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Around 60 BC several tribes united under the rule of Burebista, who extended his rule over a wide territory, attacked the Celts living in Pannonia west of the Danube, and threatened the Greek colonies. Julius Caesar in 44 BC, shortly before his death, planned an expedition to Dacia, but soon after this Burebista was killed and the Dacians split into four or five separate entities. Augustus, who made the Danube the border of the Roman Empire, forced the Dacians to accept Roman supremacy, but the emperors who ruled after him were unable to effectively control the area on the other side of the river. The Dacians became a serious problem when they reunited under the active king Decebalus. After campaigns of varying success (major complications arose, in particular, in connection with the retreat of the Roman allies to the west of Dacia), Emperor Domitian (reigned 81–96 AD) was content with concluding peace with Decebalus. Trajan (reigned 98–117) annulled the peace treaty and invaded Dacia. As a result of two bloody wars (101–102 and 105–106), he turned it into a Roman province (these wars are immortalized in images on Trajan's Column in Rome).

Roman Dacia, like a bastion, jutted out into the plains, controlling the peoples on both sides. At the same time, it was vulnerable to invasions from the north and through the easily accessible passes of the eastern Carpathians. The movements of tribes in Central Europe, which culminated in the wars undertaken by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161–180) against the Germanic tribe of the Marcomanni, naturally affected Dacia. Uncertainty grew, and this Roman province did not survive the chaos that reigned in the empire in the middle of the 3rd century. The last step was taken by Emperor Aurelian, c. 270 ordered the evacuation of the province. To preserve the name "Dakia", two provinces were created south of the Danube (in the north-west of modern Bulgaria) - Dacia Coastal and Dacia Inland.

When Trajan annexed Dacia, he moved new inhabitants here from many other regions, settling with them, in particular, the cities of Sarmizegetusa and Apulum. Subsequently, other cities were founded here, so that Dacia followed the usual patterns of a highly developed imperial civilization.

DUCKY
branch of the Thracian people. The central area of ​​Dacian settlement was a plateau bearing the historical name of Transylvania (modern central Romania), bounded on the south and east by the chain of the Carpathian Mountains, but the Dacian tribes also spread far to the northwest, into modern Hungary and Slovakia, and to the east. During the La Tène period (the late Celtic Iron Age, just before the arrival of the Romans) a rich culture flourished in Transylvania, partly based on the nomadic pastoral culture of the Scythians of the northern Black Sea region, but also owing its origin to the strong and lasting influence of the Celts, whose migrations covered such vast areas in 4 and 3rd centuries. BC. The lands were suitable for both agriculture and cattle breeding, grapes grew well here, and the mountains abounded in minerals. Roman Dacia, like a bastion, jutted out into the plains, controlling the peoples on both sides. At the same time, it was vulnerable to invasions from the north and through the easily accessible passes of the eastern Carpathians. The movements of tribes in Central Europe, which culminated in the wars undertaken by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) against the Germanic tribe of the Marcomanni, naturally affected Dacia. Uncertainty grew, and this Roman province did not survive the chaos that reigned in the empire in the middle of the 3rd century. The last step was taken by Emperor Aurelian, c. 270 ordered the evacuation of the province. To preserve the name "Dakia", two provinces were created south of the Danube (in the north-west of modern Bulgaria) - Dacia Coastal and Dacia Inland. When Trajan annexed Dacia, he moved new inhabitants here from many other regions, settling with them, in particular, the cities of Sarmizegetusa and Apulum. Subsequently, other cities were founded here, so that Dacia followed the usual patterns of a highly developed imperial civilization.

