Battle of Sarmisegetusa
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Sarmisegetusa (also spelled Sarmizegethusa) was a siege of Sarmizegetusa, the capital of Dacia
, fought in 106 between the army of the Roman
Emperor
Trajan
, and the Dacians
led by King Decebalus
.
's eastward expansion, in the year 101 Emperor Trajan made the decision to begin a campaign
against them. The first conflict began on March 25 and the Roman troops, consisting of four principal legions
, the units X Gemina
, XI Claudia
, II Traiana Fortis
and XXX Ulpia Victrix
, defeated the Dacians, it ended in Roman victory.
Although the Dacians had sustained a defeat during the First Dacian War, the emperor postponed the final assault on their capital of Sarmizegetusa
to reorganize his troops. Trajan demanded severe concessions from the Dacians very hard peace conditions: Decebalus had to renounce all claims to portions of his kingdom, including Banat
, Tara Haţegului, Oltenia
, and Muntenia
in the region south-west of Transylvania
. He also had to surrender all Roman deserters his troops had captured as well as the Dacian war machine
s. Upon returning to Rome, Trajan was welcomed as victorious leader, and in honor of his triumph he took the name of Dacicus, a title that appears on his coinage of this period.
However, during the years 103–105, Decebalus did not respect the peace conditions imposed by Trajan, and in retaliation the Emperor prepared to annihilate the Dacian kingdom and finally conquer Sarmizegetuza. The siege of Sarmizegetuza took place in the summer of the year 106. It is estimated that the Dacians most likely had less than 20,000 men capable of fighting the invasion.
The Roman forces approached Sarmizegetuza in three main columns
. The first column crossed the bridge built by Apollodorus of Damascus
, and then followed the valleys of rivers Cerna
and Timiş
up to Tibiscum
. They then turned on the valley of the river Bistra
, through the Tara Haţegului depression. In these places, there were already Roman garrisons stationed from the first war, greatly easing the advance. They passed through Valea Cernei, Haţeg
, and Valea Streiului and destroyed the Dacian fortresses at Costesti
, Blidaru, and Piatra Rosie.
The second column of the army is believed to have crossed the Danube somewhere near ancient Sucidava
and then marched northwards on the valley of Jiu
, linking with the first Roman column in Tara Haţegului.
The combined forces of the two columns then began attacking the area of the Surianu Mountains, meeting sporadic but desperate resistance from the Dacians.
The third Roman column, most likely led by Trajan himself, advanced through eastern Muntenia
, crossed the Carpathians
at a location close to what is now Bran
, and marched westwards through southern Transylvania .
The rest of the troops left from Moesia Inferior and passed through Bran
, Bratocea, and Oituz
and destroyed the Dacian fortresses between Cumidava
(now Rasnov
, in Romania) and Angustia
(now Breţcu
, in Romania). At the battle for the conquest of Sarmizegetuza the following legions participated: II Adiutirx
, IV Flavia Felix
, and a vexillatio
of VI Ferrata
which until this war had been stationed in Iudaea.
The Roman forces then enveloped Sarmizegetuza.
Other Roman units are believed to have attacked other Dacian settlements and rally points, as far as the river Tisa
to the north, and Moldavia
to the east. Dacian settlements in the west, such as Ziridava
, were completely destroyed in this period. However, Moldavia
and Maramureş
, located in modern day northern Romania, were never part of the Roman province of Dacia and would remain free from Roman rule.
, which is a controversial source. There is debate as to whether the Romans did actually fight for Sarmizegetuza, or whether the Dacians destroyed their capital while fleeing ahead of the advancing legions. Most historians agree that a siege of Sarmizegetuza actually took place.
The first assault was repelled by the Dacian defenders. The Romans bombarded the city with their siege weapons and, at the same time, they built a platform to more easily breach the fortress. They also encircled the city with a circumvallatio wall.
Finally, the Romans destroyed the water pipes of Sarmizegetuza and obliged the defenders to surrender before they set fire to the city. Roman forces succeeded in entering the Dacian sacred enclosure, hailed Trajan as emperor, and then leveled the whole fortress. IV Flavia Felix was stationed there to guard the ruins of Sarmizegetuza. Following the conclusion of the siege, Bicilis, a confidant of Decebalus, betrayed his king, and led the Romans to the Dacian treasure
which, according to Jerome Carcopino (p. 73), consisted of 165,000 kilograms of pure gold
and 331,000 kilograms of silver
in the bed of the Sergetia River (Cassius Dio 68.14).
