First Battle of Tapae

Two battles took place at Tapae under the Roman Emperor Domitian in order to protect the Roman province of Moesia, nearly two decades before the regional conquest during the Dacian wars in Trajan's reign, one in 87 AD and one in 88 AD.

Background

In 86, the Dacian king Duras ordered his troops to attack south of the Danube, the Roman province of Moesia.

After this attack, the Roman emperor Domitian personally arrived in Moesia, reorganized the province into Moesia Inferior and Moesia Superior, and planned a future attack into Dacia.

The battle of 87

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Tapae (87 AD)
partof=the Dacian Wars
date= 87
place=Transylvania, Romania
result=Dacian victory
combatant1=Dacia
combatant2=Roman Empire
commander1=Decebalus
commander2=Cornelius Fuscus
strength1=unknown
strength2=5 or 6 legions
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=heavy

Domitian, started a strong offensive against Dacia in 87, ordering General Cornelius Fuscus to attack. Therefore, in the summer of 87, Fuscus along with five or six legions crosses the Danube.

They encountered the Dacian army at Tapae, where the Romans were ambushed, suffering a great defeat. Almost all of the soldiers from Legio V Alaudae were killed, the Dacians captured their flags and war machines, and general Cornelius Fuscus himself was killed in battle.

After this victory, the Dacian king Diurpaneus received the name of Decebalus, meaning the brave or the most powerful.

The battle of 88

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Tapae (88 AD)
partof=the Dacian Wars
date= 88
place=Transylvania, Romania
result=Roman victory, peace
combatant1=Dacia
combatant2=Roman Empire
commander1=Decebalus
commander2=Tettius Iulianus
strength1=unknown
strength2= around 4 legions
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=unknown

The Roman offensive continued the following year, with general Tettius Iulianus having now taking command. The Roman army entered Dacia following the same route Cornelius Fuscus did in the previous year.The battle took place mainly in the same area, at Tapae, this time the outcome being a Roman victory. Because of the difficult road to Sarmizegetusa, the capital of Dacia, and because of several defeats suffered by Domitian in Pannonia, the Roman offensive halted and Decebalus sued for peace.

Aftermath

Following the peace of 89, Decebalus becomes a client king of Rome, receiving money, craftsmen and war machines from the Roman Empire, to defend the empire's borders. Some historians believe this unfavorable peace for the Romans might have been the cause for Domitian's assassination in September 96.cite web
url=http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#s-inx
title=De Imperatoribus Romanis
work=An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors
format=Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions
accessdate=2007-11-08

quote=In the year 88, the Romans resumed the offensive. The Roman troops were now led by the general Tettius Iulianus. The battle took place again at Tapae but this time the Romans defeated the Dacians. For fear of falling into a trap, Iulianus abandoned his plans of conquering Sarmizegetuza and, at the same time, Decebalus asked for peace. At first, Domitian refused this request, but after he was defeated in a war in Pannonia against the Marcomanni (a Germanic tribe), the emperor was obliged to accept the peace.>

Decebalus, the king of the Dacians, instead of using the money as Rome intended, decided to built new citadels in the mountains, in important strategic points, and to reinforce the existing ones. This was one of the reasons for the Roman attack of 101, under Emperor Trajan.cite web
accessdate=2007-11-08
url=http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#s-inx
title=De Imperatoribus Romanis
work=An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors
format=Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions

quote= Battle of Sarmizegetusa (Sarmizegetuza), A.D. 105. During Trajan's reign one of the most important Roman successes was the victory over the Dacians. The first important confrontation between the Romans and the Dacians took place in the year 87 and was initiated by Domitian. The praetorian prefect Cornelius Fuscus led five or six legions across the Danube on a bridge of ships and advanced towards Banat (in Romania). The Romans were surprised by a Dacian attack at Tapae (near the village of Bucova, in Romania). Legion V Alaude was crushed and Cornelius Fuscus was killed. The victorious general was originally known as Diurpaneus (see Manea, p.109), but after this victory he was called Decebalus (the brave one).>

Notes and references