Dacia
The land known as Dacia stretched from the Black Sea to the river Tisza during the reign of King Burebista. This territory extended from the Middle Danube to the littoral between Apollonia and Pontic Olbia. The Carpathian Mountains sat in the middle of this vast region. Ancient Greek writers like Herodotus first mentioned these people in Histories Book IV XCIII. They described the Getae as noblest among all Thracian tribes. Strabo wrote his Geography around AD 20 describing the southern part of Germany beyond the Albis. He noted that the land of the Getae stretched along the Ister on its southern side. The northern boundary reached as far as the Tyregetae according to his account. Ptolemy's Geographia written decades after the Roman conquest defined boundaries between the rivers Tisza, Danube, upper Dniester, and Siret. Scholars interpret these maps to show regions such as Bohemia or Pannonia falling under Dacian influence. Some maps depict these areas as formally annexed while others treat them as temporary control zones.
A kingdom united the Dacians and the Getae under the rule of Burebista starting in 82 BC. Julius Caesar was a contemporary of this ruler who governed Geto-Dacian tribes until 44 BC. Burebista thoroughly reorganized the army and persuaded people to cut their vines and give up drinking wine. The Bastarnae and Boii were conquered during his reign. Greek towns of Olbia and Apollonia on the Black Sea recognized Burebista's authority. In 53 BC Caesar stated that Dacian territory lay on the eastern border of the Hercynian Forest. He suppressed indigenous minting by four major tribal groups adopting imported Roman denarii as monetary standard. The capital moved from Argedava to Sarmizegetusa Regia for at least one and a half centuries. After Burebista's death in 44 BC the unified kingdom split into several rival states resembling civil war. Stability returned only when Duras and later Decebalus managed to reunite the kingdom. A group of Free Dacians may have remained outside the Roman Empire in modern Northern Romania until the Migration Period began.
King Decebalus ruled the Dacians between AD 87 and 106 with frontiers marked by the Tisa River to the west. His name translates into strong as ten men according to historical records. In AD 85 the Dacians swarmed over the Danube and pillaged Moesia resulting in the death of governor Gaius Oppius Sabinus. Roman troops under Cornelius Fuscus were defeated in AD 87 and killed by Diurpaneus who took the name Decebalus. The Romans gained a strategic victory at Tapae in AD 88 but Emperor Domitian offered favorable terms. Trajan restarted conflicts in AD 101-102 then again in AD 105, 106 ending with annexation of most of Dacia. The siege of the capital Sarmizegethusa occurred during his first campaign from 101 to 102. Decebalus rebuilt power over following years and attacked Roman garrisons again in AD 105. Trajan marched into Dacia attacking the capital in the Siege of Sarmizegethusa and razing it to the ground. The defeated king committed suicide to avoid capture while part of Dacia became the province Dacia Traiana. Cassius Dio provided some history of the war while Trajan erected the Column of Trajan in Rome to commemorate victory.
The Romans built Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetuza forty kilometers away from the destroyed ancient capital to serve as new provincial capital. Ptolemy gave a list of 43 names of towns out of which arguably 33 were of Dacian origin. Most included the added suffix dava meaning settlement or village according to ancient Greek sources. Nine other names seem to have been Latinised by Roman administrators. Emperor Aurelian reorganized the later province Dacia Aureliana inside former Moesia Superior between AD 271, 275. It was divided into Dacia Ripensis as military province and Dacia Mediterranea as civil province. Roman citizens from towns and lands of Dacia were resettled to interior of Moesia under Diocletian around AD 296. Fortifications were erected on both banks of the Danube to defend the border during this period. Many surviving aristocracy found material advantages attractive within the Roman Imperial system leading to Romanisation. Archaeological evidence shows pottery with Chi-rho signs suggesting local Christian communities existed in Porolissum and Potaissa.
Germanic and Celtic kingdoms moved toward Dacian borders within a generation making assaults on the province after Roman withdrawal. The Goths succeeded in dislodging Romans restoring independence following Emperor Aurelian's withdrawal in 275. Claudius II obtained decisive victory over Goths at Naissus in AD 268, 269 while Romans still occupied Roman Dacia. Carpi Free Dacians remained strong enough to sustain five battles against Romans from AD 301, 308. Constantine the Great campaigned with Sarmatians against Goths in late winter of 332 where nearly one hundred thousand died before submission. He took title Gothicus Maximus claiming subjugated territory as new province of Gothia. In 334 he led campaign against tribe after Sarmatian commoners overthrew their leaders extending control over region. A huge earthen wall almost 700 km long named Brazda lui Novac line supported Castra of Hinova Rusidava and Pietroasele. The Huns destroyed Drobeta and Sucidava in 440s but forts were restored under Justinian I between 527 and 565. Slavic people arrived while Lombards abandoned country allowing Avars to dominate region for 230 years until Charlemagne destroyed kingdom in 791.
The biggest territorial expansion of Dacian kingdom during Burebista appears on maps showing conquest of Boii and Taurisci between 61-59 BC. Archaeologist Parducz argued for Dacian presence west of Tisa dating from time of Burebista according to historical records. Urns found in late third-century cemeteries at Bezid Mediaş had clear analogies in sites east of Carpathians suggesting Carpians were first arrivals. Roman coins mostly bronze have been found in wider regions before 300. Eastern Roman coins from first half of sixth century suggest significant military presence in Oltenia characterized by pottery shapes of Roman tradition. The existence of Christian communities became evident under Emperor Diocletian between 284 and 305 causing death of many between 303 and 313. Tomis last town in Scythia Minor fell in 704 after Romans abandoned Sucidava in 596 or 597. Remains of camps and fortifications indicate Constantine extended control over region while Sarmatians admitted into empire in 379. Other Sarmatian groups remained in Tisa plains up until 460s according to archaeological findings.
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Common questions
What was the territory of Dacia during King Burebista's reign?
The land known as Dacia stretched from the Black Sea to the river Tisza and extended from the Middle Danube to the littoral between Apollonia and Pontic Olbia. The Carpathian Mountains sat in the middle of this vast region while ancient Greek writers like Herodotus first mentioned these people in Histories Book IV XCIII.
When did Julius Caesar live relative to King Burebista of Dacia?
Julius Caesar was a contemporary of King Burebista who governed Geto-Dacian tribes until 44 BC. In 53 BC Caesar stated that Dacian territory lay on the eastern border of the Hercynian Forest before suppressing indigenous minting by four major tribal groups.
How long did King Decebalus rule the Dacians before Roman annexation?
King Decebalus ruled the Dacians between AD 87 and 106 with frontiers marked by the Tisa River to the west. He committed suicide to avoid capture after Trajan razed the capital Sarmizegethusa to the ground ending with annexation of most of Dacia.
Where did Emperor Aurelian relocate the province of Dacia after withdrawal in 275?
Emperor Aurelian reorganized the later province Dacia Aureliana inside former Moesia Superior between AD 271 and 275. It was divided into Dacia Ripensis as military province and Dacia Mediterranea as civil province while Roman citizens were resettled to interior of Moesia under Diocletian around AD 296.
Which Germanic tribe destroyed Drobeta and Sucidava during the 440s?
The Huns destroyed Drobeta and Sucidava in 440s but forts were restored under Justinian I between 527 and 565. Slavic people arrived while Lombards abandoned country allowing Avars to dominate region for 230 years until Charlemagne destroyed kingdom in 791.