11-10-2012, 01:38 AM
Nobody could deny that the Dacians presented a formidable challenge in the later 1st to early 2nd centuries - the wars of 85-88, 101-103 and 105-106 were hard-fought imperial expeditions. During this period, therefore, they could be called Rome's greatest foreign enemy (although the Jews were arguably more troublesome, with three wars under Nero-Vespasian, Trajan and Hadrian - the first and last very hard and costly conflicts indeed).
However, once Trajan had conquered their country the Dacians themselves ceased to be much of a threat, unlike many other peoples before and since. Juvenal, writing under Hadrian, mentions the Moors and the Brigantes as the most prominent adversaries of Rome - both inhabitants of territories supposedly conquered by Rome in the first century!
We've discussed the composition of Trajan's army before (here, for example) - as you know, Razvan, I don't agree that it was the largest ever mustered by Rome, by any means! Trajan's column has given a perhaps undue prominence to the campaign - it was important in its day, but hardly the life and death struggle that the later barbarian wars of Marcus Aurelius and the third century emperors surely were.
As for tribute - many 'barbarian' peoples were paid by Rome at one time or another. Caches of Roman silver have turned up in southern Scotland, and Dio mentions silver payments to the Caledonians to keep them quiet. This doesn't so much reflect the awesomeness of the barbarians themselves, just that the Romans found it cheaper at that time to pay them than to fight them!
Possible Dacian influence in Gothic origins is a controversial subject debated often here before, I believe...
That would depend which one you mean, I think. Domitian initially went to the Danube in 85, after Dacian raids had ravaged Moesia and killed the governor. He soon declared the war over and returned to Rome, leaving it to the Praetorian Praefect Cornelius Fuscus to lead a punitive expedition into Dacia itself the following year. This doesn't seem to have been an attempt at conquest. Fuscus's planning was perhaps not that great, and he was defeated at Tapae.
Tettius Julianus' campaign in 88, on the other hand, was planned for over a year, and was victorious. Julianus didn't take Sarmezigetusa, as Decebalus came to terms - but as the emperor wasn't leading in person it's doubtful that he would have expected to conquer the whole country anyway, just inflict a humbling defeat. Reputedly, Domitian could be a bit 'short' with overmighty generals...
However, once Trajan had conquered their country the Dacians themselves ceased to be much of a threat, unlike many other peoples before and since. Juvenal, writing under Hadrian, mentions the Moors and the Brigantes as the most prominent adversaries of Rome - both inhabitants of territories supposedly conquered by Rome in the first century!
We've discussed the composition of Trajan's army before (here, for example) - as you know, Razvan, I don't agree that it was the largest ever mustered by Rome, by any means! Trajan's column has given a perhaps undue prominence to the campaign - it was important in its day, but hardly the life and death struggle that the later barbarian wars of Marcus Aurelius and the third century emperors surely were.
As for tribute - many 'barbarian' peoples were paid by Rome at one time or another. Caches of Roman silver have turned up in southern Scotland, and Dio mentions silver payments to the Caledonians to keep them quiet. This doesn't so much reflect the awesomeness of the barbarians themselves, just that the Romans found it cheaper at that time to pay them than to fight them!
Possible Dacian influence in Gothic origins is a controversial subject debated often here before, I believe...
Quote:Domitian's Dacian war was also carefully planned, yet was still met with disaster.
That would depend which one you mean, I think. Domitian initially went to the Danube in 85, after Dacian raids had ravaged Moesia and killed the governor. He soon declared the war over and returned to Rome, leaving it to the Praetorian Praefect Cornelius Fuscus to lead a punitive expedition into Dacia itself the following year. This doesn't seem to have been an attempt at conquest. Fuscus's planning was perhaps not that great, and he was defeated at Tapae.
Tettius Julianus' campaign in 88, on the other hand, was planned for over a year, and was victorious. Julianus didn't take Sarmezigetusa, as Decebalus came to terms - but as the emperor wasn't leading in person it's doubtful that he would have expected to conquer the whole country anyway, just inflict a humbling defeat. Reputedly, Domitian could be a bit 'short' with overmighty generals...
Nathan Ross
