A LOOK INSIDE OF THE GOVERNOR’S PALACE

OF THE ROMAN DACIA AT APULUM –

PRELIMINARY RESULTS RELATED TO THE INTERIOR DESIGN
OF THE COMPLEX

VIORICA RUSU-BOLINDEȚ
(NATIONAL MUSEUM OF TRANSYLVANIAN HISTORY,
CLUJ-NAPOCA)
CRISTINA-GEORGETA ALEXANDRESCU
George Bounegru, Dan Anghel, Ilie Lascu (Muzeul Național aRadu Ota, George Bounegru, Dan Anghel, Ilie Lascu
(“VASILE PÂRVAN” INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY
(Muzeul Național al Unirii Alba Iulia), Constantin Inel, Călin Șuteu (SC Gigapixel SRL), Matei Drîmbărean (Direcția
Județeană pentru Cultură Alba), Mihai Gligor (Universitatea „1 Decembrie 1918” din Alba Iulia), Vlad-Andrei

OF THE ROMANIAN ACADEMY, BUCHAREST)

Lăzărescu (Institutul de Arheologie și Istoria Artei Cluj-Napoca), Florin-Ovidiu Botiș (Universitatea „Babeș-Bolyai”
Cluj-Napoca), Iulia-Alexandra Iliescu, Anca Constantin (Universitatea din București)l Unirii Alba Iulia), Constantin Inel,
Călin Șuteu (SC Gigapixel SRL), Matei Drîmbărea (Direcția Județeană pentru Cultură Alba), Mihai Gligor
(Universitatea „1 Decembrie 1918” din Alba Iulia), Vlad-Andrei Lăzărescu (Institutul de Arheologie și Istoria Artei Cluj-
Napoca), Florin-Ovidiu Botiș (Universitatea „Babeș-Bolyai” Cluj-Napoca), Iulia-Alexandra Iliescu, Anca Constantin
LOCATION OF THE SITE

Authors:
Anca Timofan
Călin Șuteu
Location of the areas of the Governor's Palace at Apulum excavated between 1888-
2023: 1. Adalbert Cserni (1888-1908); 2. Ioan Berciu (1943); 3. Ioan Berciu, Alexandru
Popa (1962); 4. Viorica Rusu-Bolindeț et alii (1992-2023); 5. Anca Timofan, Radu Ota
(2007); 6. Ovidiu Oargă (2019) (processed by F.-O. Botiș).
GENERAL PLAN OF
ADALBERT CSERNI’S
EXAVATIONS
(1888-1908)
ADALBERT CSERNI’S EXCAVATIONS (1888-1908)
ADALBERT CSERNI’S
EXCAVATIONS
(1888-1908)
ADALBERT CSERNI’S EXCAVATIONS
GENERAL PLAN OF
ADALBERT CSERNI’S
EXCAVATIONS
REINTERPRETATED

(Schäfer 2014, Abb. 281, 285)

 THE BEGINNING
OF RECENT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES - 1992
 PRAETORIUM CONSULARIS AT APULUM.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES 1992-2023
1. Archaeological team: dr. Viorica Rusu-Bolindeţ (MNIT), director of the excaavation; dr. Radu Ota, dr. George
Valentin Bounegru, dr. Ilie Lascu, dr. Dan Anghel, dr. Constantin Inel (MNUAI); dr. Matei Drâmbărean (DJPCN
Alba); prof. univ. dr. Mihai Gligor; conf. univ. Cristian Ioan Popa (Universitatea “1 Decembrie 1918” Alba Iulia) –
members of the team; colaborators: dr. Călin Șuteu (SC Gigapixel SRL); Teodor Muntean, drd. Florin-Ovidiu Botiș,
drd. Ioana Potra (UBB); drd. Iulia-Alexandra Iliescu, drd. Anca Maria Constantin, MA Vlad Ciur (Facultatea de
Istorie a Universității București), Radu-Florin Turuș, Claudiu Hancheș, Raul-Mihai Ungur, Alexandra Paula Sicoe,
Cristian Suciu, Flaviu Istrate, Iulian Florea, Nicolae Pâclișan, Ștefan Borza, Robert David (MA “1 Decembrie
1918”University, Alba Iulia).
2. Goals:
 1992-2001 - archaeological investigations on an area of 60 x 18 m, destroyed by excavation, located in the
central-northern area of the archaeological reserve, in order to know the stratigraphy of the site;
 2001-2003; 2007 – 2023 - excavation of the buildings located in the area on the south and east sides of the
archaeological reserve. A trench was excavated on the eastern side – SXVII/01 (research completed) and 3
trenches on the southern side of the site: SXVIII/07 (research completed); SXIX/14 și SXX/16 (research in
progress).
3. Results:
 20 stratigraphical unites were excavated, representing 1000 square meters out of the total of 3000 (which is the
total area of the preserved part of the Governor's Palace at Apulum);
 New buildings belonging to the praetorium consularis have been identified;
 Interdisciplinary research was carried out (ERT, magnetometry, photogrammetry, 3D modeling, 3D scanning of
artifacts)– dr. Călin Șuteu; dr. Dan Ștefan.
4. Perspectives:
 The complete unveiling of the preserved part of the Governor's Palace through large-scale archaeological
excavations;
 The touristic promotion and valorization of the ruins, a site museum erected above the discovered vestiges,
which would include the ruins themselves, as well as the artifacts discovered in the praetorium consularis area.
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES
GENERAL PLAN
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
(1992-2003)
1 STONE PHASE
ST
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
(1992-2018)
2nd STONE PHASE
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES
(1992-2003)
2nd STONE PHASE
 RECENT
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES
(1992-2003)
2nd STONE PHASE

