Second Dacian War

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Second Dacian War
Part of the Dacian Wars
Date 105 to 106
Location Dacia, on the North border of the Roman Empire, near the Black Sea.
Result Dacians surrender
Territorial
changes		 Romans take over Dacian kingdom and make it the province of Dacia
Belligerents
Roman Empire Dacian Kingdom
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Dacian Wars

The Second Dacian War was fought in 105 to 106 because the Dacian king Decebalus had broken his peace terms with the Roman emperor Trajan from the First Dacian War. Now Trajan set out to Dacia with total conquest in his sights.

Contents

[edit] Before the War

Following his subjugation, Decebalus 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 106 for a second war against the Kingdom of Dacia.

[edit] The War

At the start of the war, Trajan built another bridge over the Danube to move his legions faster into 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 IV 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. Decebalus 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 Sargesia - a fortune estimated 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.

[edit] Aftermath

At the end of the war the Romans had gained the province of Dacia, but it would not be held forever. In 272 AD the Romans would lose the province of Dacia to the invading Gothic tribes.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. Scarre, Chris, The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome
  2. The Wikipedia Dacian Wars page
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