The quarries from Micia, lapicizi
Autor: Ioan Andriţoiu
Apart from the auxiliary troops camp, the civil settlement from Micia, situated on an important watercourse (Mureş), developed rapidly, mainly in the 3rd century AD, on the way of urbanization. This fact was reflected by a significant building activity, materialized in numerous public, civil or religious constructions raised around the imposing military fortification. The intensive building activity, as well as the necessity to realize many categories of monuments, caused – taking into consideration the geological structure of the area adjacent to Micia and the possibilities of transport for materials, either on water or on land -, the opening of new quarries (Deva – Bejan, Deva – Pietroasa, Uroi, Geoagiu).
Based on the archaeological material, the paper presents the exploitation activities in the quarries, the tools that were used, the existence of various workshops processing different kinds of stone, the manpower employed in the quarries (including detachments belonging to legion XIII Gemina), stone masons in Micia (Marcus Cocceius Lucius, identified by the text of an inscription), their organizing in professional colleges (collegium lapidarium – IDR, III 3, 141).