Apulum

The history of Roman Apulum began with the founding of the legionary base, which was garrisoned by the 13th Gemina legion starting from the period following the end of the Second Dacian War until the abandonment of the province. During the Trajanic period the region was part of the territorium of Roman Sarmizegetusa, however the pace of its urban development proved to be extremely rapid. By the Severan time it had become the largest urban centre of Dacia and one of the biggest settlements of the Danubian Provinces. It comprised the legionary fortress with an adjacent civilian settlement (canabae) and two separate towns, as well as the headquarters of the consular governor of the three Dacian provinces (Tres Daciae). Under Marcus Aurelius, the first town was attested under the name of municipium Aurelium Apulense, under Commodus becoming colonia Aurelia Apulense. Later, under Septimius Severus, a second town which probably broke away from the existing canabae was attested under the name municipium Septimium Apulense. The economic strength of the urban centre is suggested by a mid-3rd century inscription referring to the colonia Aurelia as “Chrysopolis“, i.e. “city of gold”.

The Roman legionary camp stretched for 21 ha on a natural terrace above the river Maris (called Mureș today). Due to the succession of different archaeological and historical periods within the limits of the ancient Roman fortress, few monuments were able to be fully excavated and made available to the general public. Nevertheless, the visitor today may take a tour of the main Roman monuments that have been researched and restored in recent years, such as the southern gate of the fort (porta principalis dextra), parts of the thoroughfare crossing the fortress (via principalis) and the military headquarters (principia).

During the medieval period, Alba Iulia (Gyulafehérvár in Hungarian, Karlsburg in German) became one of the ten original bishoprics of the Hungarian Kingdom founded in the 11th century, and thus one of the most important ecclesiastic centres of the country. The Roman Catholic cathedral standing today, together with the other parts of the episcopal centre, was placed within the territory of the former Roman legionary fortress. Later, during the 16th–17th centuries Alba Iulia became the political centre of the Principate of Transylvania, the former Roman legionary base being transformed into a modern fortress (albeit not finished at that point), which housed both the ecclesiastic and political power centre of the country for a period. During the first half of the18th century the fortification was finished under Habsburg rule in the well-known Vauban style, taking the name of Alba Carolina.

During the medieval period, Alba Iulia (Gyulafehérvár in Hungarian, Karlsburg in German) became one of the ten original bishoprics of the Hungarian Kingdom founded in the 11th century, and thus one of the most important ecclesiastic centres of the country. The Roman Catholic cathedral standing today, together with the other parts of the episcopal centre, was placed within the territory of the former Roman legionary fortress. Later, during the 16th–17th centuries Alba Iulia became the political centre of the Principate of Transylvania, the former Roman legionary base being transformed into a modern fortress (albeit not finished at that point), which housed both the ecclesiastic and political power centre of the country for a period. During the first half of the18th century the fortification was finished under Habsburg rule in the well-known Vauban style, taking the name of Alba Carolina.

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