, the location of which is now lost, only to be caught by the Roman cavalry
. Knowing the often brutal treatment of prisoners of war taken by the Romans, Decebalus killed himself to avoid capture.
Decebalus' head and right arm were later presented to Trajan. The Romans reorganized Dacia as a Roman province and built another capital-city at a distance of 40 kilometers from the old Sarmizegetuza. This center was named Colonia Ulpia Traiana Dacica Augusta Sarmizegetuza. The Roman Senate
celebrated the founding by ordering the minting
of a sestertius
dedicated to the optimus princeps.
Losses sustained in this war by the Dacians were tremendous, but the Roman army also took significant casualties in the conquest of Dacia. The first Dacian rebellion against Roman rule would coincide with the death of Trajan, in 117, showing impact the Emperor had on the Dacians after the war. Even in modern Romanian folklore (Romanians being the descendants of Romanized Dacians), Trajan was remembered as Traian, and his great wars with the "people of the mountains" are still remembered in Romanian epic songs.
Whilst the battle ended in Roman victory, it is considered by historians as the last great conquest of the Roman Empire before its eventual decline.
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
, fought in 106 between the army of the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
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...
, and the Dacians
Dacians
The Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...
led by 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...
.
Background
Due to the threat the Dacians represented to the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
's eastward expansion, in the year 101 Emperor Trajan made the decision to begin a campaign
Military campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
against them. The first conflict began on March 25 and the Roman troops, consisting of four principal legions
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
, the units X Gemina
Legio X Gemina
Legio decima Gemina , was one of the four legions used by Julius Caesar in 58 BC, for his invasion of Gaul. There are still records of the X Gemina in Vienna in the beginning of the 5th century. The legion symbol was a bull...
, XI Claudia
Legio XI Claudia
Legio undecima Claudia was a Roman legion. XI Claudia dates back to the two legions recruited by Julius Caesar to invade Gallia in 58 BC, and it existed at least until early 5th century, guarding lower Danube in Durostorum...
, II Traiana Fortis
Legio II Traiana Fortis
Legio secunda Traiana Fortis, , was a Roman legion levied by emperor Trajan in 105, along with XXX Ulpia Victrix, for the campaigns in Dacia. There are still records of the II Traiana Fortis in Egypt in the middle of the 5th century...
and XXX Ulpia Victrix
Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix
Legio trigesima Ulpia Victrix was a Roman legion levied by the Emperor Trajan in 100 for the Dacian Wars. The legion was active until disbandment of the Rhine frontier in the beginning of the 5th century. Their emblems were the gods Neptune and Jupiter and the Capricorn...
, defeated the Dacians, it ended in Roman victory.
Although the Dacians had sustained a defeat during the First Dacian War, the emperor postponed the final assault on their capital of Sarmizegetusa
Sarmizegetusa
Sarmizegetusa Regia was the capital and the most important military, religious and political center of Dacians...
to reorganize his troops. Trajan demanded severe concessions from the Dacians very hard peace conditions: Decebalus had to renounce all claims to portions of his kingdom, including Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
, Tara Haţegului, Oltenia
Oltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
, and Muntenia
Muntenia
Muntenia is a historical province of Romania, usually considered Wallachia-proper . It is situated between the Danube , the Carpathian Mountains and Moldavia , and the Olt River to the west...
in the region south-west of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. He also had to surrender all Roman deserters his troops had captured as well as the Dacian war machine
War Machine
War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
s. Upon returning to Rome, Trajan was welcomed as victorious leader, and in honor of his triumph he took the name of Dacicus, a title that appears on his coinage of this period.
However, during the years 103–105, Decebalus did not respect the peace conditions imposed by Trajan, and in retaliation the Emperor prepared to annihilate the Dacian kingdom and finally conquer Sarmizegetuza. The siege of Sarmizegetuza took place in the summer of the year 106. It is estimated that the Dacians most likely had less than 20,000 men capable of fighting the invasion.
Advance
Column (formation)
A military column is a formation of soldiers marching together in one or more files in which the file is significantly longer than the width of ranks in the formation...
. The first column crossed the bridge built by Apollodorus of Damascus
Apollodorus of Damascus
Apollodorus of Damascus was a Greek engineer, architect, designer and sculptor who flourished during the 2nd century AD, from Damascus, Roman Syria. He was a favourite of Trajan, for whom he constructed Trajan's Bridge over the Danube for the 105-106 campaign in Dacia. He also designed the Forum...
