Dacians

[Kosmo]

Under the name of dacians or geto-dacians are considered several groups, dacians proper that lived in Transilvania, geti, called like this by greeks, living in Moldova and Muntenia and moesi living, toghether with other thracians between Danube and Balkan (Haemus) mountains. All this groups spoke the same language and shared a similar material culture. They are divided in many tribes. This is the northern branch of the thracians.

During the period between the V-II centuries Dacia gradually evolved in the frame of Latene culture. In IV century a great fortificatied city was build close to Danube at Zimnicea. In Moldova at Stancesti near an VI century fortification a new one was build in the IV century. The two covered an area of 45 hectars.

In time some settelment disapeared but for example In Transilvania in III-II the number of dacian setllements it's 3 times larger then in previous centuries.

10 new great dacian setllements called "dava" apeared during the second century BC.

Greeks settled the coast of the Black Sea, founded several cities and traded inland.

In the second half of the IV- century celts violently settle some valleys in Transilvania. Discoveries of celt objects were made in 150 points including large graveyards and princely tombs. They influenced dacians in metallurgy and pottery. In the II century BC they were assimilated or pushed to the west and north-west.

The origines of the bastarni are controversial, being considered germanic or celtic (this is what I believe). They defeated a king Oroles and settled in Moldova in the II century. 100 years later they were pushed out or destroyed.

Dacians are led by kings from the aristocracy (tarabostes-pileati) that control commoners (capillati - comati), making war, building fortifications, gathering treasures with objects with religious symbols and trading with greeks.

The art objects show an art common to thracians, geti and scythians that is zoomorphic with persian and scythian motifs on greek models.

Their religion was quite unique and influential, but details are confuse. Zamolxis, god or prophet, it's mentioned by classical writers.

The geti living in Dobrogea were defeated by Darius in his campaign against scythians and, with the help of Philip II of Macedon defeat a scythian king Atheas.

Other known kings are Zalmodegikos that took tribute from Histria as did "basileios" Rhemaxos. One named Moskon issued silver coins.

Alexander the Great in his campign against triballi thracians crosses the Danube and takes a city, maybe Zimnicea, in 335. In 326 his general Zopyrion it's attacked in the plains north of Danube Delta while returning from a campaign against scythians, and killed and his army destroyed.

The diadoh of Thracia Lysimah fights a war against a get king called Dromichaites. After several batlles, around the year 300, Agathocles the son of Lisimah it's captured. In 292 his father it's defeated and taken prisoner. At this time there are 4 centers that issue coins representing maybe the most important tribal unions.

Later dacians, like celtic scordisci and bastarni, raid roman Macedonia. One of this raids it's defeated by the proconsul of Macedonia M. Mincius Rufus in 109-106.

In 82 the get king Burebista and the high priest Deceneu join forces and create a powerful kingdom. It is unknown how the unity was created but local coin issues stop. Sarmizegetusa becames the center of power of the new union.

Burebista, with a strong army, crosses the Danube and pillages Thracia to the borders of Macedonia and Illyria. He is followed in his retreat by C. Scribonius Curio, the proconsul of Macedonia but no battle was fought.

[Kosmo]

In 72-71, during the third mithridatic war, Terentius Varro Lucullus, defeats the bessi and the moesi and conquers the greeks cities along the Black Sea coast that were allies of Mithridate Eupator.

With the help from batarni and geti this greek cities rebel against Rome and, in 61, Antonius Hybrida it's defeated near Histria.

In 60 Burebista attacks the celtic areas NW of Dacia and defeats the boii led by Critasiros and the tauriscii, pushing them west. He also breaks the alliance with the scordiscii and attacks them. After that celtic forts are controlled by dacians as happened in Zemplin (Slovacia). He rules the entire Danube left bank region up to Bratislava.

Then he heads to the Black Sea and he destroys Olbia, Messembria and Histria. Tyras, Tomis, Callatis, Dionysopolis, Odessos and Apollonia submit to him.

At this moment his territory stretches from Middle Danube to the Balkan mountains and to Bug river. He has 80 fortified cities and forts and a large army.

He gets involved in the roman civil war siding with Pompei against Caesar. Around the same time with Caesar assasination Burebista is killed in a revolt.

His kingdom is divided in 4 parts, later in 5 and the outside areas break away.

Licinus Crassus, proconsul of Macedonia, attacks in 29-28 B.C. the regions south of Danube defeating the dacians of, maybe, king Cotyso. Romans use a friendly local king, Rholes, and the city Callatis against the ruler Dapyx and king Zyraxes sieged in the fort Genucla.

One of the succesors, Dicomes, promises help to Marcus Antonius against Octavian.

After roman expansion in the Balkans dacian raids over the Danube in the areas of future Moesia (at this moment belonging to the odris kings) and in Pannonia remain a frequent occurance as witnessed by Ovid in exile at Tomis.

In the capital at Sarmizegetusa Deceneu becames king, followed by Comosicus, Coryllus/Scorilo that ruled 40 years and Duras in the time of Domitian. Possible there are some kings that are still unknown.

