Dacii din bazinul mijlociu al Streiului
The Dacians in the middle course of Strei River

Summary/Abstract: The middle basin of the Strei River held a strategic position at the end of the Late Iron Age, marking the southern boundary of the Șureanu Mountains, where the capital of the Dacian Kingdom, Sarmizegetusa Regia, was located. Nevertheless, the region remains insufficiently explored archaeologically for the Dacian period. This study analyses the Dacian presence using the available archaeological data, supplemented by several important discoveries from 2024. These include a temple with limestone plinths, destroyed by floods (partially identified in 2007), a cave with painted Dacian pottery, two settlements, and a fortification, the latter being part of an extensive defensive system. The corroborated data suggest the existence of a possible local power center integrated into the mountain road network connecting the Strei basin to Sarmizegetusa Regia. The comprehensive approach to the region, based on the analysis of geological, geographical, and topographical factors, is complemented by a catalog of sites, providing a foundation for understanding the dynamics of habitation and the unexploited potential of the area, advocating for future research.

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