CORRIDOR WITH
TWO-COLOUR MOSAIC
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES (1992-2023)
3rd STONE PHASE
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES (1992-2023)
3rd STONE PHASE
 RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES (2007-2017)

1.
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES (2007-2014)
TRENCH SXVIII/07
RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL
RESEARCHES (2007-2014)
TRENCH SXVIII/07
DIGITAL ELEVATION MODEL – DEM/ORTHOPHOTOMOSAIC
AND AERIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC DOCUMENTATION (CPR)
AERIAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC DOCUMENTATION

AUTHOR: CĂLIN ȘUTEU

ROMAN BUILDING II –
ROOMS W1-W2
ROMAN BUILDING II – ROOMS W1-W2
MARBLE VENEERS, CAPITAL
MARBLE VENEERS
 MARBLE VENEERS
AND FRAGMENTS OF SCULPTURAL MONUMENTS
MARBLE ARTIFACT MAPPING
 POLYCHROME
PAINTED PLASTERS
IN THE FRESCO
TECHNIQUE

(Ota, Rusu-Bolindeț, Anghel 2020,

pl. IX)
POLYCHROME PAINTED PLASTERS
IN THE FRESCO TECHNIQUE

(Ota, Rusu-Bolindeț, Anghel 2020,

pl. X)
POLYCHROME PAINTED PLASTERS IN THE FRESCO TECHNIQUE
 POLYCHROME
PAINTED PLASTERS
IN THE FRESCO TECHNIQUE
 POLYCHROME
PAINTED PLASTERS
IN THE FRESCO
TECHNIQUE
POLYCHROME PAINTED PLASTERS IN THE FRESCO TECHNIQUE -
MICROSCOPIC IMAGES

AUTHOR: BEATRIX MÁGO

STUCCO ELEMENTS
STUCATURĂ

(Ota, Rusu-Bolindeț, Anghel 2020,

pl. XI-XII)
 STUCCO ELEMENTS

(Ota, Rusu-Bolindeț, Anghel 2020, pl. XIII)

MOSAIC DISCOVERED ON
SOUTHERN SIDE OF SITE
MOSAIC FRAGMENTS DISCOVEREDON SOUTHERN SIDE OF SITE
MOSAIC FRAGMENTS
 ANALOGIES

https://www.antike-tischkultur.de/
mosaikschwarzweiss.html
TYPES OF OPUS FIGLINUM
FLOORS

(Cserni 1902, T. VII)

 ANALOGIES

https://www.antike-tischkultur.de/
ziegelboden.html
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
POLYCHROME CERAMIC FLOOR PIECES – OPUS SECTILE
BRICKS FLOOR
OPUS FIGLINARUM
FLOORS MAPPING
 APOLLO BELVEDERE

/
(http://ubi-erat-lupa.org / monument 19316 (https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/apollo-
(foto F. and O. Harl) 4beb8dad26734da9ba0205e601552e64)
MARBLE STATUETTE
OF GODDESS DIANA
MARBLE STATUETTE OF GODDESS DIANA

3D SCAN CĂLIN ȘUTEU

 ANALOGIES

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/
ancient-sculpture-and-works-of-art-part-ii/a-roman-
marble-torso-of-artemis-circa-2nd-century
ANALOGIES
MARBLE BUNCH WITH LION PAW-SHAPED LEG
 ANALOGIES

https://www.antike-tischkultur.de/
sitzmoebelbank.html
ANTEFIXE WITH JUPITER REPRESENTATION

3D SCAN CĂLIN ȘUTEU

 ANTEFIXES WITH THE REPRESENTATION
OF GORGONA MEDUSA

© MNUAI
3D SCAN CĂLIN ȘUTEU
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/antefix-r2588-
173e0dc71a5a426d9b52f346d711fe64
 PRAETORIUM CONSULARIS
AT AQUINCUM, PANNONIA
INFERIOR

(Poczy 2001, pls. 13-16)

 CONCLUSIONS

 Praetorium consularis at Apulum is one of the largest complexes of this type

known in the Roman Empire (1.5 ha researched so far, approx. 5-6 ha
estimated);
 The architecture of the Governor's Palace in Apulum is a particular one – it
seems to have been built in several stages, without a pre-established
architectural plan (domus or villa type);
 The largest part of the complex seems to have been intended for the offices of
the governor's staff - officium consularis -, probably also for the garrison of his
guard (singulares), it includes at least two thermal complexes;
 In the complex plan of the headquarters of the consular governor of the three
Dacians at Apulum, based on direct discoveries (inscriptions, statues, ex-
votos), it can be postulated the existence of five places of worship, dedicated
to Minerva, Epona, the goddess Nemesis, Apollo and Diana, probably the
Egyptian divinities Isis and Sarapis;
 CONCLUSIONS

 Praetorium consularis at Apulum had several successive phases of

construction and habitation, between the second half of the 2nd century and
the first three quarters of the 3rd century AD;
 The interior design of the various component parts of the Governor's Palace
show the monumentality of these constructions, as well as the particularities
of their decorations – the rooms were decorated with the help of marble
veneer, stucco elements and polychrome painted plasters in the fresco
technique.
 Also, the decorations of floors were made with the help of mosaics (opus
tesselatum technique), marble slabs, but also in opus sectile, with the help of
polychrome ceramic floor pieces.


THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!