Dacia

Examples of Dacia in the following topics:

• Military Successes of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

  • The Dacian Wars (101–102, 105–106) were two military campaigns fought between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Roman Emperor Trajan's rule.
  • Emperor Trajan recommenced hostilities against Dacia and, following an uncertain number of battles, defeated the Dacian King Decebalus in the Second Battle of Tapae in 101.
  • In response Trajan again marched into Dacia, besieging the Dacian capital in the Siege of Sarmizegetusa, and razing it.
  • With Dacia quelled, Trajan subsequently invaded the Parthian empire to the east, his conquests expanding the Roman Empire to its greatest extent.
  • Dacia's rich gold mines were secured and it is estimated that Dacia then contributed 700 million Denarii per annum to the Roman economy, providing finance for Rome's future campaigns and assisting with the rapid expansion of Roman towns throughout Europe.

• Military Achievements of the Flavians

  • Domitian immediately launched a counteroffensive, which resulted in the destruction of a legion during an ill-fated expedition into Dacia.
  • In 87, the Romans invaded Dacia once more, this time under command of Tettius Julianus, and finally managed to defeat Decebalus late in 88, at the same site where Fuscus had previously been killed.
  • An attack on Dacia's capital canceled however when a crisis arose on the German frontier, forcing Domitian to sign a peace treaty with Decebalus which was severely criticized by contemporary authors.
  • For the remainder of Domitian's reign Dacia remained a relatively peaceful client kingdom, but Decebalus used the Roman money to fortify his defenses, and continued to defy Rome.
  • Again, the Roman army sustained heavy losses, but Trajan succeeded in capturing Sarmizegetusa and, importantly, annexed the gold and silver mines of Dacia.

• Architecture under the Nervan-Antonines

  • Trajan built his forum with the spoils from his conquest of Dacia.

• Architecture under Hadrian

  • The exterior is decorated with engaged columns and reliefs of Trajan's military conquest of Dacia, the extent of the Roman empire, and allegorical scenes of imperial power as well as Trajan's good deeds as both a builder of public works and as the founder of a charitable institution for children in Roman Italy.

• The Eastern Roman Empire, Constantine the Great, and Byzantium

  • He also reconquered southern parts of Dacia, after defeating the Visigoths in 332, and he was planning a campaign against Sassanid Persia as well.