Dacia

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Dacia was a region inhabited by the Dacians in the north of the Danube (modern Romania). The kingdom of Dacia was the creation of Burebistas (ca. 80-44 BC), who conquered and united several other Dacian principalities. Burebistas practically destroyed the Celtic tribes of the Scordiscii and subjected or allied with the Greek cities of the Western Black Sea coast, from Odessus (today's Varna) to Olbia (near today's Odessa). During the Roman Civil War, the Dacians would have probably come to support Pompey. Burebistas was eventually killed in the same year as Julius Caesar, who allegedly was preparing an expedition against the Dacians and the Parthians.

The Dacian kingdom crumbled into four (or five) principalities, only to re-emerge under Decebalus (ca 87-106 AD). He fought victoriously against Domitian's general Cornelius Fuscus, but he was eventually defeated and forced to sign a peace treaty which made the Dacian kingdom a client of Rome, receiving Roman money and technical support in return. The situation lasted until Trajan, waged two extensive wars (101-102 AD and 105-106 AD) in order to crush the Dacian kingdom and raze all the strongholds.

Dacia became a Roman province for 170 years, until Aurelian (or possibly Gallienus) abandoned it, evacuating the army and the administration. Two new provinces, each called Dacia were created to the South of the Danube, in the territory of modern Serbia in order to show that the Roman Empire had lost nothing. After 275 AD Dacia was overcome by the Goths, the Huns, and the Avars in the Migration Age.

Written by Adrian DUMITRU, published 28 April 2011.

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Timeline

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  • 106 BC
    The governor of the Roman province of Macedonia, M. Minucius Rufus, celebrates his victory over a raid of the Dacians allied with the Celtic tribe of the Scordiscii in the Balkans.
  • c. 70 BC - 44 BC
    The reign of Burebistas, styled in a Greek inscription as "the first and the greatest king". He attacked and destroyed the Celtic tribes on the central Danube, and the Greek cities on the western coast Black Sea became his allies and clients.
  • c. 60 BC
    Boii in eastern Europe crushed by the Dacians.
  • 49 BC - 48 BC
    Burebistas sends Acornion of Dionysopolis as ambassador to negotiate an alliance with Pompey.
  • 44 BC
    Burebistas is killed in the same year as his enemy Julius Caesar.
  • 85 AD - 86 AD
    Dacians invade Moesia and defeat the Romans.
  • 87 AD
    The Roman general Cornelius Fuscus invades Dacia. He is ambushed and his army is annihilated.
  • 87 AD - 106 AD
    Reign of the last Dacian king, Decebalus.
  • 88 AD
    Resolved to avenge Fuscus' defeat, Domitian sends another army to Dacia under Tettius Iulianus. This general is victorious on the mountainous pass of Tapae, in the south-west of modern Romania.
  • 101 AD - 106 AD
    Trajan conquers Dacia.