Dacian Falx

[diegis]

I value the opinions of our Romanian colleagues, who (imho) know the material better than the rest of us. If I recall correctly, Richmond suggested Bastarnae, not on the basis of any evidence from the metopes, but because a character with a Suebic knot appears on the crenellation frieze of the Trajanic monument.

Yes, the suebic knot is the only sure indication of who is who there. And for disperation of fellow forumist Paullus, just very few of the "falx" wielders have that hair knot

In fact, I find the theory of Alexander Simon Stefan (Les guerres dacique de Domitien et de Trajan, 2005) quite persuasive, that Adamklissi commemorates the crushing of the Dacian counteroffensive of winter 101/102, depicted on Trajan's Column Scene 38 (Cichorius, Taf. 29: Casts 95-98).

This is correct. Trajan rush with a part of his army from Dacia to reppel the counteratack of Dacians and their Sarmatians allies. There are couple important battles in Moesia, last one being the one from Adamclisi. Interesting, none of Paullus Bastarnae apear on the battle scenes from the Column as far as i know, and National Museum History here (where a copy of Traian Column is held) give the Buri as Dacian allies, not Bastarnae