Journal Analele Banatului N.S. Archaeology-History

Silviu I. Purece

The end of the roman habitation at Buridava (Stolniceni, Vâlcea county)

Jan. 1, 2012

Abstract

# e fi ve archaeological levels identifi ed in the Roman baths complex area at Stolniceni, dated in the period of the existence of Dacia Province, were chronologically dated as following: the 1st level: Trajan- the fi rst part of Antoninus Pius’rule, the 2nd level: the last part of Antoninus Pius’rule up to Commodus’rule, the 3rd level: the Commodus – Caracalla period, the 4th level: the Caracalla – Philippus Arabs period and the 5th level: the Philippus Arabs-Aurelian period. # e end of these fi ve levels mentioned above was brought about by fi re and destruction, the most powerful ones were characteristic to the 3rd and 4th levels. Even if the archaeological information is scarce, we believe that we can rely on the supposition that some phenomena that were identifi ed in the thermae area might have had a great impact on the whole settlement. # e diff erence between accidental destructions and intentional destructions can be established due to a vast array of information obtained not only form the site in question but also from a larger area. # us, we consider that this approach should rely entirely on the historical information obtained as a result of a thorough analysis of the hoards horizon. Every hoards horizons represented in the region are associated with one destruction moment from the Roman baths, with one exception the horizon from the year 260. # is situation determine us to reevaluate the chronological situation and to establish that is very possible to place the end of the Roman Buridava not in the time of Aurelian but at the beginning of Gallienus reign as sole emperor.