The Moesian campaigns during Trajan’s first Dacian War (101-102 ad): the last expansionist attempt of the Dacian Stat

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/gladius.2018.05

Keywords:

Dacia, Trajan, Dacian Wars, Decebalus, Roxolani, Bastarnae, Troapeum Traiani, Danube, Black Sea, corona classica, Naval Warfare

Abstract


The operations carried out in Moesia Inferior in summer and autumn of 101 AD, during Trajan’s first Dacian War, supposed the last great display of the Dacian State’s expansionist ambitions over Danubian Europe and were about to tilt against Rome the balance of the conflict. The overwhelming defeat suffered by the Dacians and their allies at Trajan’s hands on Moesia Inferior sentenced the result of the war and indirectly sealed the fate of the Dacian kingdom. Throughout these pages we are going to tackle a detailed analysis of these operations, its scope and its strategic implications by means of a thorough revision of the literary, epigraphic and iconographic sources, combined with a proper knowledge of the conflict’s scenario, its characteristics and its impact over the course of the campaign.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alexandrescu-Vianu, M. (2006): «La propagande impériale aux frontières de l'Empire Romain: Tropaeum Traiani». Dacia, 50: 207-234.

Ardevan, R. y Zerbini, L. (2007): La Dacia romana . Catanzaro, Rubbettino.

Austin, N. J. E. y Rankov, B. (1995): Exploratio: Military and Political Intelligence in the Roman World . Londres, Routledge.

Batty, R. (2007): Rome and the Nomads: the Pontic-Danubian Realm in Antiquity . Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Bennett, J. (1997): Trajan, Optimus Princeps: a Life and Times. Londres, Routledge.

Blázquez Martínez, J. M. (2005): «Las res gestae de Trajano militar. Las guerras dácicas». Aquila Legionis, 6: 19-55.

Bounegru, O. y Zahariade, M. (1996): Les forces navales du Bas Danube et la Mer Noire aux Ier-VIe siècles . Oxford, Oxbow Books.

Brzezinski, R. y Mielczarek, M. (2002): The Sarmatians 600 BC – AD 450. Oxford, Osprey Publishing. PMCid:PMC1302443

Carbó García, J. R. (2007): «Esclavitud y diplomacia en la carta LXXIV de Plinio el Joven : ¿sumisión o resistencia?». SHHA, 25: 291-304.

Coulston, J. C. N. (1988): Trajan's Column: The Sculpting and Relief content of a Roman propaganda monument . Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle University Library.

Cri?an, I. H. (1978): Burebista and his Time . Bucarest, Bibliotheca Historica Romaniae.

D'Amato, R. (2009): Imperial Roman Naval Forces 31BC – AD 500 . Oxford, Osprey Publishing.

Daicoviciu, H. (1984): Portraits daciques . Bucarest, Editions Militaires.

Daicoviciu, H. y Trynkowski, J. (1970): «Les rois daces de Burébista à Décébale». Dacia, 14: 159-166.

Depeyrot, G. (2008): Légions romaines en campagne. La colonne Trajane. París, Errance.

Glodariu, I. (2000): «La zone de Sarmizegetusa Regia et les guerres de Trajan», SAA, VII: 363-376.

Henderson, B. W. (1968): Five Roman Emperors. Vespasian – Titus – Domitian – Nerva – Trajan A.D. 69-117 . Roma, L'Erma di Bretschneider.

Kagan, K. (2006): «Redefining Roman Grand Strategy». The Journal of Military History , 70 (2): 333-362. https://doi.org/10.1353/jmh.2006.0104

Lebedynsky, I. (2002): Les Sarmates. Amazones et lanciers cuirassés entre Oural et Danube VIIe siècle av. J.-C. - VIe siècle apr. J.-C. París, Errance.

Lebedynsky, I. (2010): Sarmates et Alains face à Rome, Ier-VIe siècles. París, Errance.

Lepper, F. y Frere, S. (1988): Trajan's Column. A new edition of the Cichorius plates. Introduction, Commentary and Notes . Gloucester, Alan Sutton.

MacKendrick, P. (1975): The Dacian Stones Speak . Chapell Hill, University of North Carolina Press.

Mangas, J. (2003): «Trajano y las fronteras del Imperio», J. González (coord.), Trajano, óptimo príncipe. De Itálica a la corte de los Césares . Sevilla, Fundación El Monte: 141-171.

Mattern, S. P. (1999): Rome and the Enemy. Imperial Strategy in the Principate . Berkeley-Londres, University of California Press.

Mattern, S. P. (2012): «Contrainsurgencia y los enemigos de Roma», V. D. Hanson (ed.), El arte de la guerra en el mundo antiguo. De las guerras persas a la caída de Roma. Barcelona, Crítica: 165-184.

