First Dacian War
Encyclopedia
The First Dacian War took place from 101
to 102
AD. The kingdom of Dacia, under king Decebalus
, had become a threat to Roman supremacy (or so the romans claimed) and had defeated several of Rome's armies during Domitian
's reign (81
-96
). The emperor Trajan was set on ridding this threat to Rome's power and in 101
set out determined to defeat Dacia. After a year of heavy fighting, king Decebalus
came to terms and accepted an unfavorable peace . When he broke these terms in 105
, the Second Dacian War
began.
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 by a stone bridge later known as Trajan's bridge
that was constructed across the Danube
to assist with the legionaries' advance. The Roman offensive was spearheaded by two legionary columns, marching right to the heart of Dacia, burning towns and villages in the process. In 101
, the Dacians led massive assaults on the Roman legions, but were defeated, but not after many Roman soldiers were killed. In 102
Trajan moved his army down the Danube
to Oescus
. There the Roman armies converged for a final assault and defeated the Dacian army at the Battle of Tapae
. After the battle, plus some additional conflicts Trajan, worried by the upcoming cold winter, decided to make peace. The war, spanning months, had concluded with a peace treaty with harsh terms for the Dacian king.
received 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 instead used to make the Dacian Kingdom a great independent power that would eventually rebel against Roman rule.
101
Year 101 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Paetus...
to 102
102
Year 102 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ursus and Sura...
AD. The kingdom of Dacia, under king Decebalus
Decebalus
Decebalus or "The Brave" was a king of Dacia and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors...
, had become a threat to Roman supremacy (or so the romans claimed) and had defeated several of Rome's armies during Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
's reign (81
81
Year 81 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silva and Pollio...
-96
96
Year 96 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Vetus...
). The emperor Trajan was set on ridding this threat to Rome's power and in 101
101
Year 101 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Paetus...
set out determined to defeat Dacia. After a year of heavy fighting, king Decebalus
Decebalus
Decebalus or "The Brave" was a king of Dacia and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors...
came to terms and accepted an unfavorable peace . When he broke these terms in 105
105
Year 105 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Candidus and Iulius...
, the Second Dacian War
Second Dacian War
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...
began.
The War
After gaining support from the Roman SenateRoman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
and its blessing for war, by 101
101
Year 101 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Paetus...
, Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
was ready to advance on Dacia. This was a war in which the Roman military's ingenuity and engineering might were well demonstrated by a stone bridge later known as Trajan's bridge
Trajan's bridge
Trajan's Bridge or Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first to be built over the lower Danube. For more than a thousand years, it was the longest arch bridge in the world, in terms of both total and span length...
that was constructed across the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
to assist with the legionaries' advance. The Roman offensive was spearheaded by two legionary columns, marching right to the heart of Dacia, burning towns and villages in the process. In 101
101
Year 101 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Paetus...
, the Dacians led massive assaults on the Roman legions, but were defeated, but not after many Roman soldiers were killed. In 102
102
Year 102 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ursus and Sura...
Trajan moved his army down the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
to Oescus
Oescus
Oescus, or Palatiolon Palatiolum, was an ancient town in Moesia, northwest of the modern Bulgarian city of Pleven, near the village of Gigen. It is a Daco-Moesian toponym. Ptolemy calls it a Triballian town, but it later became Roman...
. There the Roman armies converged for a final assault and defeated the Dacian army at the Battle of Tapae
Battle of Tapae
Battle of Tapae may refer to:#First Battle of Tapae, between Domitian and Dacia in 87#Second Battle of Tapae, between Trajan and Decebal in 101...
. After the battle, plus some additional conflicts Trajan, worried by the upcoming cold winter, decided to make peace. The war, spanning months, had concluded with a peace treaty with harsh terms for the Dacian king.
Aftermath
Once Dacia was secured, DecebalusDecebalus
Decebalus or "The Brave" was a king of Dacia and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors...
received technical and military reinforcement from Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
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 instead used to make the Dacian Kingdom a great independent power that would eventually rebel against Roman rule.
See also
- Trajan's Dacian Wars
- Second Dacian WarSecond Dacian WarThe 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...
- TrajanTrajanTrajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
- DecebalusDecebalusDecebalus or "The Brave" was a king of Dacia and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors...
- Battle of TapaeBattle of TapaeBattle of Tapae may refer to:#First Battle of Tapae, between Domitian and Dacia in 87#Second Battle of Tapae, between Trajan and Decebal in 101...
- Trajan's BridgeTrajan's bridgeTrajan's Bridge or Bridge of Apollodorus over the Danube was a Roman segmental arch bridge, the first to be built over the lower Danube. For more than a thousand years, it was the longest arch bridge in the world, in terms of both total and span length...