In the winter of 85-85 AD the proconsul of Moesia, Oppius Sabinus, it's killed by dacians. The emperor Domitian cames himself to the Danube and the invaders are pushed over the river. Moesia it's divided in two provinces and war preparations are made.

King Duras gives up the throne to his nephew Diurpaneus- Decebal. The romans cross the Danube on a bridge made of ships led by the prefect of pretorium Cornelius Fuscus. In the spring of 87 AD the romans are defeated and Fuscus is killed. Probably after this victory Diurpaneus assumes the surname of Decebal meaning "to onor the great one" or " the powerfull".

Next year Tettius Iulianus defeats the dacians at Tapae (Transilvaia's Iron Gates). Because romans had to fight also in other areas a peace it's concluded in 89 AD. Diegis, probably the brother of Decebal, concludes the peace with Domitian that established Dacia as a clientelar kingdom of Rome and offered subsidies in money and tehnicians to Dacia.

[polecat]

http://www.eliznik.org.uk/EastEurope/Histo...s-map/index.htm

 

Since my primary interest is in the Thracian/Trakians, I always value your posts on events in the Balkans Kosmo.

 

If you haven't discovered this yet, here is a great site that has maps of the balkans and how they've changed hands throughout the centuries, including Dacia and the roman incursions.

[Rameses the Great]

Kosmo, the only records we have of Dacians were primarily of Roman and Greek records. It was reported when the Greeks found it, it was semi-civilized and when the Romans had seen it, it had attained a good amount of civilization. Kosmo, is this hypothesis correct?

[Kosmo]

@ polecat - it is great site that I did not knew nothing about. Thank you. I do not agree with some of the maps, but they are mostly accurate. I'm interested also in Thracia, but, unfortunetly, not many sorces are available.

 

@ Ramses the Great. Do you ask if they evolved from greek first mentions to later roman ones? They did. The establishment of a great kingdom during Burebista, development of "cities" (more accurate "dava" a sort of oppidum- hill fort) especially of Sarmizegetusa and extensive minting and use of coins are a good proof.

We should remember that Herodot had a high opinion on them and they are usually positively portraied.

Unfortunately most ancient books that spoke about Dacia, and we know that were many of them, are lost, so we have to rely a lot on arheology that has some limitations.

[Kosmo]

Development of Dacia

Greek trade relations were vary early important, so in same places in Dobrogea, not far from the greek cities of the coast, greek and local ceramic mix in equal quantities. In greek cities like Histria tombs of get aristocrats were found for VI-IV centuries and also hallstatt type ceramic.

Over the Danube greek ceramic was found in many places and also local potters imitated greek models.

The transition to Latene culture it's witnessed in all parts of Dacia, but the eastern and sothern regions are ahead of Transilvania. This means extensive use of iron objects including ploughs, wheel made ceramic, increased trade, use of coin, increased use of large fortifications and mentions of kings in greek sources.

 

When romans conquered Dacia Sarmizegetusa had a citadel, a sacred area, and two civil areas. It had paved roads, aqueducts and sewage. Other dava had developed caracteristics as well.

Dacian aristicrats had buildings with two floors and hellenistic tiles.

Dacians build many temples with interesting arhitecture.

For military arhitecture we see fortified setellments, forts with garrison buildings and liniary fortifications. The stone masonry bears hellenistic inflences. The defence system had some 80 major fortifications build and restored in 200 years.

Demographic growth it's proven by the increase of number and size of settelments and of cultiavated areas.

They exported agricultural and animal products, salt, wood and minerals. Burebista, reportedly, tried to stop wine cultivation but he failed. After the begining of his rule dacic coin issues copied roman denarus.

Dacians had mines for iron, gold, silver, copper and lead, probably also tin and mercury.

The iron workshop in Sarmizegetusa produced large quantities of high quality products.

It is possible that they also had there a glass making workshop.

There are several quarries from where they got several types of stone.

Salt was also mined from many places.

Wood working was probably very used, but little remains. The Sarmizegetusa cistern was digged in stone (10x7 meters) and placated with wood.

Pottery was heavily influenced by greek, hellenistic and roman types.

Silver working left many examples as more then 100 treasures dating from II BC to I AD were found. Gold finds are very rare.

Few knew writing as Dio Cassius mentioned and as greek and roman short texts on pottery prove. Markings with letters were found on stone blocks in the capital.

Dacian names of healing plants are mentioned by Dioscoride and Pseudo-Apelius. They used surgery instruments and termal waters.

[Marcus Apathicus]

It would be interesting to know to what extent Dacian culture was influenced by the Greeks. Afterall, Plato has it that Zalmoxis (the Dacian supreme deity) had been a disciple of Pythagoras before being deified by his people.

