Colony ULPIA TRAIANA AUGUSTA DACICA, with an area of 30 hectares, was the capital and the largest city of ROMAN DACIA, later named, as a sign of respect for the bravery of King DECEBAL, ULPIA TRAIANA SARMIZEGETUSA, after the former Dacian capital SARMISEGETUSA, located some 40 km away. ULPIA TRAIANA was the political, administrative and religious centre of ROMAN DACIA in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.
   The settlement was built at a distance of 8 km from TAPAE, a pass between BANAT and TRANSYLVANIA (today known as the IRON GATES of TRANSYLVANIA).
    The city was and abandoned by the Roman administration in 275, during the reign of Emperor AURELIAN, who did not cope with the frequent Dacian attacks and the invasion of some wandering peoples.
    Today ULPIA TRAIANA remains in ruins, with a partly preserved forum, an amphitheatre, and remnants of several temples.
     Many of the artifacts found on this site are on display in the nearby archeological museum, to whom it is dedicated this one slideshow.
     The exact period when the city was built is not known. Some say the first settlement was erected between 106-107, others say it was between 108-110.
     In ROME, the settlement of the colony was marked by the minting of a coin, by order of the Senate, dedicated to emperor TRAJAN.
      Between 222 and 235 the colony was called a METROPOLIS (Wikipedia).