Trajan's Dacian Wars Information
The Dacian Wars (101-102, 105-106) were two military campaigns fought between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Emperor Trajan's rule. The conflict was triggered by the constant Dacian threat on the Danubian Roman Province of Moesia and also by the increasing need of resources of the staggering economy of the Roman Empire.
Trajan turned his attention to Dacia, an area north of Macedon and Greece and east of the Danube that had been on the Roman agenda since before the days of Caesar[1][2] when they had beaten a Roman army at the Battle of Histria.[3] In AD 85, the Dacians had swarmed over the Danube and pillaged Moesia[4][5] and initially defeated an army the Emperor Domitian sent against them,[6] but the Romans were victorious in the Battle of Tapae in 88CE and a truce was drawn up.[6]
Emperor Trajan recommenced hostilities against Dacia and, following an uncertain number of battles,[7] defeated the Dacian general Decebalus in the Second Battle of Tapae in 101.[8] With Trajan's troops pressing towards the Dacian capital Sarmizegetusa Regia, Decebalus once more sought terms.[9] Decebalus rebuilt his power over the following years and attacked Roman garrisons again in 105. In response Trajan again marched into Dacia,[10] besieging the Dacian capital in the Siege of Sarmisegetusa, and razing it to the ground.[11] With Dacia quelled, Trajan subsequently invaded the Parthian empire to the east, his conquests taking the Roman Empire to its greatest extent. Rome's borders in the east were indirectly governed through a system of client states for some time, leading to less direct campaigning than in the west in this period.[12]
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Early clashes
Since the reign of Burebista, widely considered to be the greatest king of Dacia— who ruled between 82 BC and 44 BC —the Dacians had represented a threat for the Roman Empire, Caesar himself had drawn up a plan to launch a campaign against Dacia. The threat was reduced when dynastic struggles in Dacia lead to a division into four (or five depending on the source) separately governed tribal states after Burebista's death in 44 BC. Augustus later came into conflict with Dacia after they sent envoys offering their support against Mark Antony in exchange for "requests", the nature of which have not been recorded. Augustus rejected the offer and Dacia gave their support to Antony. In 29 BC, Augustus sent several punitive expeditions into Dacia led by Marcus Crassus which inflicted heavy casualties and apparently killing three of their five kings. Although Dacian raids into Pannonia and Moesia continued for several years despite the defeat, the threat of Dacia had effectively ended.[13]
Then, after 116 years of relative peace along the Roman frontier, in the winter of 85 AD to 86 AD the army of King Duras led by general Diurpaneus attacked the Roman province of Moesia, killing the Moesian governor Oppius Sabinus, a former consul.
The Roman emperor Domitian himself led legions into the ravaged province and re-organized the possession into Moesia Inferior and Moesia Superior, planning an attack into Dacia for the next campaign season. The next year, with the arrival of fresh legions in 87 AD, Domitian ordered a campaign against Dacia beginning the First Dacian War. General Diurpaneus sent an envoy to Domitian offering peace which was rejected and the praetorian prefect Cornelius Fuscus crossed the Danube into Dacia with 5 or 6 legions on a bridge across boats. The Roman army was ambushed and defeated at the First Battle of Tapae by Diurpaneus who was subsequently renamed Decebalus (Dacian for "the Brave") and who, as a consequence, was chosen to be the new king. Fuscus was killed and the legions lost their standards which added to the humiliation.[14] In 88, the Roman offensive continued, and the Roman army, this time under the command of Tettius Julianus defeated the Dacians at the outlying Dacian fortress of Sarmizegetusa, also at Tapae, near the current village of Bucova. After this battle Decebalus, now the king of the four reunited arms of the Dacians asked for peace which was again refused. Domitian later accepted the offer, mainly because his legions were needed along the Rhine to put down the revolt of Lucius Antonius Saturninus, the Roman governor of Germania Superior who had allied with the Marcomanni, Quadi and Sarmatian Yazgulyams against Domitian.[15]
Following the peace of 89 AD, Decebalus became a client of Rome, receiving a lump sum of money, continuing annual financial stipends, craftsmen in every trade both peace and war which were used by Dacia to upgrade their own defences, war machines from the Roman Empire to defend the empire's borders and acceptance of Decebalus as king (Rex Amicas). Some historians believe this to have been a less than satisfactory peace for Rome.
Causes of the first war
Dacian GoldThroughout the 1st century, Roman policy largely dictated that threats from neighbouring nations and provinces were to be contained promptly. The peace treaty following the First Battles of Tapae, an initial crushing victory obtained by the Dacian King Decebalus's forces, followed by an indecisive and costly Roman victory on the same ground but a year later, was unfavorable for the Roman Empire, Decebalus receiving money, craftsmen and war machines from the Roman Empire, to defend the empire's borders. Some historians believe this unfavorable peace for the Romans might have been the cause for Domitian's assassination in September 96. Despite some co-operation on the diplomatic front with Domitian, Decebalus continued to oppose Rome.[16]
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 did the generally uncooperative behavior of the Dacian "clients" as well, who for their part were defiantly "bowed and unbroken", although mostly complying with the absurd requests by the Roman Empire and its diplomatic and military factotums.
