Resistivity (ERT) Prospection in Tropaeum Traiani Roman City

Tropaeum Traiani archaeological site consists of ruins of an ancient city and a triumphal monument built after a victorious Roman campaign against Dacians during the winter in 102 AD. Civitas Tropaensium started as a castrum and became a municipium around 200 AD. The main archaeological interests presented as geophysical tasks to the geophysical prospection were the remnants of the first Roman stage of the city (first century AD), impossible to excavate and directly study due to the legal protection of the shallowest remains of ancient constructions, dating from the second Roman stage of the city (started during Constantin the Great, IVth century AD). Geophysical profiles of Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) were carried out in the area of Basilica Forensis and along Via Principalis. The two levels of high resistivity anomalies illustrated on the Via Principalis ancient street were interpreted as remnants of limestone pavement and constructions walls, remains of the second stage of the city, and of the first stage respectively. The resistivity survey inside Basilica Forensis shown also two levels with high resistivity anomalies, interpreted to be associated with the basilica inner pavement and its infrastructure.