It was a significant economic and military centre of the Dacian
Suci tribe. The Roman
fort, one of the largest Roman forts in
Oltenia, was built over the former Dacian citadel in the 270s at the time of Roman withdrawal from
Dacia to protect the Roman pontoon bridge and road there. The defensive walls with eight towers of the late Roman town of Sucidava can still be seen.
Constantine's Bridge (Danube) was built nearby over the Danube in 328 in order to start his reconquest of Dacia. Sucidava had its own defensive walls protecting the city and the bridge. The bridge connected to the
Oescus fort in Bulgaria which protected its southern end. The city developed around the fort. The archaeological evidence shows that in 443–447 the city and the fort were sacked by the
Huns, and were restored under
Justin I 518–527 or
Justinian I 527–565. Around 600, it seems that the Roman garrison abandoned the city. The first
Christian Basilica established in Romania can be found there. There is also a secret underground fountain which flows under the walls of the town to a water spring situated outside. The coins found at Sucidava show an uninterrupted series from
Aurelian (270–275) to
Theodosius II (408–450). ==See also==