Dacica
Encyclopedia
Dacica is a Latin
work by Roman Emperor Trajan
, written in the spirit of Julius Caesar
's commentaries like De Bello Gallico
, and describing Trajan's campaigns in Dacia
.
It is assume to be based on Criton of Heraclea
's Getica, a work on the history of the Daco-Getae
. Criton was Trajan's Greek chief physician and procurator
, during the Dacian wars.
Based on the research so far, Dacica is considered lost. However, one sentence survived in the Latin grammar work by Priscian
. To describe a grammatical rule, Priscian cites Trajan: inde Berzobim, deinde Aizi processimus , meaning We then advanced to Berzobim, next to Aizi. The phrase describes the initial penetration into Dacia by the Roman
army. It also mentions two Dacian towns where later Roman castra
were built: Berzovia
and Aizis
.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
work by Roman Emperor Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
, written in the spirit of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's commentaries like De Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
, and describing Trajan's campaigns in Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
.
It is assume to be based on Criton of Heraclea
Criton of Heraclea
Criton of Heraclea was a 2nd century Greek chief physician and procurator of Roman Emperor Trajan in the campaign in Dacia....
's Getica, a work on the history of the Daco-Getae
Getae
The Getae was the name given by the Greeks to several Thracian tribes that occupied the regions south of the Lower Danube, in what is today northern Bulgaria, and north of the Lower Danube, in Romania...
. Criton was Trajan's Greek chief physician and procurator
Procurator (Roman)
A procurator was the title of various officials of the Roman Empire, posts mostly filled by equites . A procurator Augusti was the governor of the smaller imperial provinces...
, during the Dacian wars.
Based on the research so far, Dacica is considered lost. However, one sentence survived in the Latin grammar work by Priscian
Priscian
Priscianus Caesariensis , commonly known as Priscian, was a Latin grammarian. He wrote the Institutiones grammaticae on the subject...
. To describe a grammatical rule, Priscian cites Trajan: inde Berzobim, deinde Aizi processimus , meaning We then advanced to Berzobim, next to Aizi. The phrase describes the initial penetration into Dacia by the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
army. It also mentions two Dacian towns where later Roman castra
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
were built: Berzovia
Berzovia
Berzovia is a commune in Caraş-Severin County, western Romania with a population of 4,165 people. It is composed of three villages: Berzovia, Fizeş and Gherteniş.It is mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana as Berzobia.- References :...
and Aizis
Aizis
Aizis was a Dacian town mentioned by Emperor Trajan in his work Dacica...
.