Scarbantia (the old name of Sopron) was one of the border stations of the one-time Roman Empire's Pannonia Province. Its outstanding importance was the location of the town on the Amber Road, the important commercial transportation road. The centre of the town, the present downtown was surrounded with a wall and a moat. The structure of the fortress influenced the formation of the streets. The center of the Roman oppidum was the Forum. The most important building on the Forum - the Capitolium Church - was discovered in the winter of 1893 during the City Hall construction.
The exact size and position of the Forum could finally be determined between 1960 and 1970 by archeological means. The cover stones of the one-time square were made of the Lajta limestone delivered from the quarry of Fertorakos.
Three foundations of bronze equestrian statues were found on the southern part of the square. On different sides of the Forum altars of different Gods were found. The churches of the three main gods - Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva - were situated on the highest point of the town.
There were wide intercolumniations, exchange offices in the hall and balconies upstairs, all attributes for gladiator games. Scarbantia was a real Roman town - the Italian traveller could find everything there: a crowded market, altars of Gods, comfortable baths and, naturally, gladiator games.
The exhibition recalls the some-time Roman town with the uncovered parts of the monumental architectural work. It is worth mentioning that the Forum in Sopron is the only one in the former province of Pannonia planned and built according to a Roman design.
ikonnal bővítheti túráját.
