Decebalus (Decebal in Romanian) or "The Brave One" was a king of Dacia (originally named Diurpaneus—ruled the Dacians 87 – 106 until Trajan had enough of him) and is famous for fighting three wars and negotiating two interregnums of peace without being eliminated against the Roman Empire under two emperors. In the later short peace (end of 102-105) granted by Trajan, Decebalus continued to act as an independent king, vice a conquered client and repeatedly annoyed or infuriated the Romans.

Consequently, the Legions under Trajans orders went on the offensive again in 105 AD and reduced the Dacian stronghold and capital Sarmizegetusa in 106 AD, finally running down Decebalus the same year, whereupon he committed suicide rather than being marched through Rome as a captured foreign leader.

Recent history preceding

After the death of Great King Burebista, Dacia split into four or five small states. The situation lasted until Diurpaneus managed to consolidate the core of Dacia around Sarmizegetusa, in today's Hunedoara county. He reorganized the Dacian army (though not yet king of the recombined tribe) and in 85 the Dacians began minor raiding in the heavily fortified Roman province of Moesia, located south of the Danube under Dacian king Duras.

In 86, the Duras ordered a more vigorous attack south into Roman province of Moesia, and the Emperor Domitian personally advanced into the province with legions and relief supplies, reorganized it, and planned an attack into Dacia the next campaign season.

Battles at Tapae

In 87, Domitian decided to send his prefect of the Praetorian Guards, Cornelius Fuscus, to punish and conquer the Dacians with four or five legions but suffered a major defeat when ambushed by the forces led by Diurpaneus. Two Roman legions (among which V Alaudae) were ambushed and defeated at a mountain pass the Roman's called Tapae (likely an outlying Dacian stronghold, location is near modern Bucova), and General Fuscus was killed. Diurpaneus changed his name into Decebalus, meaning "strong as ten (men) or alternatively, "The Brave one", and became king.

Enemy's eye view

Regarding the Domitian wars Dio Cassius described Decebalus as follow: "At this time the Romans became involved in a very serious war with the Dacians, whose king was then Decebalus. This man was shrewd in his understanding of warfare and shrewd also in the waging of war; he judged well when to attack and chose the right moment to retreat; he was an expert in ambuscades and a master in pitched battles; and he knew not only how to follow up a victory well, but also how to manage well a defeat. Hence he showed himself a worthy antagonist of the Romans for a long time. I call the people Dacians, the names used by the natives themselves as well as by the Romans, though I am not ignorant that some Greek writers refer to them as Getae, whether that is the right form or not; for the Getae of whom I myself know are those that live beyond the Haemus range, along the Ister.

Second battle of Tapae

In 88, Tettius Iulianus commanded another Roman army under D in a campaign against the Dacians, who defeated the Romans at the second battle at Tapae; revolts of the Germans on the Rhine required the augmented military force in Moesia, and the Romans were forced to pay large sums of money in the form of tribute to the Dacians for maintaining peace in this region. This was seen as a controversial peace by Romans of the times, and many felt humiliated.

The uneasy and unsatisfying political situation for the Romans lasted until Trajan acceded as Emperor of the Roman Empire in 98. Immediately he began preparations which in the end (including unrelated conquests in the Near East) resulted in engaging in a series of military campaigns which would expand the Roman Empire to its maximum extent during his reign.

Third battle at Tapae

Decebalus was defeated by the Romans when they invaded Dacia beginning March 25th, 101 AD, again in the fortifications Tapae, but after accepting harsh peace conditions including losses in territory, he was left as a client king under a Roman protectorate and a small local garrison after suing for peace a second time.

Siege of Sarmizegetusa

Three years later, Decebalus destroyed the small Roman garrison in Dacia, and the Romans were forced again to send reinforcements, and this time Trajan wasn't accepting peace offers.

After a long siege of Sarmizegetusa and a few skirmishes in the greater region, the Romans conquered Dacia, but Decebalus, with his family managed to flee the fortress Sarmizegetusa.

Death of Decebalus

Hunted, his army defeated, surrounded by Roman detachments seeking his head and Decebalus, together with two children, was finally cornered and rather than being captured as a prisoner to be exhibited at Rome, committed suicide by slashing his own throat, as depicted on Trajan's Column (spiral 22, panel b).

It is likely, however, that in the process of dying Decebalus was captured by a Roman Cavalry Scout named Tiberius Claudius Maximus from Legio VII Claudia as is claimed on the funerary stele discovered at Gramini in Greece. His head and right hand were then taken to Traian in "Ranisstorium" (an unidentified Dacian village, perhaps Piatra Craiului) by Claudius Maximus when he was decorated by the emperor, and the trophy sent to Rome where it was thrown on the Gemonian stairs. Tiberius Claudius Maximus' tomb cites two occasions where the legionary was decorated for his part in the Dacian wars, one of which being the acquisition and recovery of Decebalus' head.

Notes

See also

• Dacian Wars
• Regalianus was, according to Tyranni Triginta, a descendant of Decebalus.
• Decebalus Treasure

References

• "Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions", De Imperatoribus Romanis.
• Speidel, M. (1984), Roman Army Studies, pp. 173-187.