However there were other pressing reasons to take action. Researchers have estimated that only ten percent of barbarians such as Spanish and Gallic warriors had access to swords, usually the nobility. By contrast Dacia had rich resources of iron and copper and were prolific metal workers. There is clear evidence that a large percentage of Dacians owned swords, greatly reducing Romes military advantage.[17] Dacia also had 250,000 potential combatants, enough to make an invasion of the Roman Empire possible, was allied to several of its neighbors and on friendly terms with others that Rome considered enemies. At the time Rome had no concrete defence policy and would not have been able to sustain a war of defense. As such, the new Emperor Trajan, himself an experienced soldier and tactician, began preparing for a difficult war against Dacia. That Dacia was considered a substantial threat can be seen by the fact that Trajan withdrew troops from other hostile borders leaving them dangerously undermanned.[18]
The first war
Main article: First Dacian War Decebalus, King of Dacia (Trajan's Column, Rome) TrajanAfter 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 were well demonstrated. 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 make peace after some additional minor conflicts. The war had concluded with an important Roman victory. A stone bridge later known as Trajan's bridge was constructed across the Danube at Drobeta to assist with the legionaries' advance. This bridge, probably the biggest at that time and centuries to come was designed by Apollodorus of Damascus and it was meant to help the Roman army to advance faster in Dacia since the "peace" was actually lost by the Roman Empire. According to the peace terms, Decebalus got technical and military reinforcement from the Romans in order to create a powerful allied zone against the dangerous possible expeditions from the northern and eastern territories by hostile migrating peoples. The resources were, however, used to rebuild Dacian fortresses and strengthen the army. Soon thereafter Decebalus turned against the Romans once again.
The second war
Main article: Second Dacian WarFollowing the first war, 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 AD 105 for a second war against the Kingdom of Dacia.
Ruins of the Trajan's Bridge Dacian Water PipeLike 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, resulting in a second temporary peace. Eventually, goaded repeatedly by the behavior of Decebalus and his repeated violations of the treaty, Rome again brought in legions, took the offensive and prevailed resuming the conflict in 105. The next year they conquered step by step the mountain fortresses system that surrounded the Dacian capital, Sarmisegetusa. The final decisive battle took place near the walls of Sarmisegetusa - the capital city, during 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, with the help of a local treacherous nobleman, found and destroyed the water pipes of the Dacian capital. Running out of water and food supplies the city fell and was burned to the ground. King Decebalus fled, but followed by the Roman cavalry 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).
Conclusion and aftermath
Fiery battle scene between the Roman and Dacian armies 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 gold mines were secured and it is estimated that Dacia now contributed 700 million Denarii annually to the Roman economy, which provided a helpful source of finance for Rome's future campaigns and assisted the rapid expansion of Roman towns throughout Europe.[19] The remains of the mining activities are still visible, especially at Roşia Montană. One hundred thousand male slaves were sent back to Rome; and in order to discourage future revolts Legio XIII Gemina and Legio V Macedonica were permanently posted in Dacia, the veterans of these legions were given land in Dacia and married Dacian women. This would lead to the birth of the Romanian people. The conquered half (southern) of Dacia was annexed, becoming a province while the northern part remained free but never formed a state.
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. Trajan began extensive building projects and was so prolific in claiming credit that he was given the nickname Ivy.[19] Trajan became a true and honorable civil Emperor, improving Rome's civic infrastructure, thereby paving the way for further internal expansion and reinforcement within the Roman Empire as a whole.
See also
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References
- "Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions", De Imperatoribus Romanis.
Notes and citations
- ^ Goldsworthy, In the Name of Rome, p. 322
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 213
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 215
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 216
- ^ Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, p. 53
- ^ a b Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 217
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 219
- ^ Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, p. 54
- ^ Goldsworthy, In the Name of Rome, p. 329
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 222
- ^ Matyszak, The Enemies of Rome, p. 223
- ^ Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, p. 39
- ^ Michael Schmitz Pg 9 - 10
- ^ "De Imperatoribus Romanis". http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#t-inx. "Battle of Sarmizegetusa (Sarmizegetuza), A.D. 105. During Trajan's reign one of the most important Roman successes was the victory over the Dacians. The first important confrontation between the Romans and the Dacians took place in the year 87 and was initiated by Domitian. The praetorian prefect Cornelius Fuscus led five or six legions across the Danube on a bridge of ships and advanced towards Banat (in Romania). The Romans were surprised by a Dacian attack at Tapae (near the village of Bucova, in Romania). Legion V Alaude was crushed and Cornelius Fuscus was killed. The victorious general was originally known as Diurpaneus (see Manea, p.109), but after this victory he was called Decebalus ("the brave one")."
- ^ "De Imperatoribus Romanis". http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#t-inx. "In the year 88, the Romans resumed the offensive. The Roman troops were now led by the general Tettius Julianus. The battle took place again at Tapae but this time the Romans defeated the Dacians. For fear of falling into a trap, Julianus abandoned his plans of conquering Sarmizegetuza and, at the same time, Decebalus asked for peace. At first, Domitian refused this request , but after he was defeated in a war in Pannonia against the Marcomanni (a Germanic tribe), the emperor was obliged to accept the peace."
- ^ "De Imperatoribus Romanis" (Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions). An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors. http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#s-inx. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Michael Schmitz The Dacian threat, 101-106 AD Caeros 2005 Pg 30 ISBN 0975844504
- ^ Michael Schmitz Pg 7 - 8
- ^ a b Michael Schmitz Pg 8
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Categories: 2nd-century conflicts | Wars involving the Roman Empire | Dacia | History of Romania
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