Dacian Wars of Emperor Traian

 The causes of wars between the Dacians and Romans 

     Studying the causes of these wars may seem superfluous, given the perpetual conflict for centuries, the Romans and Danubian populations. However, none of the earlier confrontations had magnitude of Trajan’s Dacian Wars and had to – or a goal so clearly defined – such as that of Trajan: to transform the Romanian Dacia province. 
     Trying to unravel the causes of these wars, is right to give first word of the old, unfortunately, know only the opinion of the conquerors, even these two sources exceeding a century between them. 
     Thus, referring to the man’s lack of Domitian, Pliny the Younger says about the Gauls: “So they got courage, have shaken off the yoke and not fight with us for their freedom, but for our obedience and not ended even a truce than on an equal footing and that they receive our conditions, we first had to receive theirs. “Of course, the Roman author exaggerates much to assert that war with the Dacians annexation intentions. 
     The fact that Decebal, diplomatic skills, know how to turn fate victory in its favor and use Roman aid to strengthen his rule, angered Trajan. ”Because, if a barbarian king came up in there with impudence and folly was, that you deserve your wrath and indignation,” wrote Pliny the Younger. 
More moderate and more lucid, Cassius Dio writes of Trajan: “ponder those committed by him and was overwhelmed when thinking about sums of money to be paid every year.” 
Result from these texts that the primary cause of concern was the growing power of the Dacians. Empire will experience a serious of this powerful neighbor on its eastern boundaries: United Party, which constantly threatened the Roman possessions in the East. 
The other reason cited by ancient history – the annual monies paid as subsidies-can be assessed with fairness, given the impossibility of assessing the amount. One can believe that payment of these subsidies by various barbarian princes is a considerable financial burden, why not once Roman emperors have done to reduce them. 
     Without doubt, they were serious reasons, and they were hanging in balance than in imperial propaganda around the Dacian problem. However, both Augustus and, later, Domitian and realized the difficulty of conquest, but especially to maintain a new province, is known only as Hadrian, until the throne, was determined to leave. It seems that Trajan himself hesitated in making a decision, the more so as the opposition faced and Senate. 
     Reasons given by ancient authors were, if only they sufficient to justify the war. But the annexation of Dacia was in a measure as important, if not higher – the spoils of war and exploiting the riches of Dacia. 
To an extent, drew on the turn and personality king born military, one of the most senior commanders of armies that gave Rome. At least for the expedition against the Parthians, it is clear that Trajan wanted to imitate Alexander the Great, conqueror of the East. 
     As concerns the Decebal, he realized, of course, the change of orientation with the Romanian policy of Trajan’s accession to the throne. 

      
War 101-102 

     On March 25 101, Emperor Trajan left Rome and went to Moesia Superior, which is the start of military operations. 
Preparations were thorough and duraseră almost three years. To facilitate the concentration of herds and links with Pannonia, the king took the two works of art of great importance. On the right bank of the Danube, in Clisura Boilers, has a way to cut in the rock. Also, to facilitate the links on the river, prevented cataracts (thresholds) from Iron Gates, has to dig a canal along the right bank. 
In the war Romanian army was made up of the 4 legions of Pannonia, two in Moesia Superior, Moesia Inferior and three of several made by the Rhine, a total of 13-14 legions, numbering more than 70,000 people, to which he added a large number Auxiliary units and formations of the regular army but specific ethnic, recruited from among various peoples. Landing operations were supported by fleet Danube Classis Flavia Moesia, so the invasion force amounted to approx.150,000 people. Military units were put under the command of generals and officers are able and try on the battlefield and C. Julius Quadratus Bassus, future governor of Dacia, P. Aelius Hadrianus (future king), as well as a number of technicians gromaticul Balbus. 
      Dacian army was remarkable that only the force but many passed 50,000 people. As result of the Column, Decebal army was made up of a cavalry fighting with an infantry armed with bows and palo, swords, and the banner were famous dragon draco. 
Decebal tried to align the cause of anti-Roman and some neighboring nations such as Bastarnians and Sarmatians and the King II Pacorus parties. 

Deployment of War: 

Romanian Army marched into Dacia on a bridge, as shown in a scene on Trajan’s Column.Traian you reached the other side of war and the advice column under his command to cross the Banat Tibiscum. A second column of the Roman army marched into Dacia in Dierna (Orsova), has submitted the Cerna Valley and the Timis, meeting with the first column Tibiscum (Jupa, near Caransebes). It is possible that a third column to be entered on the Drobeta, and from there went on the mountain then climbing up to Valcan Sarmizegetusa.Patrunzand in Dacia the Romans built camps enhance land occupied, roads and bridges advancing without incident. Decebalus expect the Romans in a favorable place to give battle, Tapae. Between the Dacians and Romans struggle was terrific as is evident from the scene on Trajan’s Column. In front of the overwhelming Roman expeditionary force, Decebal decides to withdraw eagles nest in the mountains and cities resist stone walls. Meanwhile events take a new turn. In the winter of 101-102, Decebal tried to change the war, organizing a diversion: the Dacians Allied invasion Sarmatians, the Germanic Boer Roxolani and Dobrogea. 
They crossed the frozen Danube close to the walls of Roman fortifications whose walls trying to break the “rams”. The attack surprised the Roman garrisons invaders is the leek filling. 
Trajan himself embark on a boat, floating down the Danube and attacked him infrangandu the Dacians and their allies. The fight was terrible and lasted until nightfall and the place where the emperor Trajan took place based “Victory City” called Nicopolis ad Istrum. Decebal sent messengers, even before the defeat but negotiations failed. The fighting resumed, the Romanian Army are climbing mountains, taking hill after hill with great danger approaching such Dacian capital. Traian using a technique suitable for military siege and capture cities, execute a flanking operation south and south-east until the army arrived in front Sarmizegetusa. Following fighting between Dacian and Roman army led by Trajan is victorious Dacia was conquered but not zdrodita. 

           After victory, Decebal Traian accept the proposal of the peace, peace requires Dacians difficult conditions: 
                 -Decebal must cede all territories occupied by the Romans in the years 101 to 102 Banat, Tara Hategului, Oltenia, Muntenia, the 
                     south-eastern Transylvania, Moldavia, to the mouth of the river 
                      Nistru (Tyras); 
                       
      Decebal Traian-hand weapons and war machines that 
                    captured during the fighting and is obliged to extradite 
                    Romanian specialists and deserters; 
         
                  -Decebal required to accept fugitives south of the Danube and not 
                    Romanian military commitment. 

     That peace ended gave the possibility of the two leaders has begun to rebuild economic and military forces to some other machines. 
    Thus Trajan strengthened its military strength along the Danube and Roman Dacia, and between 103 to 105 raised by his Appolodor in Damascus, the stone bridge at Drobeta Roman fortifications and strengthens the Resca (Romula) and Upper Drajna , men, Capidava. 

      At the same time restore Decebal acropolis of Costesti, reinforce fortress of snow and Trascaului Sureanu, accepts new runagate Romania specialized in manufacturing war machines attacked iazygi, allies of Rome, which annexed the western Banat. 
          But care has to punish the leaders of the Dacian tribes who worshiped before Trajan peace since 102. 
    Another special care given to alliances with neighbors a hostile Germanic Roman Emperor and is seeking to attract as many allies in the south Delta.