Potaissa Roman Fort

On Cetății Hill in Turda, Cluj County, the Potaissa Roman Fort preserves the remains of the camp of Legio V Macedonica. Stationed here in the second century, the legion defended the northwestern part of Roman Dacia. The camp had a rectangular plan and occupied over 20 hectares, with streets, gates, barracks and administrative buildings. Its stone-and-mortar walls enclosed an area that housed about 5,000 soldiers.

The excavated remains include the headquarters building, called the principia, and the thermae, the baths used by the soldiers. A path among the uncovered foundations and walls shows how a Roman garrison was organized. Excavations have uncovered inscriptions, coins, pottery, sculptures and pieces of military equipment; some of these finds are kept at the Turda History Museum.

Photo: CristianChirita / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0 ro. Cropped and resized to 650 × 400 px. Adapted photo retains same license.