Sarmizegetusa Regia: the mountain capital of the Dacians
Sarmizegetusa Regia was the capital and chief military, religious and political centre of the Dacians before the wars with Rome. It stands on a mountaintop about 1,200 m high in the Orăștie Mountains, in Hunedoara County, and is part of a UNESCO-listed group of Dacian fortresses. Its terraces, walls and rows of column bases make it one of the most atmospheric ancient sites in Romania.
The Dacian capital had a great timber-and-stone circle that some compare to Stonehenge, a sundial made of andesite and running water in its noble houses, two thousand years ago.
The history of Sarmizegetusa Regia
According to the sources, the site began in the early 1st century BC as a sacred place, with the first religious structures. By the middle of that century the rich iron deposits of the area had helped a thriving economy and a growing settlement, and Sarmizegetusa Regia became one of the main metalworking centres of central Europe. Towards the end of his reign, King Burebista moved the Geto-Dacian capital here from Argedava. The site served as the Dacian capital for at least a century and a half and reached its height under King Decebalus.
The citadel was built on five terraces over an area of almost 30,000 m², with massive stone blocks in the Dacian wall style called murus dacicus. Its wall was about 3 m thick and 4–5 m high, and because it follows the edge of the hill, the enclosure has the shape of an uneven hexagon. Ordinary people lived below on artificial terraces, and the houses of the nobility had running water brought through ceramic pipes. About 100 m east of the gate, along a paved road, lay the sacred zone, with rectangular temples and two circular sanctuaries. The finds, including smithy tools, a medical kit and a large vase inscribed DECEBAL PER SCORILO, show a society with a relatively high standard of living.
Rome set out to end the Dacian state. The citadel was besieged in the first war of 101–102 and its walls were partly dismantled after the Dacians were defeated in AD 102. The Romans placed a garrison here and rebuilt parts of the site as their own fortifications. These were later destroyed, possibly by the Dacians, and rebuilt again after a successful Roman siege in AD 105–106, when the Dacian capital was finally taken. The Romans then founded a new capital, Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa, about 40 km away. Emperor Hadrian is said to have added the name Sarmizegetusa to it so that it would be seen as the successor of the Dacian capital.
The ruins on the mountain were excavated from the 18th century, and for a time Ulpia Traiana, which was found earlier, was mistaken for the Dacian capital. In 1999 Sarmizegetusa Regia and five other Dacian fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The site has also suffered: in 2011 a parking area was built without the approval of archaeologists and put about 30 m of the citadel wall at risk of collapse. Because of looting and vandalism, the site is now under permanent surveillance.
Curiosities about Sarmizegetusa Regia
- The large circular sanctuary, sometimes called the calendar, was a D-shaped setting of timber posts inside a timber circle and a low stone kerb. Its layout recalls the stone monument of Stonehenge in England.
- An andesite disc known as the “Andesite Sun” seems to have been used as a sundial.
- A large vase found at the site carries the inscription DECEBAL PER SCORILO in the Roman alphabet, usually read as “Decebalus, son of Scorilo”.
- Gold coins inscribed “KOSON” were also found here.
- The smithies north of the sanctuary have yielded about 400 metal objects, from sickles and ploughshares to daggers and shields.
- Ulpia Traiana, the Roman capital founded some 40 km away, was found earlier and for a time was mistaken for the Dacian capital, which led to wrong conclusions about Dacian military history.
Tours near Sarmizegetusa Regia
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Sarmizegetusa Regia: what to see
- The sanctuary terrace is the highlight: the bases of columns of the rectangular temples are still visible in regular rows, and there are two circular sanctuaries.
- The citadel enclosure, its gate and the paved road between the gate and the sacred zone show how the site was organised on its five terraces.
- The site stands on a mountain about 1,200 m high, so expect a hilltop setting; the wider area has settlement terraces to explore.
- Other Dacian fortresses of the same UNESCO group lie within reach: Costești-Blidaru about 13 km, Bănița about 20 km and Căpâlna about 32 km.
- The site is under permanent surveillance to protect it, and access arrangements can change, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Sarmizegetusa Regia is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Sarmizegetusa Regia
Questions
Where is Sarmizegetusa Regia?
It is on a mountaintop near the village of Grădiștea de Munte, in the Orăștie Mountains of Hunedoara County, in Transylvania.
Is Sarmizegetusa Regia the same as Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa?
No. Sarmizegetusa Regia was the Dacian capital in the mountains. Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa was the Roman capital of Dacia, built about 40 km away.
What can you see at Sarmizegetusa Regia?
You can see the citadel walls, the terraces, the paved road and the sacred zone with column bases of rectangular temples and two circular sanctuaries.
Who ruled from Sarmizegetusa Regia?
It served as the Dacian capital from the time of Burebista and reached its height under King Decebalus, who was defeated by the Emperor Trajan.
How did Sarmizegetusa Regia end?
The Romans partly dismantled its walls in AD 102 and took it after a siege in AD 105–106. They then founded a new capital in the lowlands.
What can you see near Sarmizegetusa Regia?
Other Dacian fortresses are nearby: Costești-Blidaru about 13 km, Bănița about 20 km and Căpâlna about 32 km, and Câlnic Fortress about 40 km.
Also nearby
Costești-Blidaru Dacian Fortress
Hunedoara · Dacian hill fortress with six towers, UNESCO
13 km away
Bănița Dacian Fortress
Hunedoara · UNESCO Dacian stronghold in the Orăștie Mountains
20 km away
Căpâlna Fortress
Alba · Dacian hill fort burned by the Romans in 106 AD
32 km away
Densuș Church
Hunedoara · medieval church built of Roman stones
40 km away