Burebista     

                Consider an imaginary, fantasy tour throughout the Ancient Europe's Age, briefly depicting a few day-to-day life aspects of our remote ancestors, the PELASGIANS (also known as GETA, THRACIANS, SCYTHIANS or DACIANS). They were not named with respect to their colloquial language. It was the same Pelasgian dialect incorrectly considered as "Coarse Latin", rather, in accordance with their geographical settings ( just as present day Romanians call themselves either Wallachians, Moldavians, or Transylvanians, but also Vlachs, Bessarabians, Macedonians or inhabitants of the Banat or Dobrudja regions etc.). Let us now try to attempt to describe some of those charismatic Thracian leaders who would affect the future. We will subsequently start with the mightiest among all Thracia's Kings, namely with BUREBISTA "THE GREAT", who had been born within the final decades of the last century B.C., which is already 2,000-3,000 years since the previous Great Pelasgian Empire's crumbling, a time when the Ancient World was strongly dominated by the expanding Roman Empire.

                As supreme leader, Burebista personally pursued and realized his life-time achievement, which was the unification of the divided Thracian population. Consequently, both the common language and so-called "Pagan" religion's leading role would constitute a powerful means of the fraternity and unity's ceaseless relationship among all our nation's scattered clusters. For, Emperor Burebista had finally succeeded to merge tribes of the same descent into a vast kingdom, which would become highly respected around both Central and Eastern Europe, extending its boundaries from the Hercynica Forest (which is Moravia of our days) to the Bug, and from the Northern Carpathians to the Southern Balcic (then, Dyonisopolis). The King's main residence, called ARGEDAVA, or at times SAGEDAVA, was located somewhere around the Costesti area (today's Orastie Hills). Principal assistant and adviser to the Thracian King was then DECENEUS THE GREAT PRIEST who, after spending some time in Egypt (where he had initiated the local priests into Pelasgian sacerdotal mysteries), was to return afterwards to his Getia Land (that is Gothia, in accordance with the Ostrogoth historian Jordanes' version) only to become the supreme chief of Thracian spirituality. Altogether with Burebista, Deceneus quickly succeeded in uniting all Thracians, not only militarily but also spiritually. As for Burebista, the Supreme Leader himself, he was constantly urging his subjects towards "abstinence, sobriety and to the obeying of commands". This new set of guidelines were propagated from within certain mountain heights where a sort of spiritual center, firstly named by historian Strabon, "the Holy Mountain" and being actually THE LEGENDARY KOGAION, was to be found. According to Mr. Adrian Bucurescu's extensive research (see his cardinal work, "The Secret Dacia"), its location would have been situated somewhere in the Bucegi Massif near "THE ROMANIAN SPHYNX" 's upper platform, because "Kogaion" 's term translation also means "THE MAGNIFICENT'S HEAD". However, many archaeologists today situate the Legendary Kogaion within Gradistei Hills region (1,200 meters altitude), in the Sureanu Massif, since at the nearby SARMISEGETUZA REGIA FORTRESS (Gradistea Muscelului) is to be found also one of the Cult's specific quadrilateral sanctuaries. Could this one be that famous worshipping place where Zamolxis' Priests, of the Underworld Thracian Supreme God, were said to offer their faithful ones that "thorough immortality for both the soul and body", and where the newly-innitiated apprentices-recruits were joining their vocal talents as to ecstatically tune: "Holy is (Orpheus), the Night Master" ?

                Meanwhile, at the Southern side of Danube river, Macedonia's deputy consul, the Roman general Varro Lucullus, who fought later to become known as the "Second Mythriatic War" (74-72 B.C.), was occupying the Greek cities on the Western bank of Pontus Euxinus (the Black Sea of our time), from Apollonia up to the Danube Delta, concluding his victorious, speedy campaign with a peace treaty between Romans, on one side, respectively the ancient Callatis (our present days Mangalia) and some other neighbouring fortresses on the other. This treaty included provisions for advantages and obligations from both sides. This camouflaged trust became slowly and profoundly displeasing to the Greek cities' residents, and secretly sent a messenger to King Burebista, asking for help. As a result, the new Macedonian deputy consul's Army, under general Antonius Hybrida's command, would be defeated near Histria. Burebista kept pressure on and subsequently managed to peacefully subdue the cities of Tomis (present Constanta), Callatis (present Mangalia), Dyonisopolis and Apollonia, whereas through some other fortified towns would be incorporated like Aliobrix (Cartal, Southern Bessarabia, which is today under Russian occupation under the name of Orlovka), Tyras (the contemporary city of Tyraspol, in the same situation), Odesas (today's Odessa, an Ukrainian city who still includes, downtown, one of its most romantic neighborhoods called "Moldoveanca"-namely, "the Moldavian Maid"!). The organization of the power structure had, at the beginning, mainly military and administrative characters, through the recruiting of adequate personnel in charge, and whose duties included the agricultural work, scheduling, collecting taxes and general supervision of compulsory public labor, thus erecting most of the defence complexes all over Dacia's (Thracia's) territories. For example, consider the huge fortified nucleus existing within the Sureanu Mountains, extensively built over more than 200 square kilometers. Still, the military precinct to be found inside Sarmisegetuza's main religious center alone surrounded a 3 hectares' surface with thick scraped stone walls (or shaped limestone blocks, to detail), making this an important Dacian fortress a unique entity. Overall, "THE DACIAN WALL" (that is, in Latin language, "MURUS DACICUS") consisted of many such fortresses, each built from limestone blocks as already mentioned. We owe yet, apparently, another majestic construction to Emperor Burebista: THE FIRST STONE BRIDGE TO CROSS DANUBE RIVER, which was later incorrectly credited to the famous Roman architect, Apollodorus of Damascus. One of its northern side's ruined pillars may still to be admired at our present day's Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