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

See what "DAKI" is in other dictionaries:

A group of Thracian tribes that occupied the territory north of the Danube to the Carpathian Mountains. Dacians have been known to the Greeks since the 5th century. BC. The Dacians traded with Greek cities from the 1st century. BC with Italian merchants. In the middle of the 1st century. Dacians and Getae united under... Historical Dictionary

In ancient times, North Thracian tribes settled north of the Danube to the spurs of the Carpathians. Under Decebalus, despite the desperate resistance of the Dacians in 89, 101,102, 105,106, the territory of their settlement was conquered by the Romans and turned into a province. Dacia... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Exist., number of synonyms: 1 people (200) Dictionary of synonyms ASIS. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

The request for "Ducky" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Dacian state during the reign of Burebista, 82 BC. e. Daki (lat. Daci) group ... Wikipedia

Duckies- a group of Thracian tribes that occupied the territory north of the Danube to the Carpathian Mountains. The Dacians have been known to the Greeks since the 5th century. BC. The Dacians traded with Greek cities from the 1st century. BC. with Italian merchants. In the middle of the 1st century. Dacians and Getae united under... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary "World History"

Ov; pl. Ancient North Thracian tribes who settled north of the Danube to the spurs of the Carpathians; representatives of these tribes. ◁ Daksky, oh, oh. D e burial. * * * Dacians in ancient times were North Thracian tribes that settled north of the Danube to ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Latin Daci) a group of North Thracian tribes. They occupied, according to the testimony of ancient authors (Strabo, Caesar, Pliny the Elder, etc.), territories to the north from the Danube to the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains, that is, mainly the territory of modern... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (lat. Daci) a group of Thracian tribes that occupied the territory. to the north from the Danube to the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains. Known to the Greeks already in the 5th century. BC e., from the 1st century. BC e. directly The Romans came into contact with D. D.'s society was highly developed, although, according to... ... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Ducky- (lat. Daci) a group of Thracian tribes that occupied the territory of modern. Hungary and Romania. Their first trade relations with the Greeks were established in the 5th century. BC, and with the Romans in the 1st century. BC. The villages reached their greatest prosperity under King Decebalus (87,106... ... Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book.

Duckies- yes, ov... Russian spelling dictionary

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The poems of Homer (8th century BC) mention the Thracians who lived in the territories of the Balkan Peninsula and also in the territories of present-day Romania. The ancient historian Herodotus wrote that the Thracians were the most numerous in the world, after the Indians, and that they could have become the greatest power in the world if they had not been so scattered.

In the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula lived the Odrysians, Tribals and Geto-Dacians. The Getae settled on both banks of the Danube. The Getae, in turn, were divided into different tribes: Dacians, Carps, Costoboci... The most numerous were the Dacians. According to Strabo, the Dacians were called “daoi” from the singular form “daos”. And this name comes from the Phrygian word for “wolf”.

The Dacian war flag had a wolf's head and a snake's body.

In 335 BC, after a military conflict between the Getae and Alexander the Great, the Getae recognized the power of the Macedonian Kingdom. But after the death of Alexander the Great and the collapse of his empire, in 292 BC. The king of the Getae, Dromihete, defeated the Macedonian general Lysimachus and reasserted his power.

Even before in the 7th century BC. Greek colony-polises appear on the western shore of the Black Sea. It is in Greek documents that some kings of the Getae are mentioned, for example Zalmodegiksos, the leader of the Getae in the north of Dobrudja in the 3rd century BC. or Remax, who rules the territory of the future Wallachia.

Rise of the Dacian Kingdom under the leadership of Burebista

It is assumed that Burebista led the Dacians in 82 BC. and that Burebista was a contemporary of Caesar. The historian Strabo wrote that Burebista united the Geto-Dacians, established order and discipline, created a strong power, winning over neighboring peoples.

Strabo's stories emphasize that in order to restore order in the country, Burebista even ordered the Dacians to cut down their vineyards and give up wine. A very important role during the reign of Burebista was played by the chief priest of the Dacians, Deceneu, thanks to whose reforms it was possible to concentrate political and religious power in the hands of the king , unite the Dacians.

Then it is assumed that the capital of the Dacians, Sarmizezhetuza, was built near the city of Orastie.

Burebista destroyed and drove out the Celts. He made a campaign against Thrace, reaching Macedonia, and subjugated the Greek cities on the western coast of the Black Sea.

The Dacian kingdom under the leadership of Burebista extended from the Middle Danube to the Black Sea, from the Northern Carpathians to the Balkan Mountains.

According to Strabo, Burebista could gather an army of 200 thousand soldiers. Burebista intervened in the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey, for which Caesar decided to punish him and was preparing a large campaign against the Dacians. But the assassination of Caesar (44 BC) prevented this.