[diegis]

About Zalmoxis, (or Zamolxis in another writing) is two versions. One, that was a former slave/discipol of Pythagora, from wich learn some things ( but mostly about astronomy, and not imortality, as Strabon said ), and another version, proposed by Herodot, who said that he is not sure what to believe about Zamolxis and his legend, but he think Zalmoxis live long time before Pythagoras. Is posibly, in fact, that Dacian/Thracian culture influenced Greek ones (or at least, influence each other), as Orfeu myth, or godess Bendis cult, introduced in Greece by thracian womens, and acording with the same Herodot, take it from the northern peoples (most probably dacians), and being asimilated with godess Artemis ( Diana to Romans), or god Sabazios at Dacian/Thracians, asimilated with Dyonisos to Greeks and Bachus to Romans. I believe the main greek influence was on southern branch of thracians, but in the north part (Dacia), was mostly in buildings ( in a early stage in fortress constructions ) and economy ( do to trades with greek cities from Black Sea), and dont have any significant impact in any part of Dacian society. For example, dacians try to improve theyr armies (in the last stage of Dacian kingdoom), including roman types of organization, and roman instructors and advisers (payed or prisoners), but never bother to use helenistic types of fight (probably to impresion of victories against them, even in time of Alexander the Great type of organization, and his diadochi, at the peak of helenistic era).

[Marcus_Aurelius]

At the time they were fighting Trajan,the Dacian religion had evolved from polytheistic to largely monotheistic,Zalmoxis substituted the sky-god Hebeleyzis(Gebeleyzis) and inherited attributes from other dacian gods.He was seen as the Creator of the Earth by the latter Dacians,and the other gods were considered creations of Zalmoxis:Bendis(Artemis),The Thracian Knight(similar to Ares-Mars,later to be substituted by St.George/St.Michael in the early daco-roman christianity).

I don't know if many of the anglo-saxon friends on unrv know that the Dacians used to sacrifice their best fighter who would throw himself into a pit full of upwards pointed spears so that he could talk directly to Zalmoxis in heavnes and pray for his nation in the presence of the supposed Creator.They had the custom of laughing in the moment of death proving thus that they aren't afraid of death,this custom being very well known to Romanians today.

Also the Dacians were a very rich people,Rosia-Montana being one of the greatest gold deposits on Earth even nowadays.They, like the Celts and particularly the Gauls loved golden jewelry(not only the nobles wore gold you know unlike today:P:P)

I think it would also be nice to tell you that the Daco-Romans were one of the first Christianised peoples in Europe,long before other Roman provinces.In the 2nd century they were already romanised thanks to the high number of roman veterans which were given land in the new province,merchants and entrepreneurs who sought to build a new life among the "barbarians" which they found to be highly civilzed.Not long after the Roman conquest of Dacia,they(daco-romans now) also became christianised thanks to the Holy Apostle Andrew and their previous monotheistic religion which was easily substituted by the faith of Christ.Until the Aurelian retreat from Dacia in 271,a new people had been born,both Dacian and Roman,with a Christian orthodox religion in the LATIN language neither Roman nor Byzantine in rite.The Romanian people later became truly orthodox with the reform of Sts Cyril and Methodius because they were closer to Constantinopole than they were to Rome.

[Marcus_Aurelius]

At the time they were fighting Trajan,the Dacian religion had evolved from polytheistic to largely monotheistic,Zalmoxis substituted the sky-god Hebeleyzis(Gebeleyzis) and inherited attributes from other dacian gods.He was seen as the Creator of the Earth by the latter Dacians,and the other gods were considered creations of Zalmoxis:Bendis(Artemis),The Thracian Knight(similar to Ares-Mars,later to be substituted by St.George/St.Michael in the early daco-roman christianity).

I don't know if many of the anglo-saxon friends on unrv know that the Dacians used to sacrifice their best fighter who would throw himself into a pit full of upwards pointed spears so that he could talk directly to Zalmoxis in heavnes and pray for his nation in the presence of the supposed Creator.They had the custom of laughing in the moment of death proving thus that they aren't afraid of death,this custom being very well known to Romanians today.

Also the Dacians were a very rich people,Rosia-Montana being one of the greatest gold deposits on Earth even nowadays.They, like the Celts and particularly the Gauls loved golden jewelry(not only the nobles wore gold you know unlike today:P:P)

I think it would also be nice to tell you that the Daco-Romans were one of the first Christianised peoples in Europe,long before other Roman provinces.In the 2nd century they were already romanised thanks to the high number of roman veterans which were given land in the new province,merchants and entrepreneurs who sought to build a new life among the "barbarians" which they found to be highly civilzed.Not long after the Roman conquest of Dacia,they(daco-romans now) also became christianised thanks to the Holy Apostle Andrew and their previous monotheistic religion which was easily substituted by the faith of Christ.Until the Aurelian retreat from Dacia in 271,a new people had been born,both Dacian and Roman,with a Christian orthodox religion in the LATIN language neither Roman nor Byzantine in rite.The Romanian people later became truly orthodox with the reform of Sts Cyril and Methodius because they were closer to Constantinopole than they were to Rome.