Decebalus Treasure

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[edit] The story

During the Second Dacian War many nobles were caught and some surrounded, between them was one named Biklis, who has shown the place were the treasure was hidden.

Dacian bracelet in Cluj Museum
Dacian bracelet in Cluj Museum

"The treasures of Decebalus were also discovered, though hidden beneath the river Sargetia, which ran past his palace. With the help of some captives Decebalus had diverted the course of the river, made an excavation in its bed, and into the cavity had thrown a large amount of silver and gold and other objects of great value that could stand a certain amount of moisture; then p389he had heaped stones over them and piled on earth, afterwards bringing the river back into his course. 5 He also had caused the same captives to deposit his robes and other articles of a like nature in caves, and after accomplishing this had made away with them to prevent them from disclosing anything. But Bicilis, a companion of his who knew what had been done, was seized and gave information about these things." [1]

Decebalus has used Roman prisoners to deviate the Sargetias river course, buried the treasure. at least "so much silver and gold and some other artefacts who can survive to the moist", after that the river was put in the original course, the rest was of the treasure was deposited in surrounding caves, and the Roman prisoners were slaughtered.[2] Le legend of Sargetitias river was written by Dio Cassius.

[edit] Sources

An Byzantine historian compiling Getica written by T. Statilius Crito Traian's medic wrote that the Decebal Treasure has have 5,000,000. (2,268,000 kg) pounds of gold and 10,000,000 pounds (4,530,000 kg) of silver. Some modern historians like Julian Bennett belief is that this is probable a copy error, still if the real treasure was ten time smaller, the value is stil the equivalent of 160 millions of denarii. After some historians Traian does not recover the gold [3]. Between 1540 and 1759 in Sarmisegetusa 700 kg au aurei were recovered, much more was discovered in the XIX century. [4] Jérôme Carcopino has estimated the treasure at 165,500 kg of gold and 331,000 kg of silver.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dio Cassius quote
  2. ^ Julian Bennett Traian ISBN 973-571-583-X
  3. ^ J. Carcopino, Les Etapes de imperiasme romain (1961)
  4. ^ (Strobel, Dakerkriegen)

[edit] See also