Burebista suffered the same fate, he was overthrown and killed and his powerful kingdom fell into 5 parts.

Dacians under the leadership of Decebalus. Daco-Roman Wars.

Despite the collapse of the Burebista kingdom, the Dacians continued to threaten the Roman Empire.

Periodically, the Dacians attacked the southern possessions of the Roman Empire. During the time of Emperor Augustus, the left bank of the Danube was occupied by the Romans, the Romans formed the province of Moesia and peace was established for some time.

This peace did not last long. In 85 BC. The Dacians made a devastating escape to Moesia.

The Dacians at that time were ruled by an experienced and talented commander. He enjoyed great respect among his subjects and allies, and during his reign the Dacian kingdom, although already much smaller in area than Dacia Burebista, again became a powerful state.

Herodotus wrote about the Dacians “...they consider themselves immortal. According to their faith, they do not die, but go after death to Zalmoxis, their god.” The Dacians died smiling, rejoicing in death. Thanks to these beliefs, the Dacians were a warlike and brave people.

The Roman Emperor Domitian took decisive military measures. Trying to punish a dangerous neighbor, he sends an expedition of General Cornelius Fuscus, but he suffered a decisive defeat, dying in this battle. The next campaign under the leadership of Tetius Julian was more successful, but still the result was unsatisfactory for the Romans and the Roman Empire was forced to conclude a rather unfavorable peace with the Dacians. Although Decebalus officially admitted defeat, he was proclaimed a “friendly king” and managed to receive many benefits from this peace treaty.

The next Roman emperor is young and ambitious Trajan, decided to cancel this shameful treaty and in 101 AD. begins a great campaign against the Dacians. The reasons for the new conflict are different: the continuing growth of the power of the Dacian state, the wealth of the Dacians, the economic situation in the Roman Empire...

After difficult battles, Decebalus was forced to admit defeat and capitulate to the Romans. The capital of the Dacians, Sarmizezhdetuza, comes under the administration of the Romans. Deceblus remains nominally king, subordinate to Rome, and the Dacians lose most of their territory, in which the Roman legions remain.

It is not difficult to guess that the proud Dacians could not come to terms with this situation. In 105 AD. The second Daco-Roman war took place. The Dacian resistance was finally broken, and Decebalus, in order to avoid being captured in shame, committed suicide.

Roman province of Dacia.

After the victory, the Romans turned the occupied lands into a Roman province. During the time of Trajan, 3 Roman legions were permanently stationed in Dacia. Cities and settlements were founded with an organizational form similar to that of Rome. Numerous Roman colonists from other parts of the empire came to Dacia. After the completion of the service, the Romans and their families remained to live here, receiving free land. In Romanian, the word batran (old) comes from the word veteranus - veteran.

The process of Romanization of the Dacians is a controversial issue and has caused more and more debate among historians in recent years.

But gradually Dacia loses its strategic importance and in 271 AD. Emperor Aurelian withdrew the administration and legions from Dacia. But the vast majority of the colonists remain here, although certainly compared to other territories of the Roman Empire, Dacia felt a regression.

The influence of the Romans on these lands was constant. Under the leadership of Emperor Constantine, the Roman Empire again turned its attention to Dacia; in 332, on the plains of Muntenia, the Romans defeated the Visigoth tribes and established a stable socio-political situation in the region.

In the 5th century - 6th century, the migration of peoples began; on the territory of present-day Romania, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Huns, Gepids, Slavs, Avars passed in turn. Some stability in that era existed only in the south, in Dobrudja, which, until the 7th century, continued to be Roman- Byzantine province.

Part of Transylvania was part of the Avar Kaganate; Slavic tribes settled east of the Carpathians, which gradually penetrated into Transylvania, with the consent of the Avar.

In the 8th-9th centuries, some parts of Muntenia became part of the first Bulgarian kingdom. In this way, they tried to control the “path of salt”, not related to the salt mines of Slanik Prahov.

Romanian language

The Latin-speaking population continued to persist in the region, despite numerous raids, wars and destruction, leading to its reduction, displacement and the flight of many people to safer places.

