinder, surmounted by a truncated cone, covered with slabs
stone slabs in the shape of fish scales, and on top were two hexagonal prisms
of different sizes. The latter served as the pedestal of the statue symbolising
of military victories – the Tropaeum. The entire monument was
height and diameter of 40 metres. Surrounding the monument are nine
rows of circular steps, a massive cylinder (stereobath) covered by six
rows of polished stone blocks that form a paramentum, a complex
consisting of three rows of superimposed ornamental elements, namely
the lower frieze, a succession of metopes framed by pilasters and the upper frieze.
The lower frieze is decorated with plant motifs in the form of a series of leafy
acanthus leaves in volutes, enclosed in the centre by a wolf’s head. Above and below
the acanthus scrolls are two bands consisting of some small protuberances (ove) and
others more elongated in the form of regularly alternating lenticules. Between the band
the upper band and the scrolls, some of the blocks in the lower frieze are characterised by birds. The second
component of the complex consists of metopes which are arranged in a
circular sequence. These are massive stone blocks in the shape of prisms
rectangular, with outer surfaces depicted with valuable scenes inspired
from Daco-Roman battles. They are invaluable for the reconstruction
valuable historical passages for the Istro-Pontic territory at the end of the

1st and early 2nd century BC. The arrangement of the metopes seems to
to follow a certain order given by the “narration” of events that took place in
Lower Danube. Thus the first 27 metopes tell the story of an early battle
fought on the southern plains of Dobrogea in the form of three scenes: the attack
and the cavalry battle, then the battle around the chariots and finally the worship of the population
and the resulting prisoners before the Emperor Trajan. The next series
metopes are also grouped into three scenes, namely the march to the great battle, the great
the great battle and the acclamation. These events took place at Adamclisi, the finale
is Trajan’s review of the Roman troops. Initially there were
a total of 54 metopes (grouped into six scenes of nine plays each), which unfortunately
unfortunately not preserved in their entirety to this day). They were separated by
pilasters which were executed in two versions: some with vertical grooves and others with
with a similarly alternating form of manifestation. As representations
Roman horsemen appear in armour (breastplates, helmets, helmets, oval shields) and armed with
spears, aspects of the course of the battles, the ‘barbarian’ allies (with specific clothing and details
ethnic origin). The Roman army is always illustrated superior to its enemies, both
both as soldiers (including standard bearers and musical instrumentalists) and as
officers, then dignitaries, and even Emperor Trajan himself (he appears dressed in tunic and
cloak (paenula) and a Greek breastplate, and sometimes holding a Greek
hands a commander’s baton or a scroll with military data) in several poses
concerning the organisation of attacks or councils of trust. Last but not least
iconographic elements of the richness of the Dobrogean region and elements
clothing of the local population. The cornice of the monument is made of
stone blocks with a twisted rope decoration. Above it were mounted
crenellations (with relief representations of prisoners leaning against trees and holding
bound hands) and parapet blocks (scalloped attic). The roof is
truncated cone-shaped and composed of 1,000 stone slabs in the form of
arranged in 19 or 20 superimposed rows. They are of different
in decreasing size as the roof ascends towards the two bases
hexagonal bases. Both provide a solid support for the colossal trophy
at the top of the monument. At the upper base, the north and north
south an inscription in Latin, which has been reconstructed as follows:
“To the god Mars the avenger, Emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva
Trajan, Augustus, conqueror of the Germans, of the Dacians, high priest, having the power of
tribune of the plebeians for the 13th time, proclaimed emperor by the army for the 6th
5th time, elected consul for the 5th time, father of the fatherland after defeating the army
Dacians and Sarmatians…”. Also in this upper part of the monument

above the pilasters of the upper hexagonal base a frieze where are
depicted spears, spears, curved swords, bows with arrows (capture of weaponry obtained
by the Roman army from their enemies). Across the frieze follows another cornice, then it is
the plinth is built on a hexagonal axe. The trophy statue is
made up of five drums stacked up to a height of 4 metres, to which are added the
plus the trophy itself, which is also 5 metres high. It expresses opulence and
massiveness, defining elements of Roman imperial authority. The character
male figure of the trophy is dressed in a suit and armed with military equipment
Roman armour, accompanied by breastplates (originally there were also lances) on which the face of the
Medusa, with a large acanthus flower in the centre of the cuirass, a knight in
galloping, an eagle with spread wings and a sword sheathed.
The lower part of the equipment includes a lorica and two cnemidae.
Three captives also appear at the feet of the figure (two seated women and
a man standing with his hands tied behind his back).
symbolise the subjugation of the native population after the battles in the province of
Moesia Inferior, which is also the subject of the event commemorated by
the triumphal monument. But the trophy itself was also a cenotaph,
with a profound funerary significance. And its shape is a clue
to that. The triumphal monument at Adamclisi is one of the most
significant monuments of Roman provincial art, not only in the territory
Romania, but also in the whole of the old Roman imperial world.
Adamclisi Museum
The building was inaugurated in 1977 and contains archaeological remains discovered in
archaeological research and chance finds in the fortress of Tropaeum
Traiani, at the monument (the original artefacts) and in the immediate and more
immediate and distant neighbourhood. There are ceramic collections, architectural collections-pieces,
collections of artefacts, collections of ornaments, etc. Also on display are metopes
upper frieze, pilasters, crenellations and parapet blocks of the scalloped attic,
the colossal statue of the trophy, the inscription and frieze with weapons, remains of the walls
of the cenotaph altar, fragments of the plinth of the trophy statue on which are carved
the face of the medusa and cnemides, a scallop support, a scallop from the truncated-conical roof.
We continue with the 48 original metopes (of the 54 that once existed) in a
an order in line with the unfolding of events in the winter of 101-102
BC. We also list as present a rich epigraphic material (as
the inscription on the plinth of the statue, which mentions the mention in 116 of the
inhabitants of Traianenses Tropaienses), the dedication inscription coming from the

triumphal monument, the funerary stelae (re-used over time as materials
construction), the most notable of which is that of L. Fufidius Lucianus
in the city’s administration, which testifies to the city’s declaration in 170 BC
municipium or others which mention the presence of veterans who came from
from Legio V Macedonica or mentions of merchants from Syria,
Palestine, Greece, Greece, etc.), bas-reliefs (with representations of a tropaeum, of
Thanatos), fragments of aqueducts, capitals with imposts, other fragments
other architectural fragments, common or luxury Roman pottery, tools, artefacts
jewellery (gem-rings, fibulae, appendices, bells), keys, etc. Last but not least
we note the presence of a particularly small trophy which, on a much smaller scale
colossal statue/trophy that was discovered at the eastern gate of the fortress, a true
emblem of the city in the first half of the 4th century BC. The presentation
museum chronologically concludes with specific ceramic materials from the 9th-
13th-century inhumation tombs.