NEW INSIGHTS IN THE ROMAN COLONISATION OF DACIA: DID THE ROMAN CLIMATIC OPTIMUM INFLUENCED THE ROMAN EXPANSION IN EASTERN EUROPE?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.12.1.2025.1218Keywords:
Roman Warm Period, Dacia, Colonia Dacica Sarmizegetusa, amphitheatre, sewage, biomarkersAbstract
Records about the Roman achievements and natural events impacting their life are known from major archaeological sites around Europe, however little it is known about the climatic conditions during the Roman Empire expansion, particularly in Eastern Europe. Here we look at paleoenvironmental proxies (i.e., glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers and leaf waxes) from Colonia Dacica Sarmizegetusa, to evaluate the general climatic conditions during the roman presence in Dacia Province. Our data indicate mean annual temperatures of ~ 11.5 °C, two degrees higher than the present-day temperatures in the region. The higher temperatures are associated with a decrease in C27 and C29 n-alkanes abundances as Roman occupancy continued, indicating an increase in deforestation around the site. The overall data show warmer and drier conditions during the Roman occupation in central Romania, suggesting a direct link between climatic conditions and Roman expansion in the area.
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