                Other Thraco-Dacian fortresses were erected by using clay stone blocks, such as the ones in Piatra Neamt (on the Bitca Doamnei mountainous peak, respectively on the Cozla Hill), Cetateni (Arges County), within Covasna County ("Valley of the Fairies") and Sighisoara City. During warfare, Burebista's numerous army totalled over 200,000 armed soldiers, thus making its leader feared by almost every neighbor. This one had become deeply involved in foreign politics, even interfering during the open conflict between Rome's two top rivals (respectively Caesar and Pompeius), in the year 48 B.C. With respect to this, an inscription recently discovered at Balcic (the ancient Dyonisopolis) quotes the name of Acronion, a personal messenger sent by Burebista to general Pompeius in order to suggest the hypothesis of an alliance with the latter. It would take a long time, some 3 to 4 years, for Caesar, after decisively defeating Pompeius near Pharsalla, to bear a grudge to his dead enemy's former ally and, as a result, to often send numerous legions with "punitive missions" towards the Geta-Dacian King's boundaries. However, shortly before actually starting a decisive fight with the Thracian king, on March 15-th, 44 B.C., CAESAR was assassinated in the Senate by his new political secret adversaries and shortly after, BUREBISTA himself would die under similar circumstances. Two of the Ancient World's most brilliant military strategists disappeared, thus, almost simultaneously, having been granted similar destinies.

                The Great Priest DECENEUS was afterwards named to be the late King's successor. To this day it is difficult to fully appreciate his extremely broad scientific knowledge. Numerous stone inscriptions suggest mathematical notions like Pythagorean triangle; the so-called "perfect number" 6 or the "cosmic number" 36; astronomical information on "the Planetary pentagon" (that is Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury); the Sun's position at equinoxes and solstices; the Moon's position at all its 4 phases; and the Dacian Calendar (where a 360 days year alternates with the one of 365 days). The latter is confirmed by the scenery painted on a fruit pot discovered at Bitca Doamnei, as well as by an earthen lamp found near Barbosi-Galatzi. A tablet discovered at Dumbrava (Jassy County) certifies the great priest's understanding of the 4 Seasons and 12 Zodiacal signs, presented in a manner resembling the ancient Chinese or Mayan Zodiacs.

                Within the context of facts so far presented, how could we believe that such an evolved and powerful society could have forgotten its national language, costume tradition and long-standing habits through less than 2 centuries of Roman conquest, as some of our "historians" (are they really ours, anyway?) are looking to teach us?! How would it be possible that, whereas only some 14 % of Dacian land had actually been conquered and occupied by the greedy Roman Empire (consisting of almost illiterate mercenary troops, and who could barely mumble anything in Latin) who might have been able to teach us a language they weren't properly speaking themselves? Nevertheless, it is argued that they taught us Latin, and, moreover, made us forget our maternal dialect to an extent which would have left only about 7 or 8 words within our contemporary Romanian language!

                The Thracians could have been, as far as they were concerned, very smart people, but come on, you might as well drop this subject, Mr. "historians", for it's absurd to even think of our forefathers, living freely and happily within the remaining 86 % of Thracian territories, to suddenly run a marathon through valleys and mountain passes, forests and swamps towards the oppressors' dominated (much smaller) area, determined to learn, a more "fashionable" language that would "save the day"! The thought is absurd. Your colleagues beyond the River Prut (no lesser "world famous linguists and historians" that you claim to be), are also constantly preaching to Bessarabia's Romanian majority about "their" language being called "Moldavian", one of "clear" Slavonic roots, and about their "own" history being so much different from ours?! 

