Cassius Dio and the Historia Augusta briefly refer to hostilities in the Dacia-Moesia area, and their words suggest that Caracalla visited Dacia (roughly speaking Romania).
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Map of Dacia and Moesia from Droysens Historical Atlas, 1886.
Image: Wikimedia, Leondardan.That hostilities took place in the area is documented with a high degree of probability by an inscription from Oescus in Moesia (near Gigen, Bulgaria; EDCS-30200650). Titus Aurelius Flavinus is honored by a friend, who states that the deified Caracalla (divus Magnus Antoninus) has honoured Flavinus ob alacritatem virtutis adversus hostes C[arpos], "because of the alacrity of his virtue against the hostile Carpi". Even though only a c has been preserved of the last word, the addition Carpos, people living in Dacia to the north-west of the Black Sea, is convincing. This inscription and a similar one (EDCS-11301236) also mention the city of Tyras in Moesia, on the coast of the Black Sea (Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine). This is where fighting may have taken place.
Excavations of Tyras, Ukraine.
Photo: Wikimedia, Zarakhovskyi.In the capital of Dacia, Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, a dedication to Serapis and Isis was found, from the sole reign of Caracalla and set up for the well-being and safety of the Emperor. It comes from a complex that has been identified as the headquarters of the procurator of the province with an adjoining sacred area. A round (but originally rectangular) marble slab from Tibiscum (Jupa, Romania) carries a dedication to Apollo, conservator of Caracalla. It was set up by the proconsul of Dacia, Lucius Marius Perpetuus, through the tribune Publius Aelius Sentinus Gemellus.
[Invicto deo Sera]PIDI
ET IS[idi frugi]FERAE PRO SALVTE
ATQVE INCOLVMITATE IMP(eratoris) CAES(aris)
M(arci) [A]VREL(i) ANTONINI [P]II FELICIS
[Aug(usti)] PART(hici) MAX(imi) P[ont(ificis) max(imi)] BRITT(annici) MAX(imi)
[--- A]VG [---]SAPOLLIN[i]
CONSERVA[to]RI
[ma]X[i]MI [sa]NCTIS[si]MIQ(ue)
[I]MP(eratoris) N(ostri) M(arci) A[u]R(eli) A[nt]ON[i]N[i]
PII FELIC[i]S AVGVS[ti]
[L(ucius) M]ARIVS PERPETVVS LEG(atus)
[de]VOTVS NVMIN[i] EIVS
[pe]R P(ublium) AEL(ium) CL(audia) SENT(ino)
GEMELLVM
TRIBVNVMInscription from Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa.
EDCS-28400609. 212-217 AD.Inscription from Tibiscum.
EDCS-11200442. 212-215 AD.
Many inscriptions from Romania, mostly from 213 AD, record building activity by Caracalla and dedications to him. They were found at the forts of Porolissum (near Zalau), Arcobadara (Ilisua) and Buciumi.
IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) AVR(elius) ANTONINVS
PIVS AVG(ustus) FELIX PART(h)I
CVS MAXIMVS PON
TIFEX MAXIMVS BRIT(annicus)
MAXIMVS TRIB(unicia) POT(estate)
XVI IMP(erator) II CO(n)S(ul) IIII
P(ater) P(atriae) PROCO(n)S(ul) FECITInscription documenting building activity at Porolissum.
EDCS-13500276. 213 AD. Photo: HD020014.
IMP(eratori) CAESARI M(arco) AVREL[io an]
TONINO PIO FELICI AVG(usto) [Parthi]
CO MAXIMO BRITANNIC[o ma]
XIMO PONTIFICI MAX[imo]
TRIB(uniciae) POTE[s]TATIS XVI [con]
SVL(i) IIII P(atri) [P(atriae) PRO]CONSVLI [op]
TIMO FE[licissimoque pr]INC[i]
PI COH(ors) II NE[rvia] BRITTONVM
ANTONINIA[na indulgenti]
IS EIVS AVCTA LIB[eralitati]
BVSQVE DITATA [---]Dedication to Caracalla from Buciumi, to be inserted in the base of a statue.
EDCS-71100048. 213 AD. Photo: EDCS.In Porolissum fragments were found of a life-size bronze statue of Caracalla, probably standing in a quadriga, and of a bronze statue of Julia Domna.
Portrait of Caracalla from Porolissum.
National Museum of Transylvanian History, Cluj.
Photo: Romanian Cultural Institute, New York.In 1977 a small marble portrait of Caracalla was found in the fort Novae (near Svishtov, Bulgaria). It was lying on the floor of the aedes of the principium, the room for the standards in the headquarters.
The principia of the fort Novae and the portrait of Caracalla.
The aedes is the room with a white rectangle on the floor.
Photo: Wikimedia, Kleo73.A marble relief in the National Museum in Warsaw has been linked to the Dacian campaign, on the basis of the shape of a shield and the clothes of barbarians (the provenance is unknown). Caracalla places his right hand on a trophee, in front of which are two crouched barbarians. Next to Caracalla is Julia Domna, holding the palm branch of victory. She crowns Caracalla with a laurel wreath.
Marble relief of Caracalla and Julia Domna.
Provenance unknown. Warsaw National Museum.
Arachne 40640. 214-215 AD. Meas. 71.2 x 75.7 x 12 cm.
Photo: National Museum.
