Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Sudul Moldovei,
componentă avansată a limes-ului
roman dunărean
ALEXANDRU MADGEARU*
Abst ract
The first phase of the extension of the Roman power north of the Lower Danube was repre-
sented by the creation of a buffer space (terra deserta) in 62 AD, when thousands of Sarmatians
and Getae were moved from Southern Moldavia to the south of the river. The Roman army set
garrisons at Aliobrix and Tyras. This policy was not able to stop the invasions, because the bar-
barians coming from the steppe crossed this empty space without any resistance. The garrisons
were able to defend only the road. In the second phase, after the Daco-Roman wars of 101-102,
105-106, a new bridgehead was established at Barboşi-Galaţi, near the bend of the Danube,
in a position that could close the access from the North-Pontic steppe, and at the end of the
road to Transylvania. The road was protected by the earthen wall Ploscuţeni-Stoicani, which
was previously wrongly ascribed to the Goths. East of Prut, the area under Roman control was
protected by another wall, between Vadul lui Isac and Tatarbunar, built before the 4th century.
These walls were not designed to stop the invasions like the Hadrian Wall in Britannia. They
were merely borders used to watch in the peaceful times the area under Roman control and the
roads. The bridgeheads were abandoned after the invasions of the Carpi (214 – Aliobrix, end of
the 3rd century - Barboşi) and of the Goths (260 – Tyras). Only Barboşi was restored after 324,
and used again for a short time. The old name Dinogetia was replaced with Turris. To prevent
more invasions from the north, Justinian offered this deserted fortress and the surrounding area
to the Antae in 545, but it is not sure if they agreed. However, this plan reveals a change in the
strategy of the empire, because the Danube became in this area a clearcut frontier.
Limes-ul roman era de fapt o fâşie situată prin anumite trecători controlabile militar şi
de o parte şi de alta a fortificaţiilor lineare sau vamal, zona de frontieră juca mai mult un rol
a cursurilor de apă. Deşi avea o funcţie defensi- de intermediere decât de stopare a contactelor,
vă, ea nu era o barieră pentru circulaţia persoa- deoarece râurile puteau fi traversate cu relativă
nelor, bunurilor şi elementelor de cultură. Spre uşurinţă. De aici decurge permeabilitatea fron-
deosebire de frontierele statelor moderne, care tierelor naturale stabilite pe cursurile de apă,
pot fi în principiu controlate pe toată lungimea în antichitate şi evul mediu.
lor, cele ale Imperiului Roman sau ale altor Imperiul Roman a încheiat cucerirea ţinu-
state antice şi medievale permiteau o osmoză turilor populate de geţi dintre Dunăre şi Munţii
în diferite grade între populaţia din interior Haemus în anul 46 d.Hr., când Scythia Minor a
şi cea din exterior.1 Acolo unde nu exista un fost înglobată în provincia Moesia (care exista
masiv montan, care să permită circulaţia doar de prin anul 15 d.Hr.). Mai întâi s-a preconi-