The Roman camp Micia is an important ancient settlement and access to this camp is not difficult. The archeological site is located within the locality of Mintia, in the commune of Vețel, about 10 kilometers away from the municipality of Deva. Located on the left bank of the Mureş, at the western border of the province of Dacia, an important military and economic center, Micia, was developed. It has an area of over six hectares. The nucleus of the Roman settlement was the auxiliary camp, located in a key strategic point for the defense of the province.
It comprises a Roman settlement, which includes a military fortification, a civilian settlement, and two necropolises.
The site can become a pillar of sustainable development of the local community and a landmark on the tourist map of history lovers. Through its characteristics and its tourist and scientific potential, but also through the degree of accessibility, the site of Micia is individualized, being unique in the Roman sites in the province of Dacia.
Short history
The role of the military troops stationed here was to prevent the advance of the Sarmatian populations on the Mureș Valley, but the mobility of the Mycenaean cavalry made it suitable to intervene to defend the gold zone in the Apuseni Mountains or even the capital of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa.
A series of inscriptions discovered especially on the bricks made by the soldiers give us indications that detachments from several troops were stationed in the Micia camp, including vexillations of the XIII Gemina Legion, but the basic troops of this important fortifications were: Cohors II Flavia Commagenorum, Ala I Hispanorum Campagonum and Numerus Maurorum Miciensium. All these troops increased the number of military troops stationed here to over 1,500 Romanian auxiliary soldiers, the majority of them being horsemen.
The Roman site suffered great damage in 1806, when the modern Arad-Deva road was built, then between 1865-1879, when the current railway was built and especially between 1969-1980 when the Mintia Thermal Power Plant was built. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many monuments and stone pieces from Micia were dispossessed by the Transylvanian noble families and today they can be seen on the domains of the medieval castles and mansions from Zam, Chimindia, Mintia, Rapolt, Brănișca and others. The first archaeological excavations were carried out in Micia in 1847, and from the 1960s to the present, archaeological research in various areas of the site has continued under the guidance of specialists.
"Micia Rediviva" Festival, every year
Starting with 2017, here is organized, in September, the Festival "Micia Rediviva" was organized for the first time, and enjoyed, each time, a real success. Within this festival there are gastronomy workshops, Roman games, different crafts are presented, military camps are set up, ancient dances are presented, and also ancient rituals. There is also a confrontation between the armies.