Diachronic Virtual Reconstruction of the Forum of Sarmizegetusa, Romania

Diachronic Virtual Reconstruction of the Forum of Sarmizegetusa, Romania The Forum of Sarmizegetusa, located in the province of Dacia (modern-day Romania), is a significant Roman site dating from approximately 107 AD to the late Roman era. As one of the earliest Roman sites in Romania, it holds considerable historical and cultural importance. This research focuses on the diachronic virtual reconstruction of the Roman forum in the ancient city of Sarmizegetusa, aiming to digitally recreate the forum in its stone and marble phases. Sarmizegetusa, once the capital of the Dacian Kingdom, was transformed into a Roman city ,with all the key structures typical of Roman urban centers, such as an amphitheater, thermal baths, temples, and a forum. The forum, that is the main focus of this study, underwent various phases of development from its initial wooden constructions to later stone and marble one. This thesis aims to virtually reconstruct the forum during its stone and marble phases using open-source software like Blender for 3D modeling and yED for data visualization. The reconstruction is based on both reality-based modeling (photogrammetry) and source-based modeling, using all available sources such as archaeological reports, drawings, and other historical data. The forum has multiple structures, including an entrance, a basilica, several porticos, and a courtyard, which all of them experienced different phases of construction and modification. The Extended Matrix (EM), a node-based formal language designed for reconstruction hypotheses, is used to document the archaeological stratification and the hypothetical reconstruction of the elements. EM formally records the scientific processes behind the virtual reconstruction. The reconstruction consists of a series of proxy models, simplified representations using basic geometric shapes (cylinders, boxes, spheres, etc.) within a 3D environment. Each model is assigned different nodes and colors based on their degree of certainty. The goal is to show how the entire structure looked during its functional lifespan with a systematic method for documenting and visualizing historical sites to improve our understanding of the Forum of Sarmizegetusa, and showing the effectiveness of the methods that have been employed.