The limes of Roman Dacia near the auxiliary fort of Bologa. An application of GIS viewshed analysis

Abstract: This thesis examines the frontier defensive system found in the vicinity of the Roman auxiliary fort near modern-day Bologa, Cluj County, Romania. The goal is to study the visual relationship between the more certain watchtowers and the other military installations (the auxiliary fort and other fortlets) to understand how arrangements and visibility might have contributed to the functioning of the local and the provincial defensive system. Although the study focuses only on a smaller section of the Roman frontier, and covers a more limited timeframe (second to third century), the results obtained might be relevant to other parts of the Roman Empire, where characteristics similar to this section had been found. Frontier defences were important for preserving peace and stability within the borders of the Empire, and studying them would help researchers understand how that was achieved at different times in different places. In the first part of my thesis, a general overview of Roman military installations and frontiers is provided. Next, the research history of the sites examined in this study is presented, followed by a more detailed discussion about the aims, sources and methodology. After that, the type of analysis performed in this thesis is explained, followed by a step by step documentation of the entire process. Towards the end, the results are presented, discussed and interpreted in relation to previous research on these archaeological sites, but also in relation to those found in other relevant locations, as well as Roman provincial and imperial defenses in general. The conclusion is that this section of the limes seems to display characteristics typical for a defensive system.