Throughout the existence of the listedIn the provinces, Latin was not only the official language, but became native to the majority of the population. It owes such wide distribution to Romanization and the mixing of indigenous people and newcomers who, not being Romans, had different levels of language proficiency. A living language, folk (vulgar) Latin, became the spoken language for ordinary people in the Danube provinces. Of course, the presence of the Slavs and other peoples, as well as from the Latin West, could not but influence the formation of the Romanian language. You can say the Romanian language is the heir of the Eastern Romance world.

It should be noted that so far this theory was supported by the majority of Romanian historians and linguists, however, in recent years there have been heated discussions in the world of historians, some of them provide quite a lot of arguments that the language of the Dacians (Thracians) was Latin and that the founders of Rome were Thracians.

“So, as we have already shown, the speakers of the lingua Romana in the Balkan zone were called Romani. It is likely that this name at some point spread to the entire territory of the Eastern “Romania”, whether we are talking about the “Ancient” or the “New”. The word “Roman” (Romanus), turning into “Romanian”, became a single ethnonym for the inhabitants of Romanesque communities in the Carpathians and on both banks of the Danube. This most likely happened in the 8th–9th centuries. simultaneously with linguistic changes that led to the transformation of the Romance language into Romanian. The neighbors of the Romanians used another name - “vlah” and its variants “volokh”, “blak”. This term was first used by Germanic and then Slavic tribes to designate Romance peoples. It was this name that was used by Byzantine historians who wrote about the Romanesque population of the Balkans from the 10th to 11th centuries. »

(History of Romania, Ioan Bolovan, 2004)

Thracian people, related. Getam. From 7th to 4th century. BC e. D. were under the influence of the Scythian nomads, and from the 3rd to the 2nd century. BC e. - Celts. In the 1st century BC e. under Burebista, D. were united, their influence spread to other countries (for example, the victory over the Boii).

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DACO

Dacko), David (b. 24.III.1930) - state. activist in Central Africa Republic. Genus. in Ubangi-Shari. Graduated from pedagogy. school in Muyonji (former French Congo). He worked as a teacher, then as a director. schools in Bangui. Actively participated in prof. movement of teachers (section "Force uvrier"). Since 1957 - a prominent figure in the party "Movement for the Social Emancipation of Black Africa". He held a position in the Government. Council of Ubangi-Shari minister posts. farming, livestock farming, water and forestry farming (1957-1958), Minister of State Affairs. services (Aug. - Dec. 1958). After the formation of Central Africa. Republic (CAR) on Dec. 1958 served as min. internal affairs, economics and trade (1958-59). After the death of Boganda (March 1959), D. replaced him as prime minister. After the declaration of independence of the Central African Republic from Aug. 1960 - President of the Republic, previous pr-va and the Minister of Defense. From June 1960 - prev. Party "Movement of Social Evolution of Black Africa".

Free Dacia flourished during the reign of Burebista. Historians agree that he was a contemporary of Gaius Julius Caesar. “Having stood at the head of his people, Burebista so contributed to strengthening their spirit, introducing all kinds of exercises, teaching them to abstain from drinking wine and obeying orders, that within a few years he created a huge power, subjugating most of the neighboring peoples,” Strabo wrote with surprise. “Even the Romans began to fear him, because he, having boldly crossed the Danube and plundered Thrace all the way to Macedonia and Illyria, devastated the possessions of the Celts.”

Surprisingly: the Dacians agreed to cut down the vineyards and live without wine! Apparently, this decision was a reaction to the unbridled cult of Dionysus, widespread in the Mediterranean. Its basis was the excessive consumption of wine in combination with ivy leaves, which have psychotropic properties. Burebista carried out all measures to strengthen the state with the help of the high priest Dekenei, with whom he shared power. Having spent a long time in Egypt, Dekenei learned to interpret the will of the gods and prophecies. He created a caste of priests in Dacia, raised the magical authority of the deity responsible for the sovereignty of the country, created an official religion and made it an instrument of state ideology. Today we know practically nothing about the beliefs of the Dacians, although archaeologists have found numerous traces of their sanctuaries - sites where animals were sacrificed. Ritual objects for magic spells were also discovered.