THE STONE BRIDGE OVER THE DANUBE

                 This legendary, great ancient architectural success, a stone bridge across the wide river, was to be longtime considered as one of the Antiquity's genuine marvels, which Romans had hurried to depict as an achievement of their own times' reputed architect, namely Apollodorus from Damascus. The idea was to be, much later, also taken into account by some of "our" freshly-appointed "historians"... Yet there exist, nevertheless, others who didn't "buy" the "ROMAN VERSION", among them a Mr. C. Iordache (see "Science, Culture and Documents from the Dacian's Renaissance Period"-Bucharest, November, 1992).

                It appears, indeed, highly unusual for an Army which possessed its conquered territory only on one side of the old Danube River (the "Istru", as being named then), to actually succeed in building a huge stone bridge that would have its other end inside the enemy's zone. Even today, by using all the highly advanced technology at our disposal, we can demonstrate that such a stone bridge across the Danube couldn't be accomplished in less than an approximative 5 to 7 years period, while pseudo-historians maintain that Roman Emperor Trajan's construction order, seemingly given right at the beginning of his second conflict with the Dacians (that is, 105 A.D.) would have been completely carried out in just... 2 years! Why, gentlemen "historians", do you believe, perhaps, in miracles, magic or witchcraft?

                From our perspective, erecting within a brief 2 year timespan, a gigantic bridge across the (very) wide Danube, especially when Emperor Trajan found himself totally engaged within a consuming military campaign while the "rebel" Dacian King Decebalus' repeated counter-attacks were causing a large number of casualties among Roman invaders, appears to be, no less than a kind of "Mission Impossible". However, another odd thing is that no ancient itinerary or old text mentions anything about "Trajan's Bridge", and no inscription describing its heroic building has ever been brought to light.

                Since Emperor Trajan's Latin memoirs and personal comments concerning his two bloody Dacian military campaigns (101-102 A.D. and 105-106 A.D., respectively), writings which were entitled "De Bello Dacico" (to imitate Caesar's similar previous war adnotations, called "De Bello Gallico"), seem to have been irretrievably lost a long time ago, hidden perhaps inside some unknown attic or basement of a library or Roman Archive. Only the stone-carved "Trajan's Column" in Rome, with sculpted bas-reliefs depicting Roman-Dacian war scenes, appear to be left at our disposal. It can now be clearly seen how Roman legions were crossing the Danube during 101 A.D., on a vessel. Why would it be that Apollodorus from Damascus, the proud architect to whom both the Stone Bridge and Column's projects are today credited, should have neglected to immortalize, through a major bas-relief among the others on the Column, precisely "his" so-called "greatest accomplishment"-namely a durable stone bridge over one of Europe's widest rivers, the Danube? Doesn't it seem much more plausible that the above questioned BRIDGE OVER DANUBE should have actually been built much earlier, and by the local residents who previously had dominated on both sides of the river, by a nation assembled and ruled with an iron fist, by the same personality about whom Strabon, the ancient historian, used to write remarks such as the following: "EMPEROR BUREBISTA owns the entire territory on both Danube's shores is highly feared by Romans, attacks and crosses this river whenever he pleases, through Macedonia...?"

                 What really must have happened later, is this: taken, at first, by surprise by the unexpected Roman invasion, the brave Dacian King Diurapneus (nicknamed Decebalus, "the Heroic One", by his own people), also one of the time's most brilliant military strategists after the late Burebista, attempted to stop the attackers' rapid advancement before they could reach the Danube. Remember, the Dacian forces were still controlling, then, both shores of the river. He did this by demolishing the bridge's wooden road in parts, all the rest was set on fire, as some burned fragments near the construction's only left ruined stone pillar, at Drobeta-Turnu Severin, may testify today. For this reason, Emperor Trajan would be forced to cross his troops into Dacia on an improvised bridge, and not on a stone one, precisely the way Apollodorus from Damascus would later show on the Trajan's Column in Rome. (Although not yet being a King then, a younger Decebalus could have also destroyed the Bridge in the wake of Emperor Domitian's previous attempt to invade Dacia, during 87 A.D., since he was already "in charge" of his uncle's army - namely, King Duras Durbaneus.)

                However, the Roman legions were to afterwards rebuild Burebista's ancient stone bridge to be capable of transporting to Rome the huge spoil and riches taken from the defeated Dacian population. With this approach to the matter, a few antique bricks bearing the Roman Legions' official stamp carved on top, discovered also on location, do not necessarily show that they should have been, as well, the Bridge's initial creators. Still, much later, during third century A.D., the "Roman" EMPEROR CONSTANTINUS "THE GREAT", actually of Dacian descent and who had been indeed born at Nish, was thoroughly renovating the Drobeta bridge, to which he also adds a four-tower military camp and a Headquarters building with many rooms, giving a finishing touch to what had now become a whole strategical complex.

                It is, maybe, appropriate to close this controversial, yet fascinating subject, by mentioning the existence of an old Macedonian-Romanian ballad, named "The Artful Link", narrating about "three very skilled craftsmen who, once, had built a bridge over the Danube and were to work six years on their project".