- Burebista
Burebista, [ The real name of Burebista was lost, but his fame was evoked by the Greek writers under the name of "Byrebistas".] is widely considered to be the greatest king of
Dacia . He ruled between 82 BC and 44 BC. He unified theThracian population fromHercynia (today'sMoravia ) in the west, to the Bug River in the east, and from the northern Carpathians toDionysopolis . His capital was calledArgedava (orSargedava ) and was located near Costeşti in theOrăştie hills of southwesternRomania .The spiritual center of the kingdom was called
Kogaion (or "Kagaion", "the holy mountain") by the ancient geographerStrabo . It is believed to have been located somewhere in theBucegi mountains. According to the historianJordanes (in his workGetica [ [http://members.lycos.nl/romans/gth/Goth_11.htm The Origin And Deeds Of The Goths ] ] ), the greatest priest and adviser of Burebista wasDicineus (Deceneus), who held "almost royal powers" and taught the Dacians the belagines laws, ethics and sciences, including physics and astronomy.Burebista sided with the inhabitants of the Greek cities on the Western coast of the
Black Sea fromApollonia to theDanube Delta (South of theDanube ) when they were occupied by Varro Lucullus, theproconsul of the province of Macedonia during the second Mithridatic War (74 BC–72 BC). The Dacians defeated the Roman army ofGaius Antonius Hybrida near Histria. As a result of this battle, the Greek cities ofTomis ,Callatis ,Dionysopolis andApollonia agreed to become part of Burebista's kingdom.Burebista continued his incursion in the region, conquering the Celtic
Aliobrix (Cartal, southernBessarabia , now part of Ukraine),Tyras andOdessos and destroyingOlvia .In 48 BC, Burebista sided with
Pompey during his struggle againstJulius Caesar in the Roman civil war. After Caesar emerged as victor, he planned on sending legions to punish Burebista, but he was assassinated in the Senate before he could do so, onMarch 15 44 BC. Burebista died the same year, but wheter he was assassinated in a court plot or his death had natural causes is a matter that remains uncertain.Notes
ee also
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Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/solarguard/celtic/burebista.html Solarguard Burebista] link to precis of Ion Horatio Crisan's Burebista and His Time.
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