Dacian Wars

Since the reign of Burebista, the Dacians represented a threat for the Roman Empire, Caesar himself planning to begin a campaign against Dacia. In the winter of 85 to 86 the army of King Duras attacked the Roman province of Moesia. The Roman emperor Domitian organized the province into Moesia Inferior and Moesia Superior, planning future attacks. The next year, in 87, Domitian ordered a campaign against Dacia. The Roman general Cornelius Fuscus crossed the Danube into Dacia with 5 or 6 legions. The Roman army was defeated at Tapae, by the Dacians led by Diurpaneus / Decebal (Dacian for the Brave). In 88, the Roman offensive continued, and the Roman army, this time under the command of Tettius Iulianus defeated the Dacians at Tapae. After this battle, Decebal and Domitian reached peace. Following the peace of 89, Decebal became a client of Rome, receiving money, craftsmen, and war machines from the Roman Empire, to defend the empire's borders. Some historians believe this to have been an unfavourable peace for Rome.

[edit] Causes of the two major wars

Throughout the 1st century, Roman policy largely dictated that threats from neighbouring nations and provinces were to be contained promptly, following a heavy defeat at the hands of the Dacian King Decebalus's skirmishing forces. Despite some co-operation on the diplomatic front with Domitian after an abortive invasion, Decebalus continued to oppose Rome. Thus, Dacia was considered one such threat. At the time, Rome was suffering from economic difficulties largely brought on by extensive military campaigns throughout Europe, in part due to a low gold content in Roman currency brought on by Emperor Nero. Confirmed rumors of Dacian gold and other valuable trade resources in part incited the conflict.

As such, the new Emperor Trajan, himself an experienced soldier and tactician, began preparing for a war against Dacia.

[edit] The first war

After gaining support in the Roman Senate and its blessing for war, by 101 Trajan was ready to advance on Dacia. This was a war in which the Roman military's ingenuity and engineering might were well demonstrated: a stone bridge later known as Trajan's bridge was constructed across the Danube to assist with the legionaries' advance. The Roman offensive was spearheaded by two legionary columns, marching straight to the heart of Dacia, burning towns and villages in the process. Trajan defeated a Dacian army at the Battle of Tapae, and in 102 Decebalus chose to surrender after some additional minor conflicts. The war, spanning only months, had concluded with a heroic Roman victory.

The famous bridge at Drobeta was constructed in preparation for the second war. This bridge, probably the biggest at that time and centuries to come was designed by Apollodorus of Damascus and it was needed in order to reconquer Dacia since the "peace" was actually lost by the Roman empire. Decebalus got technical and military reinforcement from Trajan in order to create a powerful allied zone against the dangerous possible expeditions from the northern and eastern territories by the already moving migrator people. The resources were, however, instead used to make Dacian Kingdom a great independent power.

[edit] The second war

Following his subjugation, Decebal complied with Rome for a time, but was soon inciting revolt among tribes against them and pillaging Roman colonies across the Danube. True to the intrepid and optimistic nature he had become renowned for, Trajan rallied his forces once more in AD 106 for a second war against the Kingdom of Dacia.

Unlike the first conflict, the second war involved several skirmishes that proved costly to the Roman military, who, facing large numbers of allied tribes, struggled to attain a decisive victory. Eventually, however, Rome prevailed and took Dacia. An assault against the capital Sarmisegetusa took place at the beginning of the summer of 106 with the participation of the legions II ADIUTRIX and FLAVIA FELIX and a detachment (vexillatio) from Legio VI Ferrata. The Dacians repelled the first attack, but the Romans destroyed the water pipes to the Dacian capital. The city was burned to the ground. Decebal fled, but committed suicide rather than face capture. Nevertheless, the war went on. Thanks to the treason of a confidant of the Dacian king, Bicilis, the Romans found Decebalus's treasure in the river of Sargesia/Sargetia - a fortune estimated by Jerome Carcopino at 165,500 kg of gold and 331,000 kg of silver. The last battle with the army of the Dacian king took place at Porolissum (Moigrad).

[edit] Conclusion and aftermath

Denarius issued by Trajan to celebrate the winning of the Dacian Wars.

Front. Text: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TR P COS V PP. Image: Laureate head right; the legend abbreviates as Imperator. Trajan. Augustus. Germanicus. Dacicus. Pontifex Maximus. Tribuniciae Potestate. Consul V. Pater Patriae.

Reverse. Text: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. Image: Dacian soldier wearing the Dacian peaked cap, seated on shield in mourning, with the curbed Dacian Falx (sabre) below. The reverse abbreviates Senatus Populus Que Romanus. Optimo Principi.

Trajan was notorious for the length of his inscriptions, which are the longest of the imperial series. Here, the titles actually form a continuum on both sides of the coin. It all translates as "Imperator, Trajan the Augustus, victor over the Germans and Dacians, chief priest, with the power of a tribune, consul for the fifth time, father of his country, the Senate and People of Rome: best of emperors.". - Reference: RIC II 219, BMC 175, RSC 529.

The Dacian Wars were a huge triumph for Rome and its armies. Trajan announced a total of 123 days of glorious celebrations throughout the Empire. Dacia's rich mines were secured, which provided a helpful source of finance for Rome's future campaigns and assisted the rapid expansion of Roman towns throughout Europe. Most of Dacia's civilian populace was either enslaved or killed, in part to discourage future revolts. Dacia was formally annexed. The two wars were notable victories in Rome's extensive expansionist campaigns, gaining the people's admiration and support for Trajan. The conclusion of the Dacian Wars marked a period of sustained growth and relative peace in Rome. An extensive building project was begun, which in turn improved Rome's civic infrastructure as a whole. Trajan became a true and honorable civil Emperor, thereby paving the way for further internal expansion and reinforcement within the Roman Empire as a whole.