Romania – King Decebalus

Translated as “Strong as Ten Men” in Latin, the name itself seems to have been an honorary title among the Dacians and was much earned as he proved to be a formidable opponent to Rome for over 20 years. Regarding the Domitianus wars Dio Cassius describe 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. Once, Decebalus "cut down the trees that were on the site and put armour on the trunks, in order that the Romans might take them for soldiers and so be frightened and withdraw; and this actually happened." "Decebalus, the king of the Dacians, was making overtures to Domitianus, promising him peace; but Domitianus sent Fuscus against him with a large force. On learning of this Decebalus sent to him an embassy anew with the insulting proposal to make peace with the emperor, on condition that every Roman should elect to pay two obols to Decebalus each year; otherwise, he declared, he would make war and inflict great ills upon the Romans." Finally, Domitianus "had given large sums of money to Decebalus on the spot as well as artisans of every trade pertaining to both peace and war, and had promised to keep on giving large sums in the future."

The Romans had to build the stone bridge over the Danube because in the first war the Romans were simply smitten by the Dacian fleet and arrows.

After the Romans conquered Dacia, Decebalus 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 Claudius is stated on the funerary stelle discovered at Gramini, in Greece , who although he did indeed kill himself, official Roman propaganda claimed that they killed him. His head and right hand were then taken to Traian by Claudius Maximus, in "Ranisstorium" (an unidentified Dacian village, perhaps Piatra Craivii) when he was decorated and the trophy sent to Rome where it was thrown on Gemonian stairs.

Since Decebalus has been so respected by the Romans, they were honored they have conquered the land of such a courageous man that is the only Dacian that seems to have a face on Trajan’s Column.

Decebalus is a national hero in Romania portrayed in many literary works, poems as “Decebalus to its people” by George Cosbus, movies as “Dacii” and “Columna lui Traian” directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu and sculptures. One of the sculptures is a 40-meter high statue which is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe. Iosif Constantin Dragan, a Romanian businessman and historian hired 12 sculptors that finished the work in about 10 years. Under the face of Decebalus , there is a Latin Inscription that says: “Decebalus Rex – Dragan fecit” (“King Decebalus – Made by Dragan”).