From written sources it is known that Burebista between 35 and 48 AD. subjugated many Greek cities. After all his campaigns, Dacia's possessions extended from the Middle Danube in the west to the western coast of the Black Sea and from the northern Carpathians to the Balkan Mountains. According to Strabo, the king could field an army of 200 thousand people and even intervened in the civil war between Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey, siding with the latter. Pompey was defeated, and Caesar planned a great war against Dacia. It did not take place due to the assassination of the Roman emperor in 44 AD.

Shortly afterwards, Burebista was overthrown in a rebellion. After his death, power briefly passed to Decenaeus, after which Dacia split into several parts. Evidence of those times are the remains of fortified settlements in the Siret River valley, Dobruja, Transylvania, Muntenia and Western Moldova.

In the era of Burebista, the Dacians first declared themselves, and this became entrenched in the minds of the peoples of the Mediterranean. From then on, Dacia increasingly became the focus of Roman foreign policy. However, it was mentioned in written sources only during periods of war, which is why there are huge gaps in the knowledge about Dacia during the period of its independence. The names of many kings have not reached us for the simple reason that they did not fight with Rome. The Dacians did not have a written language, and they did not keep chronicles.

Dacia as part of the Roman Empire. Nowadays its central territory is located within Romania, the peripheral regions are part of Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

PUNITIVE EXPEDITIONS OF ROME

The military campaign against Dacia, postponed due to the death of Caesar, took place under the Emperor Octavian, led by the famous Roman commander Crassus. For the Romans, Dacia acquired particular importance due to the gold mines in the mountains of Transylvania. Emperor Augustus decided to finally conquer it. During the war of 11-12, the Dacians were scattered, and their fortifications on the left bank of the Danube were burned.

After the Romans built fortresses on the right bank of the Danube and settled colonists there (a “safe space” policy), the number of Dacian raids decreased sharply. However, after the death of Emperor Nero, war broke out throughout Italy. The Dacian invasion of the Roman province of Moesia strengthened Rome's decision to deal with Dacia, which seriously threatened the security of Roman possessions.

Despite the wars, Dacia's economic relations with Rome constantly developed, and the country integrated into the Mediterranean economy. The Dacian kings began to copy Roman denarii; about 30 thousand such coins were found - much more than in other regions neighboring the Roman Empire. In the places of Dacian settlements, numerous items of Roman import were discovered - weapons, military equipment, dishes.

The Dacians lived in settlements of several households, located along the banks of rivers, on hills and in the mountains and fortified with earthen ramparts and wooden walls. Fortresses were built, the remains of which were found, for example, in Maramures. The most impressive fortifications were found around Sarmezegetus regio - the first capital of Dacia and its religious center. It was a completely Mediterranean city at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level, the approaches to it were blocked by fortresses, there were many workshops of artisans and there was even a water supply.

The “safe space” strategy has not worked. Under Vespasian, Rome began to change its policy towards Dacia. The imperial army was concentrated on the demarcation line along the Danube. The most important events were the campaigns against the Dacian kingdom of Decebalus in Transylvania. However, the latter proved himself to be a talented military leader, and the most rational solution was to turn him into a friendly king, which was done by the treaty between Rome and Dacia of 89.

Why a new conflict broke out between Dacia and Rome under Emperor Trajan is not known for certain. In written sources one can find vague references to the growth of the power of the Dacians, which began to exceed the limits acceptable for a dependent country, to the threat of creating a powerful coalition of barbarians against Rome, to Trajan’s desire to achieve the glory of Alexander the Great.

DECEBALUS, ENEMY OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE

Evidence of Trajan's two wars with the Dacians has been preserved. These are fragments of Trajan's Column in Rome and the writings of Dio Cassius.

Presumably the first campaign began in the spring of 101 and was marked by the siege of the Dacian mountain fortresses by the Romans. The second campaign began after Decebalus left his mountain residence and attacked the Romans, crossing the Carpathians and the Danube. Trajan hastened to repel the attack of the Dacians and their allies - barbarian tribes who were advancing from the territory of modern Moldova. Historians consider the armored horsemen of the Roxolans, a tribe that lived between the Prut and the Dniester, to be the most formidable in the anti-Roman coalition. Having suffered heavy losses, Trajan defeated the barbarian coalition near Nicopolis. An altar was erected in memory of the death of three thousand Roman soldiers.

