Folia archeologica 15.

Sándor Soproni: Castellum Carporum

50 S. SOPRONI against the Carpi invading Dacia, the bodyguards certainly remained with him and participated in the fights inMoesia. After the unfortunate battle at Abryttus,

39 Trebonianus Gallus succeeded in appeasing the invading enemy.

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0 Now let us return to Emperor Philippus' campaign against the Carpi. The Carpi invaded the Empire in 245 and Philippus found it necessary to personally lead the campaign, actually doing so close to the end of the year.

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1 The Carpi invaded Dacia and the territories south of the Danube from several directions. The coins from the time of Philippus, hidden in Dacian territory, clearly show the route of the war.

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2 It can be seen that one direction of the attack started out from the northeast and its main goal was the occupation of Apulum. This is indicated by the finds from Alsóilosva (Uisua), Várhely (Mojgrad), Gyalu (Gilau) and Apulum. Then the Carpi advanced through the valley of the Zsil (Jiu) until the Danube line. The other direction hit Dacia from Moldva. The Carpi reached the Danube through the pass of Ojtoz (Oiutuz), Székelyudvarhely (Odorhei), the Küküllő (Tirnava) Valley, then through the pass of Vöröstorony (Turnu Rosu) along the Oit River.

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3 The invasion must have caused severe damage and the majority of the civilian population, after hiding their money, fled from the attacking Carpi.

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1 An inscription from Apulum which C. Iulius Serapio, Carpis liberatus, erected, may also be related to this attack.

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5 At the same time another group of the Carpi was devastating Moesia Inferior south of the Danube.

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6 To repel the invading Carpi the Emperor was amassing larger troop concentrations.

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7 The tides of the battle turned several times during 246 and finally in 247 the war was ended by a victory over the Carpi. A quotation from Zosimos

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8 tells that the Emperor triumphed over the Carpi then stormed a fortress to which some of their units escaped. The Emperor, with the brave units of Maurus, forced the Carpi, who were trying to break through the surrounding troops, back into the fortress and also simultaneously held off other Carpi groups attemtping to reach the fortress. 3

9 Tomaschek, W., Abrytus. PWRE I (Stuttgart 1894) 116.; Calderini, A., op. cit 157 f. Alföldi A., op. cit. 145 f. 4

0 In 253 Aemilianus led the campaign against the Goths while still legátus (Stein A., op. cit. 104. f.; Kappaport, В

., op. cit. 46

Calderini, A., op. cit. 159.; Alföldi A., op. cit. 147.; Schmidt, L., 1. c.), During the raid of 254—5 Gallienus fought in Gaul (Kappaport, В., op. cit. 51.; Alföldi A., A gót mozgalom és Dácia feladása. The Gothic campaign and the surrender of Dacia. Budapest 1930. 3.) On the other hand the raid of 257—8 affected the southern territories. (Rappaport

, В., op. cit. 55 f. and Calderini, A., op. cit. 162.) Thus these campaigns may not be considered in case. It is unlikely that the campaign of Aurelianus is related to our inscription, although the Emperor ultimately defeated the Carpi on the other side of the Danube (Kappaport, В., op. cit. 97), but our inscription does not permit such a late dating. 4

1 Kappaport, В., op. cit. 32.; Iulius Philippus. PWRE XIX Hb (Stuttgart 1919) 761.; Patsch

, С., op. cit. 1609. ; Ensslin, It

7., op. cit. 90. ; Calderini, A., op. cit. 151.; Schmidt, L., op. cit. 205.; Tudor, D., Oltenia Romana. (Bucarest 1958) 34 f. 4

2 Mitrea, В., Tezaurul monetär delà Rusi-Sibiu si actiunea carpilor impótriva stapànirii Romane din Dacia în timpul Filip Arabul. SCIV 4(1953) 611 f.; id., L'incursion des Carpes en Dacie. Présentées au X

e congrès des Sciences Historiques Rome 1955. (Bucarest 1955) 149 f. 4

3 Mitrea, В., L'incursion . . . 155 f. 4

4 The mother of the later emperor Galerius probably could have escaped from the Carpi at this time {Lact, de mort. pers. 9,2.). Tudor, D., op. cit. 158. relates it to this or to the raid in 268. 4

5 CIL III 1054. Kappaport, В., op. cit. 32.; Mitrea, В., op. cit. 151. 4

6 Mitrea, В., op. cit. 157. f. 4

7 See below. 4

8 Zosimos I. 20. ; Zonaras (1. c.) merely mentions the „Scythian" war.