DENSUS CHURCH - THE LONGINUS MAXIMUS MAUSOLEUM ? - 28 MAY 2005.

- NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR R&D IN INFORMATICS ( ICI ).

CASSIUS DIO :

" Though Decebalus was faring badly in open conflict, nevertheless by craft and deceit he almost compassed Trajan's death. He sent into Moesia some deserters to see if they could make away with him, inasmuch as the emperor was generally accessible and now, on account of the exigencies of warfare, admitted to a conference absolutely everyone who desired it. But they were not able to carry out this plan, since one of them was arrested on suspicion and under torture revealed the entire plot. Decebalus then sent an invitation to Longinus, a leader of the Roman army who had made himself a terror to the king in the wars, and persuaded him to meet him, on the pretext that he would do whatever should be demanded. He then arrested him and questioned him publicly about Trajan's plans, and when Longinus refused to admit anything, he took him about with him under guard, though not in bonds. And sending an envoy to Trajan, he asked that he might receive back his territory as far as the Ister and be indemnified for all the money he had spent on the war, in return for restoring Longinus to him. An ambiguous answer was returned, of such a nature as not to cause Decebalus to believe that Trajan regarded Longinus as either of great importance or yet of slight importance, the object being to prevent his being destroyed, on the one hand, or being preserved to them on excessive terms, on the other. So Decebalus delayed, still considering what he should do. In the meantime Longinus, having secured poison with the aid of the freedman, promised Decebalus to win Trajan over, hoping the king would thus have no suspicion of what he was going to do and so would not keep a very strict watch over him; also, in order to enable the freedman to gain safety, he wrote a letter containing a petition in his behalf and gave it to him to carry to Trajan. Then, when the other had gone, he drank the poison at night and died. Thereupon Decebalus demanded the freedman from Trajan, promising to give him in return the body of Longinus and ten captives. He at once sent the centurion who had been captured with Longinus, in order that he might arrange the matter; and it was from the centurion that the whole story of Longinus was learned. However, Trajan neither sent him back nor surrendered the freedman, deeming his safety more important for the dignity of the empire than the burial of Longinus. "

	Situated nearby the ruins of the former capital of Roman Dacia- Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, this strange edifice of Hateg Country has been the object of many debates among different scientists. It first origin was a roman sanctuary. The altar is a roman grave stone of an military. The church has a square plan 6m x 6m, the paintings are from 1443.
	Built out of river rocks, bricks with Roman inscriptions, capitols, funeral stones, canalization pipes, etc, taken from the nearby Roman fortress Ulpia Traiana , the Densus Church has a strange look.
	Densus - roman inscription ( Hadrian ).
	In the interior one can distinguish fragments of ages old painting. The painting on the upper walls of the nave and of the altar, is made by Stefan, a painter living in the XIVth century. The Romanians used Roman funeral stones for the oldest altar table in the country. St. Marina whips the devil on a pole. On another pole, one can see the sacred Trinity of Densus, unique in the world. God is an old inhabitant of the place with long white hair. His hands are on Jesus’ shoulders. Both of them are wearing Romanian shirts with geometric patterns specific to Hateg area.
	We can't take photos from inside. But there are : - the Longinus Maximus funeral inscription. - 7 roman altars.
	Novi Romani at Densus. Iulia Severa, Iulius Probus, Iulius Sabinus, Iulius Sabinus Crassus, Maria Bellatrix, Arria Carina and little Patricia, a Densus native, Iulia Caesaris Cytheris Aege, Cristina, Marcia Severa and Marcus Prometheus.

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