10-15-2010, 09:11 AM
Hi Paullus
I saw that some historians interpreted that as a monument for Oppius Sabinus and his soldiers killed in a previous Dacian invasion (Fuscus one idea was rejected, as he was said was killed north of Danube), and Traian build over other one. It is possible. However the scene with wagons from Traian Column, from what i saw, is located at the scene of another battle (not the one of Adamclisi), but one of Nicopolis ad Istrum, where Traian will found a new city. There is no kids and women in those images, just a wagon camp as is usual use for protection in case of attack. As well, there is no Bastarnae show arround, mostly Dacians. In fact from what i read is that Bastarnae didnt participate to that counterattack in Moesia, but was just Dacians, Sarmatians and probably Burii (a suposedly germanic tribe allied with Dacians, and very interesting, bearing a similar name with a Dacian tribe called Burii). So i really doubt it was any Bastarnae invasion of Roman Empire with the intent of reconquer the lands promised to them by Philip. It was a strategic move of Decebalus who tried to cut the supply lines of roman army blocked in mountains in Dacia (it was winter, and winters in mountains here are quite harsh), a move who forced Traian to retreat with large part of his troops from Dacia, and even he comeback next year after he resolved this invasions, Romans was exhausted enough to give peace to Dacians (under harsh conditions, but who was not respected by Decebalus anyway, since Traian himself started to prepare for the next war), without to accomplish the eliminating of Dacian kingdom and conquering of Dacia
I dont deny that a tool might stay at the base of Falx, or such agricultural tools was used in a similar way, but in the same time is pretty clear that swords made special for battle was made as well
Quote:
The mere fact that the "wagon massacre" is the subject of the Adamklissi monument, and also shown on the Column demonstrates that it was no mere 'small skirmish', but a major battle, and probable invasion of Roman Moesia. To understand this, one needs to know a little more. The geography makes these hills a natural bridge, some 25-30 miles(40-48 km) wide avoiding what were marshy valleys, between wallachia and the rest of Europe. They are the gateway to southern Europe and a crossroads, where many roads meet - from here an invader has the choice of heading south to Greece and Byzantium/Turkey, or west into Bulgaria or Serbia and on into Europe having outflanked the Danube barrier.The area was thus of utmost strategic importance - many ancient and mediaeval battles took place in and around Adrianople, not so far south of Adamklissi.
There are in fact three monuments at Adamklissi, the first two commemorating what must have been a major Roman defeat in the 80's AD, probably the defeat of Oppius Sabinus, but perhaps that of Fuscus. First there is a great mausoleum/tomb, 125 ft(60 m) in diameter, and opposite it is a large altar 40 ft(19 m) square, with the names of the dead engraved in column after column (c.f. the U.S. Vietnam memorial). Due south of this is Trajan's great 'Tropaeum/trophy', dedicated (importantly) to Mars Ultor/Mars the avenger. Evidently Trajan trapped the "wagon people", defeated and massacred them, men women and children implying they were wiped out. (Significantly, in 179 BC, at the invitation of Philip V of Macedon, an alleged 60,000 Bastarnae, accompanied by their women and children in wagons crossed the Danube, intending to displace Philip's enemies the Dardanians, but the invasion ultimately failed when Philip died.....)
The most likely explanation is that history was repeating itself and the Peucini/Bastarnae were invading to recover their lost territories south of the Danube.....
I saw that some historians interpreted that as a monument for Oppius Sabinus and his soldiers killed in a previous Dacian invasion (Fuscus one idea was rejected, as he was said was killed north of Danube), and Traian build over other one. It is possible. However the scene with wagons from Traian Column, from what i saw, is located at the scene of another battle (not the one of Adamclisi), but one of Nicopolis ad Istrum, where Traian will found a new city. There is no kids and women in those images, just a wagon camp as is usual use for protection in case of attack. As well, there is no Bastarnae show arround, mostly Dacians. In fact from what i read is that Bastarnae didnt participate to that counterattack in Moesia, but was just Dacians, Sarmatians and probably Burii (a suposedly germanic tribe allied with Dacians, and very interesting, bearing a similar name with a Dacian tribe called Burii). So i really doubt it was any Bastarnae invasion of Roman Empire with the intent of reconquer the lands promised to them by Philip. It was a strategic move of Decebalus who tried to cut the supply lines of roman army blocked in mountains in Dacia (it was winter, and winters in mountains here are quite harsh), a move who forced Traian to retreat with large part of his troops from Dacia, and even he comeback next year after he resolved this invasions, Romans was exhausted enough to give peace to Dacians (under harsh conditions, but who was not respected by Decebalus anyway, since Traian himself started to prepare for the next war), without to accomplish the eliminating of Dacian kingdom and conquering of Dacia
Quote:Btw, you can still buy 'falxes' in their various forms as tools, as Jim Webster has pointed out to me.....as you can see, it hasn't changed much down the centuries....Here are the instructions for use, and if you look at some of the metopes they are being used in exactly this fashion !!
I dont deny that a tool might stay at the base of Falx, or such agricultural tools was used in a similar way, but in the same time is pretty clear that swords made special for battle was made as well
Razvan A.