, and then followed the valleys of rivers Cerna
Cerna
Cerna may refer to:Croatia:* Cerna, Vukovar-Syrmia County, a village in Vukovar-Syrmia County, CroatiaRomania:* Cerna River , a river in Romania, tributary of the Danube* Cerna River , a river in Romania, tributary of the Mureş River...
and Timiş
Timis River
The Timiş or Tamiš is a 359 km long river originating from Țarcu Mountains , southern Carpathian Mountains, Caraş-Severin County, Romania. It flows through the Banat region and flows into the Danube near Pančevo, in northern Serbia....
up to Tibiscum
Tibiscum
Tibiscum was a Dacian town mentioned by Ptolemy, later a Roman castra and municipium. The ruins of the ancient settlement are located in Jupa, Caraş-Severin County, Romania.- See also :* Dacian davae...
. They then turned on the valley of the river Bistra
Bistra
Bistra may refer to:* Bistra, Silistra Province, a village in Silistra Province, Bulgaria* Bistra, Targovishte Province, a village in Targovishte Province, Bulgaria* Bistra, Croatia, a village in Zagreb County, Croatia...
, through the Tara Haţegului depression. In these places, there were already Roman garrisons stationed from the first war, greatly easing the advance. They passed through Valea Cernei, Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
, and Valea Streiului and destroyed the Dacian fortresses at Costesti
Costesti
Costeşti is a town in Argeş county, Wallachia, Romania. The population was 10,868.The town administers six villages: Broşteni, Lăceni, Pârvu Roşu, Podu Broşteni, Smei and Stârci....
, Blidaru, and Piatra Rosie.
The second column of the army is believed to have crossed the Danube somewhere near ancient Sucidava
Sucidava
Sucidava is a Dacian and Daco-Roman historical site, situated in Corabia, Romania on the north bank of the Danube...
and then marched northwards on the valley of Jiu
Jiu
The name Jiu may refer to :* Jiu - Means Great in Philippines* Jiu - is a Japanese word meaning incoming or welcome rain.* Jiu - tributary of the Danube* Jiu - tributary of the Râul Mic...
, linking with the first Roman column in Tara Haţegului.
The combined forces of the two columns then began attacking the area of the Surianu Mountains, meeting sporadic but desperate resistance from the Dacians.
The third Roman column, most likely led by Trajan himself, advanced through eastern Muntenia
Muntenia
Muntenia is a historical province of Romania, usually considered Wallachia-proper . It is situated between the Danube , the Carpathian Mountains and Moldavia , and the Olt River to the west...
, crossed the Carpathians
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
at a location close to what is now Bran
Bran
Bran is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, the grains lose a portion of their...
, and marched westwards through southern Transylvania .
The rest of the troops left from Moesia Inferior and passed through Bran
Bran
Bran is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, the grains lose a portion of their...
, Bratocea, and Oituz
Oituz
Oituz is a commune in Bacău County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Călcâi , Ferestrău-Oituz , Hârja , Marginea, Oituz and Poiana Sărată ....
and destroyed the Dacian fortresses between Cumidava
Cumidava
Cumidava was originally a Dacian settlement, and later a Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Râşnov in Romania.-Etymology:...
(now Rasnov
Râsnov
Râşnov is a town in Braşov County, Romania with a population of under 16,000.It is located at about 15 km from the city of Braşov and about the same distance from Bran, on the road that links Wallachia and Transylvania....
, in Romania) and Angustia
Angústia
Angústia is a book by Graciliano Ramos that tells the life of Luís da Silva, a man very confused with his own life.One day, he meets Marina, his new neighbour, a beautiful girl with whom he falls in love...
(now Breţcu
Bretcu
Breţcu is a commune in Covasna County, Transylvania, Romania composed of three villages:*Breţcu*Mărtănuş / Kézdimartonos*Oituz / OjtoztelepThe Roman settlement of Augustia and the Roman castrum is located on the east side of the settlement....
, in Romania). At the battle for the conquest of Sarmizegetuza the following legions participated: II Adiutirx
Legio II Adiutrix
Legio secunda Adiutrix , was a Roman legion levied by emperor Vespasian in 70, from Roman navy marines of the classis Ravennatis. There are still records of II Adiutrix in the Rhine border in the beginning of the 4th century...
, IV Flavia Felix
Legio IV Flavia Felix
Legio quarta Flavia Felix , was a Roman legion levied by Vespasian in 70, from the ashes of the Legio IV Macedonica. The legion was active in Moesia Superior in the first half of the 4th century...
