TWO ROMAN INSCRIPTIONS FROM JIBOU, SĂLAJ COUNTY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14795/jaha.12.3.2025.1382Abstract
In 2025, restoration works on the Reformed Church of Jibou revealed two Roman inscriptions embedded within its southern buttresses. The church itself, first mentioned in 1460 and later passing to the Reformed community, has undergone numerous renovations, which likely facilitated the reuse of ancient materials. The two inscriptions are believed to have originated from Porolissum, a major Roman center near Jibou. The first, carved on limestone, is a fragmentary votive and construction text that follows established dedicatory formulas, suggesting the restoration of a sanctuary under the Severan dynasty. The second, a marble fragment, points to a taurobolic altar dedicated to Magna Mater, an extraordinary find given the rarity of marble in Dacia. Both pieces highlight the circulation and reuse of Roman monuments in later medieval contexts. Their integration into the church masonry predates antiquarian collecting, testifying to practical, rather than scholarly, reuse.
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