In the spring of 103, the third campaign began. The sister of Decebalus was captured - the wife of the leader of a tribe who lived in the north of Moldova, an important ally of Dacia. The Romans established control over the main routes leading through the mountains from Transylvania to the Danube. Military camps were created at important crossings and passes. (Fragments of tiles with the marks of Roman legions were found in the south of Moldova). Soon Trajan captured the fortified heights on the approaches to Sarmizegetus regio.

Decebalus lost hope of stopping the advance of the Roman legions and began peace negotiations. In the end, Cassius Dio reports, the Dacian king appeared before Trajan, throwing away his weapons, kneeling, and admitted defeat. Apparently, Trajan did not want the destruction of Dacia, since he did not capture or kill Decebalus. Apparently, this was explained by the desire to use the authority of the king against the leaders of the barbarian tribes.

Trajan's Column in Rome

TRAJAN OF DACIAN

At the end of the third campaign, Trajan celebrated a triumph in Rome and received the title of Dacian in 102. The altar and sanctuary in honor of the goddess Victoria were erected, as historians suggest, near the town of Tapy, near the mountain pass leading from Banat to Transylvania. However, no traces of Roman-era settlements have been found at this site. According to another version, the altar should be looked for closer to Sarmizegetus-regia.

The Romans eventually conquered Banat, southwestern Transylvania, including the fortified mountainous region around Sarmisegetusa, and western Oltenia. The east of Oltenia, Muntenia, the south of Moldova and the extreme southeast of Transylvania, which were not part of Dacia, came under the control of the governor of the Roman province of South Moesia. The areas between the Danube and the middle reaches of Mures were also occupied by the Romans.

UNDER THE OPRESS OF OCCUPANTS

From now on, under the rule of Decebalus was the Dacian kingdom, dependent on Rome, whose territory, significantly reduced, covered Central and Northwestern Transylvania. The military power of Decebalus was greatly undermined, and most importantly, he was cut off from his allies, the leaders of the North Danube barbarian tribes. The threat of creating a broad anti-Roman front had passed. The Dacian king surrendered his weapons, siege engines and military masters, razed the fortresses, left his residence in Sarmizegetus, and abandoned his own foreign policy. It is believed that the reliefs of Trajan's Column represent the last great siege of Sermisegetusa Regia during the second campaign. After this, the capital under the same name was moved to another place. But this is just a hypothesis.

Decebalus could not come to terms with his new status, and the Roman Senate declared him an enemy of the Roman people for the second time. In 105, Trajan began a new campaign with the goal of seizing the kingdom and capturing the king. However, Decebalus managed to lure Gnaeus Pompey Longinus, the commander of the Roman troops north of the Danube, into a trap and capture him. Having become a bargaining chip in negotiations, Longinus committed suicide.

But in the end, the Romans apparently captured the second Sermisegetusa. Decebalus had no choice but to commit suicide. The famous inscription in Philippi (Greece) tells how Tiberius Claudius Maximus, who was pursuing the Dacian king, brought the head of Decebalus to Trajan.

TRAYANOVA DACIA

Thus, in 106, the Roman province of Dacia arose. It covered Banat, a large part of Transylvania and western Oltenia. Three legions were stationed here, the first governor was a veteran of the war with the Dacians, Julius Sabinus. The position of consul-governor of Dacia in the era of Trajan, like the position of governor of Syria and Britain, was considered the crowning achievement of the career of a Roman consul.

The new province underwent its first test in 116-117. When the Roman legions went to war with the Parthians, the barbarian tribes of the Iazyges invaded Dacia and demanded that the western territories of the province be given to them. At this moment, Emperor Trajan died, the throne passed to Hadrian. In 118, the war with the Iazyges was ended by Quintus Marcius Turbo, who became the new governor of Dacia. But the Iazyges, apparently, still received part of the Dacian lands.

The war showed that the buffer zone mission assigned to Dacia was ineffective. That is why Emperor Hadrian decided to withdraw the legions from the most vulnerable lowland territories - Muntenia and southern Moldova. The remaining areas of Trajan's Dacia were divided between two provinces. Dacia was redrawn for the second time already during the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

THEIR NAME IS LEGION

Immediately after the capture of Dacia, streams of colonists - immigrants from Italy and Illyria - rushed into it from all over the Roman Empire. Thrace, Germany, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt. These were mainly legionnaires, veterans of the war with Dacia.