Matyszak, P. (2005): Los enemigos de Roma . Madrid, Oberón. PMCid:PMC2834078

Mielczarek, M. (1999): The army of the Bosporan Kingdom. ?ód?, Oficyna Naukowa MS.

Oltean, R. (2015): Dacia. La conquista romana. Volumen I : Sarmizegetusa . Madrid, Desperta Ferro.

Opreanu, C. (2000): «The Consequences of the First Dacian-Rumanian War (101-102). A new Point of View», J. González (ed.), Trajano Emperador de Roma . Roma, Saggi di Storia Antica: 389-401.

Opreanu, C. (2006): «Bellum Dacicum Traiani». Dacia, 50: 115-120.

Pitassi, M. (2010): The Navies of Rome . Woodbridge, Boydell Press. PMid:20070147

Pogorzelski, R. (2012): Die Traianssäule in Rom. Dokumentation eines Krieges in Farbe . Mainz, Nünnerich- Asmus. PMCid:PMC3308995

Reddé, M. (1986): Mare Nostrum. Les infrastructures, le dispositive et l'histoire de la marine militaire sous l'Empire romain . Roma, École Française de Rome. https://doi.org/10.3406/befar.1986.1238

Richmond, I. A. (1982): Trajan's Army on Trajan's Column. Londres, Hassall.

Rodríguez González, J. (2003): Historia de las legiones romanas . Madrid: Almena.

Rossi, L. (1971): Trajan's Column and the Dacian Wars . Londres, Thames and Hudson.

Sarnowski, T. (2006): «The Phantom Squadron of the Ravennate Fleet on the Black Sea in the 1st Century AD». ZPE, 157: 256-260.

Soria Molina, D. (2014): «La expansión del Reino dacio bajo Burebista, siglo I a. C.». ETF , Serie II – Historia Antigua, 27: 137-152.

Soria Molina, D. (2016): Bellum Dacicum. Geopolítica, estrategia y conflicto en el Danubio bajo Domiciano y Trajano (85-106 d. C.) . Madrid-Salamanca, Signifer Libros.

Soria Molina, D. (2017): «Cuados, marcomanos y la confederación sueva en las guerras dácicas de Domiciano y Trajano». SHHA, 35: 95-117.

Soria Molina, D. (2018): «Dacia Deserta : Migraciones, deportaciones, despoblamiento y colonización durante las guerras dácicas de Trajano (101-102 d. C.)», F. Puell de la Villa y D. García Hernán (eds.), Los efectos de la guerra. Desplazamientos de población a lo largo de la historia . Madrid, Instituto Universitario general Gutiérrez Mellado-UNED: 83-104.

Southern, P. (1997): Domitian. Tragic Tyrant . Londres y Nueva York, Routledge.

Speidel, M. P. (2004): Ancient Germanic Warriors: warrior styles from Trajan's column to Icelandic sagas . Londres y Nueva York, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203475874

Starr, C. G. (1960): The Roman Imperial Navy 31BC – A.D. 324 . Cambridge, Heffer & Sons Ltd.

Stefan, A. S. (2005): Les guerres daciques de Domitien et de Trajan. Architecture militaire, topographie, images et histoire. Roma, École Française de Rome.

Strobel, K. (1984): Untersuchungen zu den Dakerkriegen Trajans. Studien zu Geschichte des mittleren und unteren Donauraumes in der Höhen Kaiserzeit . Bonn.

Vadan, P. I. (2007-2008): «Patterns of Continuity in Geto-Dacian Foreign Policy under Burebista ». Hirundo, 6: 69-86.

Wheeler, E. L. (2010): «Rome's Dacian Wars: Domitian, Trajan, and Strategy on the Danube, Part 1». Journal of Military History, 74 (4): 1185-1227.

Wheeler, E. L. (2011): «Rome's Dacian Wars: Domitian, Trajan, and Strategy on the Danube, Part 2». Journal of Military History, 75 (1): 191-219.

Wilkes, J. J. (1983): «Romans, Dacians and Sarmatians in the First and Early Second Centuries», B. Hartley y J. Wacher (eds.), Rome and her Nothern Provinces: Papers Presented to S. Frere . Gloucester, Alan Sutton.

Wilkes, J. J. (2005): «The Roman Danube: An Archaeological Survey». JRS , 95: 124-225. https://doi.org/10.3815/000000005784016298

Zerbini, L. (2015): Le guerre daciche . Bolonia, Il Mulino.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-30

How to Cite

Soria Molina, D. (2018). The Moesian campaigns during Trajan’s first Dacian War (101-102 ad): the last expansionist attempt of the Dacian Stat. Gladius, 38, 67–87. https://doi.org/10.3989/gladius.2018.05

Issue

Section

Articles

Most read articles by the same author(s)