Dacia

Dacian Draco

 **Dacia** was the land inhabited by the Dacians, also known as the **Kingdom of Dacia** (168 BCE-89 CE; 238-251 CE; 331-447; 458- CE). The Greeks referred to them as the Getae (east of Dacia).

Dacia was bounded in the south approximately by the Danubius river (Danube), in Greek sources the *Istros*, or at its greatest extent, by the Haemus Mons. Lower Moesia (Dobruja), a region south-east of the Danube, was a core area where the Getae lived and interacted with the Ancient Greeks. In the east it was bounded by the Pontus Euxinus (Black Sea) and the river *Danastris* (Dniester), in Greek sources the *Tyras*. But several Dacian settlements are recorded between the rivers Dniester and *Hypanis* (Southern Bug), and the Tisia (Tisza) to the west.

At times, Dacia included areas between the Tisa and the Middle Danube. The Carpathian Mountains are located in the middle of Dacia. It thus corresponds to the OTL present-day countries of Romania and Moldova, as well as smaller parts of Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

A Dacian Kingdom of variable size existed from 82 BCE under the ambitious King Burebista, who expanded its territory and power. However, it fragmented after his death. During the reign of Decebalus (87-89 CE), Dacia was once again, however, only to be vassalized by the Pontic Empire in 89 CE. After Gothic, and Hunnic invasions, Dacia regained its independence in 458, though still divided into three kingdoms.

## History

### Early history and under Burebista (168-44 BCE)

The Dacian kingdom is established in 168 BCE under king Robobostes (168-129 BCE). In around 109 BCE, king Oroles (129-about 99 BCE) defeats the Bastarnae tribes.

The Dacia, under King Burebista (82–44 BCE), stretched from the Black Sea to the source of the river Tisa and from the Danube to Bohemia. During that period, the Geto-Dacians conquered a wider territory and Dacia extended from the Middle Danube to the Black Sea littoral (between Apollonia and Olbia) and from OTL present-day Slovakia's mountains to the Balkan mountains.

Burebista had attacked the Moesian coastal cities of the Pontic Empire, starting the First Dacian War (55-54 BCE). In 54 BCE, the Pontic army clashed with the Dacians near these coastal cities and defeated the Dacians, pushing them back again, behind the Danube.

Burebista was killed in 44 BCE, in a plot by the Dacian aristocracy, who saw a centralized state as leading to a reduction in their privileges. After his death, the Dacian kingdom dissolved, except for the enclave around the Orăştie Mountains, while the rest became various smaller kingdoms. The kingdom was divided into four parts, to be ruled by the religious elite: The kingdoms of the Dacians, Britolages, Anartes and the Bastarnae.

### After Burebista and Dacian kingdoms (44 BCE-87 CE)

After the fragmentation of Dacia, Cotiso (44-27 BCE), ascended the throne of the Dacians. He was suceeded by Comosicus (27- after 19 BCE).

In 27 CE, king Scorlio (27-70 CE) ascended the throne. That same year, the kingdom of the Gatae had split off from the Britolages. Scorlio was suceeded by Duras (70-87 CE). In the Winter of 86-87 CE, the army of King Duras led by general Diurpaneus attacked the Pontic region of Moesia, during the Second Dacian War (86-87 CE). The Pontic 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.

### Second unification and Burebista (87-89 CE)

King Decebalus (87-89 CE), unites Dacia once again in 87 CE, establishing a powerful kingdom like Burebista once did. In 88 CE, a Pontic counter-offensive was launched, and the Pontic army defeated the Dacians at their outlying 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, though, which was refused. The Siege of Sarmizegtusa was laid that same year, and continued until 89 CE. Rather than being captured, only to be executed at the Pontic court, Decebalus committed suicide. After Decebalus' death, the Dacians surrendered to Pontos and became divided into three client states: Dacia, Getae and Britolagia. This war is later known as the Third Dacian War (88-89 CE).

### Short-lived Independence and Gothic occupation (238-331 CE)

After the collapse of the Pontic Empire in 238, the Dacians gained independence and even united Dacia by 240, except the area of the Anartes, which were now controlled by the Sarmatian Iazyges. However, from 250-251 CE, the Goths had invaded and occupied the area of the former client state of Dacia, capturing their capital, Sarmizegetusa and fragmenting the other Dacians, into the kingdoms of the Britolagia and Bastarnaea.

### Era of the Three Kingdoms and Hunnic Conflicts (331-447)

During the Great Mediterranean War (327-335 CE), the Gothic Kingdom was conquered by a combined force of Sassanid Persians and Greeks. This allowed Dacia to assert its independence. However, a unification did not happen, and Dacia faced a period, known as the "Era of the three Kingdoms".

During the Hunnic invasions, in 400, the Bastarnae and the Britolages were fully annihilated by the new tribal empire. Dacia itself managed to stay independent until 447, when Attila the Hun invaded Greece, and alongside it, southwestern Dacia.

### After the Huns (458- CE)

After the decline of the Huns and retreat from Southern Dacia in 458 and later, Northern Dacia, in 461, Dacia reasserted its independence, yet did not manage to unify with its two new neighbor kingdoms: the Carpians and the Getae. However, the Huns left behind numerous pillaged regions and burnt down villages. Additionally, Dacia now had to deal with a new immigrant: The Gepids in the Carpathian Basin.

## Source

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S56jwlyGMJs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burebista

## Flag credits

By User:Philg88, User:samhanin - File:DacianDraco.jpg, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53594573