, and a vexillatio
Vexillatio
A vexillatio was a detachment of a Roman legion formed as a temporary task force created by the Roman Army of the Principate. It was named from the standards carried by legionary detachments, vexillum , which bore the emblem and name of the parent legion...
of VI Ferrata
Legio VI Ferrata
Legio sexta Ferrata , was a Roman Legion formed in 65 BC, and in existence up to at least 3rd century. A Legio VI fought in the Roman Republican civil wars of the 40s and 30s BC...
which until this war had been stationed in Iudaea.
The Roman forces then enveloped Sarmizegetuza.
Other Roman units are believed to have attacked other Dacian settlements and rally points, as far as the river Tisa
Tisá
Tisá is a village and municipality in Ústí nad Labem District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 786 ....
to the north, and Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
to the east. Dacian settlements in the west, such as Ziridava
Ziridava
Ziridava is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae.Species include:*Ziridava asterota Prout 1958*Ziridava baliensis Prout 1958*Ziridava brevicellula Prout 1916*Ziridava cedreleti Prout 1958*Ziridava dysorga Prout 1928...
, were completely destroyed in this period. However, Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
and Maramureş
Maramures
Maramureș may refer to the following:*Maramureș, a geographical, historical, and ethno-cultural region in present-day Romania and Ukraine, that occupies the Maramureș Depression and Maramureș Mountains, a mountain range in North East Carpathians...
, located in modern day northern Romania, were never part of the Roman province of Dacia and would remain free from Roman rule.
Siege
The only historical record of the siege is the Trajan's ColumnTrajan's Column
Trajan's Column is a Roman triumphal column in Rome, Italy, which commemorates Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars. It was probably constructed under the supervision of the architect Apollodorus of Damascus at the order of the Roman Senate. It is located in Trajan's Forum, built near...
, which is a controversial source. There is debate as to whether the Romans did actually fight for Sarmizegetuza, or whether the Dacians destroyed their capital while fleeing ahead of the advancing legions. Most historians agree that a siege of Sarmizegetuza actually took place.
The first assault was repelled by the Dacian defenders. The Romans bombarded the city with their siege weapons and, at the same time, they built a platform to more easily breach the fortress. They also encircled the city with a circumvallatio wall.
Finally, the Romans destroyed the water pipes of Sarmizegetuza and obliged the defenders to surrender before they set fire to the city. Roman forces succeeded in entering the Dacian sacred enclosure, hailed Trajan as emperor, and then leveled the whole fortress. IV Flavia Felix was stationed there to guard the ruins of Sarmizegetuza. Following the conclusion of the siege, Bicilis, a confidant of Decebalus, betrayed his king, and led the Romans to the Dacian treasure
Treasure
Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...
which, according to Jerome Carcopino (p. 73), consisted of 165,000 kilograms of pure gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and 331,000 kilograms of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
in the bed of the Sergetia River (Cassius Dio 68.14).
Aftermath
Decebalus and many of his followers escaped the Legions during the siege. They fled east, probably towards the fortification of RanisstorumRanisstorum
Ranisstorum is the name of the Ancient Roman fortification located east of Sarmizegetusa, the former capital of the old kingdom of Dacia. The exact location of this fortification is now lost, but it is possible that it was the present location called Sub Cununi, near Gradistea de Munte.In 106 AD,...
, the location of which is now lost, only to be caught by the Roman cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Knowing the often brutal treatment of prisoners of war taken by the Romans, Decebalus killed himself to avoid capture.
Decebalus' head and right arm were later presented to Trajan. The Romans reorganized Dacia as a Roman province and built another capital-city at a distance of 40 kilometers from the old Sarmizegetuza. This center was named Colonia Ulpia Traiana Dacica Augusta Sarmizegetuza. The Roman Senate
Roman 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...
celebrated the founding by ordering the minting
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
of a sestertius
Sestertius
The sestertius, or sesterce, was an ancient Roman coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small, silver coin issued only on rare occasions...
dedicated to the optimus princeps.
Losses sustained in this war by the Dacians were tremendous, but the Roman army also took significant casualties in the conquest of Dacia. The first Dacian rebellion against Roman rule would coincide with the death of Trajan, in 117, showing impact the Emperor had on the Dacians after the war. Even in modern Romanian folklore (Romanians being the descendants of Romanized Dacians), Trajan was remembered as Traian, and his great wars with the "people of the mountains" are still remembered in Romanian epic songs.
Whilst the battle ended in Roman victory, it is considered by historians as the last great conquest of the Roman Empire before its eventual decline.