Traces of 104 legion camps and auxiliary units, four thousand inscriptions from the Roman era, mostly in Latin, were found. Proof of the complete Romanization of the province is the fact that Roman names in the inscriptions account for 76 percent - more than in Rome. The first Roman settlement was named Sarmisegetusa in memory of the capital of the free Dacians.

The greatest flow of migration to Dacia occurred in 117-118. At this time, settlements of aliens called “peregrins” appeared on the conquered territory. These were mainly Celts who received Roman citizenship by marrying citizens. Subsequently, direct evidence of migration becomes less and less.

THE COUNTRY OF THE DACIANS WENT TO OBSESSION LIKE ATLANTIS

Historians believe that the Romans adopted the names of the rivers Mures, Somes, Cris, Tisa, and Olt from the Dacians. The Romanian words “gard”, “copil”, “brad”, “fasole”, “moş”, “brânză”, etc. are considered Dacian. But there is practically no information about the fate of this people after the Roman invasion, and this is one of the most mysterious mysteries of history. Roman sources do not record the indigenous population of Dacia at all. Archaeologically, no traces of him have been found either. There is quite a lot of evidence of indigenous populations living in other Roman provinces; we know a lot about the Gauls, Celts, Germans and other tribes - but we know nothing about the Dacians. On the territory of Dacia and in neighboring areas, only references have been found to individual people who claim to be Dacians by birth, but they could simply come from Dacia without being ethnic Dacians.

Not a single intact Dacian settlement survived before the Roman invasion; all of them were destroyed. There is not a single case known when a Roman settlement was built on the site of a Dacian one, as was the case, say, in Gaul. Sarmizegetusa-regia turned out to be the only settlement of the pre-Roman era that retained its name, known from written sources, which was identified during excavations.

The gods of the Dacians did not find a place in the hospitable Roman pantheon, as happened with the gods of other conquered tribes. On the territory of Dacia, during excavations, traces of Celtic, Egyptian, Syrian cults are found, but there are no traces of the Dacian religion. And, what is most strange, there are no traces of burials of the indigenous population - neither the pre-Roman era, nor the provincial era!

What is the reason for the strange situation of the complete destruction of local specificity against the background of the obvious sympathy of the Romans for the conquered Dacians (which is clear from the writings of Latin writers)? Why did the population of an entire country disappear without a trace in broad daylight? There is no satisfactory explanation for this. Dacia, together with the Dacians, sank into oblivion like Atlantis. Will this secret ever be revealed?

Some historians believe that after the wars with Trajan, the human resources of the Dacians were depleted, men died in the war or fled, women and children were captured. Others argue that the indigenous population may have been forcibly removed, but this is unlikely. Other hypotheses also have no documentary basis.

R Uman scientists point out that by the time of the conquest, the Dacians, unlike other tribes, had already passed the stage of the tribal system; they had a state, but did not have an aristocracy that owned land. The land was apparently in the king's possession, and after the invasion the Romans easily drove the landless Dacians out of economic life. But why did the indigenous population not join the ethnically diverse urban and rural communities founded by the colonists?

Some probably collaborated with the occupiers, joined the Roman army and lost their identity completely. A contemporary of the events, Dio Cassius, claimed that many Dacians went over to Trajan’s side. Presumably the Dacian was Publius Aelius Dacian, decurion of Napoca, the first settlement of the province mentioned in documents as a city. There are no traces of indigenous people in this place.

In total, 11 cities of Roman Dacia are known. There is no evidence as to whether Romanization in these places was forced or natural, but sources indicate that it was much more widespread and rapid than in other provinces. As a result, Dacia turned out to be the most Romanized, although it was one of the last to become part of Rome. Latin here did not experience serious competition from other languages ​​and soon became native to the vast majority. By comparison, in Britain the population retained its spiritual values ​​and language during the first two centuries of Roman rule.

