Dacian or Carpi

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Historical Overview Section

Dacia, in ancient geography was the land of the Dacians. It was named by the ancient Hellenes (Greeks) "Getae". Dacia was a large district of South Eastern Europe, bounded on the north by the Carpathians, on the south by the Danube, on the west by the Tisia or Tisa, on the east by the Tyras or Nistru, now in eastern Moldova. It thus corresponds in the main to modern Romania and Moldova, as well as parts of Hungary, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The capital of Dacia was Sarmizegetusa. The inhabitants of this district are generally considered as belonging to the Thracian nations.

The Romans fought 2 wars against The Dacians:

• Domitian's Dacian War--The two punitive expeditions mounted as a border defense against raids of Moesia‎ from Dacia in 86-87 AD ordered by the Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus (Domitian) in 87 AD, and 88 AD. The first expedition was an unmitigated disaster, and the second achieved a peace, seen as unfavorable and shameful by many in Rome.
• Trajan's Dacian Wars--The two campaigns of conquest ordered or lead by the Emperor Trajan in 101-102 AD, and 105-106 AD from Moesia‎ across the Danube north into Dacia. Trajan's forces were successful in both cases, reducing Dacia to client state status in the first, and taking the territory over in the second. The aim of the campaign was to expand the glory of Trajans reign, restore the finances of Rome, and end a treaty perceived as humiliating, Trajan resolved on the conquest of Dacia and with it the capture of the famous Treasure of Decebalus and control over the Dacian gold mines of Transylvania. The result of his first campaign (101–102) was the siege of the Dacian capital Sarmizegethusa and the occupation of a part of the country. The second campaign (105–106) ended with the suicide of Decebalus, and the conquest of the territory that was to form the Roman province Dacia Traiana. The history of the war is given by Cassius Dio, but the best commentary upon it is the famous Column of Trajan in Rome.

Although the Romans conquered and destroyed the ancient Kingdom of Dacia, a large remainder of the land remained outside of Roman Imperial authority. Additionally, the conquest changed the balance of power in the region and was the catalyst for a renewed alliance of Germanic and Celtic tribes and kingdoms against the Roman Empire. However, the material advantages of the Roman Imperial system wasn't lost on much of the surviving aristocracy. Thus, most of the Romanian historians and linguists believe that many of the Dacians became Romanised.

Nonetheless, Germanic and Celtic kingdoms, particularly the Gothic tribes made a slow progression toward the Dacian borders and soon within a generation were making assaults on the province. Ultimately, the Goths succeeded in dislodging the Romans and restoring the independence of Dacia following Aurelian's withdrawal, in 275. The province was abandoned by Roman troops, and, according to the Breviarium historiae Romanae by Eutropius, Roman citizens "from the town and lands of Dacia" were resettled to the interior of Moesia. However, Romanian historians maintain that the bulk of the civilian population remained and a surviving aristocratic Dacian line revived the kingdom under Regalianus. About his origin, the Tyranni Triginta says he was a Dacian, a kinsman of Decebalus. Nonetheless, the Gothic aristocracy remained ascendant and through intermarriage soon dominated the kingdom which was absorbed into their larger empire.

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

• Trajans Column Pictures & Commentary
• Dacians on The Arch of Constantine Photos and further links
• Dacians DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Dacians (25mm bases) DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• Dacians DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus
• put the link text readers will see in here write some more detail about the link here

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

This is a full listing of all known 15mm manufacturers with specific Dacian ranges. You can also use Gallic toops - see the Gallic page for more details
You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site

• Essex Miniatures
• Donnington
• Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Previously Black Hat)
• Old Glory 15's,
• Magister Militum
• Irregular Miniatures
• Lancashire Games
• Viking Forge

Using the Army in FoG

Tactical Tips

Allied Contingents

• Sarmatian, Later : Date restrictions Before 107 , Book: Legions Triumphant Page: 38 - Lots of charging Superior Lancers (and a 16 point LF unit to add another cheap unit) gives this army another dimension

UK Tourney Results

8 / 18 Dacian Roll Call 2008 15mm (LT)

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

Name of Army / Date

• Using asterisks inthe edit mode creates a bulleted list in the actual site
• This is a lot easier to do than easier than setting up tables
• For FoG I suggest listing your army in order or march
• with troop desctiptions on each line, for example
• 4 HF Armoured Average Drilled Impact Foot Swordsmen
• 8 LG Undrilled Unarmoured Poor Bowen
• Dont forget to include your Generals !!!

Include any notes you want here, including comments on how to use - or play against - the army.

Remember to leave a line before you copy the above section as a template for your own list

eBay Listings

UK Bookstore