Dona militaria. A bronze phalera discovered at Sânpaul (Cluj County)

Abstract

This study presents a recently discovered artefact nearby Sânpaul, Cluj County. It is a silvered bronze‑made disc decorated with the image of Gorgon‑Medusa. We identified the artefact as a phalera, one of the military decorations awarded in the Roman army. This type of dona militaria is rather less frequently recorded by archaeological finds, especially in the Dacia province, the find of Sânpaul thus adding to the repertory of known exemplars. Furthermore, the repertory of reported Roman date archaeological heritage sites in respective area is thus enriched.