HOW THE DACIC HERITAGE WAS DIVIDED

Rome's political and military crisis reached its climax in the second half of the third century AD. The provinces were in decline, Dacia's financial situation was dire, and panic rumors spread in an atmosphere of instability. Officially, the Romans abandoned Dacia under the Emperor Aurelian, who in 270-275 abandoned the province to its fate and transferred Roman colonists across the Danube to the middle parts of the province of Moesia, forming the province of Dacia Aureliana. Emperor Diocletian in 285 formed two new provinces from it: Dacia ripensis (“Coastal Dacia”) and Dacia mediterranea (“Inland Dacia”).

Almost nothing is known about the life of Dacia after the departure of the Romans, although, for example, in Britain there is a lot of evidence of the period of the fall of the empire and the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons. Before the onset of the Middle Ages, there was no mention of this territory and its population in written sources. It can be assumed that society was going through a period of disorganization, cities disintegrated, and people lived isolated in villages. In the 6th-10th centuries, Romance-speaking Vlachs came into intensive contact with migrating Slavic tribes, and after the 12th century, the core of Romance-speaking Dacia, Transylvania, was conquered by the Hungarians for a long time.

The problem of continuity seems insoluble, although historians cannot come to terms with it. In the Middle Ages, the largest part of Roman Dacia (Transylvania and Banat) became part of Hungary. After the disappearance of the kingdom and a short period of autonomy, the Principality of Transylvania became a province of the Habsburg Empire, transformed into XIX century into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

Romanian historians believe that during all these centuries the majority of the population of Transylvania were Romanians. The study of Dacia's past and the recognition of the Latin basis of the Romanian language led to the birth of the intellectual movement of Transylvanian Romanians, which culminated in the memorandum " Supplex Libellus Valachorum " The authors demanded that the Romanians be given political and civil rights, arguing that the ancient population of Transylvania was unfairly deprived of equal rights with those who came to this territory later - the Magyar nobility, the Saxons and the Székelys.

The controversy about the continuity between the Dacians and Romanians of Transylvania flared up in a raised voice. The formation of the Romanian state took her even further. The struggle for the unification of Trnasylvania and Banat with Romania began. The debate in Romanian and Hungarian historiography continued throughout the twentieth century. Even in communist Hungary, there was complete rejection of the fact of the reunification of various areas within the borders of the Romanian state. During the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu, disputes took on extreme forms. The consequences of this are still felt at the level of everyday consciousness.

The most ancient reliefs depict only one horseman, the later ones - two horsemen on either side of the goddess, whose main symbolic attribute is a fish. There are other symbols surrounded by horsemen - the Moon, the Sun, stars, images of animals and birds. According to one version, the Dacian horsemen descend from the Dioscuri (in Greek mythology - the sons of Zeus, twins), and according to another - from the Cabiri (ancient Greek gods of fire and light, who delivered from danger). None of the hypotheses are reliable.

Greek historian Strabo (left) spoke about Decebalus's "anti-alcohol campaign". He called the Dacians Getae. On the right is a Dacian horseman.

There are few inscriptions on the images, they are short and often cannot be deciphered, and therefore the myth of the Dacian horsemen is unknown. But it can be assumed that it was based on the mystical beliefs of the Dacians. It is believed that the two horsemen and the goddess served to communicate between the cosmic levels (heaven, earth and underworld).

Scientists believe that in the mysteries of the Dacian horsemen there were three levels of initiation: Aries (ram), Miles (warrior) and Leo (lion). The first two were under the influence of Mars, and the highest was under the influence of the Sun. The level of those who passed initiation was determined using tokens and seals. The sacrifice of a ram probably played an important role in the Mysteries.

The ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentions a certain supreme deity of the Dacians named Zalmoxis (or Zamolxis), to whom the Dacians went after death. There are also references to Gebeleisis, the thunder god, whom Herodotus identified with Zalmoxis. Perhaps the cults of the two gods simply merged. Zalmoxis was also mentioned by Socrates, Plato and Strabo. Mythologies of the Dacians The Romanian historian of religions Mircea Eliade, who published Journal of Religious Studies "Zalmoxis". We also note that in the Republic of Moldova, a film about the Dacians “Wolves and Gods” was shot with budget money.