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Roman Dacia facts for kids

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Provincia Dacia
Ἐπαρχία Δακίας
Province of the Roman Empire
107–275
Roman Empire - Dacia (125 AD).svg
Roman province of Dacia (125 AD)
Capital Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa
Historical era Classical Antiquity
• Annexed by Trajan
 107
• Withdrawal by Roman Emperor Aurelian
 275
Preceded by
Dacian Kingdom
Today part of

The Roman province of Dacia was a land in ancient times. It was located in the Balkans region. Today, this area includes parts of Romania (like Transylvania, Banat, and Oltenia) and sometimes southern Moldova.

Dacia became a part of the mighty Roman Empire after a big war. This happened under the Roman Emperor Trajan. What's interesting is that Dacia was a very rich province. But it was also the first Roman province that Rome ever gave up. This happened much later, when the Romans decided to leave.

The Dacians Before Rome

Before the Romans arrived, Dacia was a strong kingdom. It was home to a people called the Dacians. Their kingdom was quite large around the year 100 AD.

The Dacians were known for their bravery. They had a powerful king named Decebalus. He was a skilled leader and warrior. The Dacians also had valuable resources, especially gold. This gold was one of the main reasons the Romans became interested in their land.

Trajan's Conquest of Dacia

The Roman Empire was always looking to expand. They also wanted to control valuable resources. Dacia's gold mines and fertile lands were very appealing. This led to a series of major conflicts. These wars are known as the Trajan's Dacian Wars.

Emperor Trajan led the Roman armies. He was a very famous and successful Roman emperor. The wars against the Dacians were tough. But the Romans, with their strong army, eventually won. King Decebalus was defeated.

After the wars, in 107 AD, Dacia officially became a Roman province. This was a huge victory for the Roman Empire. To celebrate this, Trajan built a famous monument in Rome. It is called Trajan's Column. This column tells the story of the wars in pictures carved into the stone.

Life in Roman Dacia

Once Dacia became a Roman province, many changes happened. The Romans brought their way of life to the region.

  • New Cities: The Romans built new cities and towns. One important city was Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa. It became the capital of the Roman province of Dacia. You can still see the ruins of its amphitheatre today.
  • Roman People: Many Roman citizens moved to Dacia. They were soldiers, traders, and farmers. They helped to develop the province.
  • Resources: The Romans took control of Dacia's gold mines. This wealth helped to fund the Roman Empire. They also used the land for farming.
  • Culture: The Dacians started to adopt Roman customs. They learned Latin, the Roman language. This process is called Romanization. It means people in conquered lands started to become more like Romans.

Later Roman Emperors and Dacia

After Trajan, other Roman emperors ruled Dacia. They worked to keep the province safe and prosperous.

  • Emperor Hadrian: He ruled after Trajan. Hadrian visited Dacia and even had coins minted to remember his visit. He made sure the borders were strong.
  • Emperor Antoninus Pius: He continued to rule Dacia peacefully.
  • Emperor Marcus Aurelius: During his time, the Roman Empire faced many challenges. But Dacia remained an important province.
  • Emperor Septimius Severus and Caracalla: These emperors also maintained Roman control over Dacia. They were part of the Severan dynasty.

For many years, Dacia was a valuable part of the Roman Empire. It provided resources and helped protect the Roman borders.

The Roman Withdrawal from Dacia

By the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire faced many problems. There were attacks from outside groups. Also, the empire was very large and hard to defend.

Around 275 AD, Emperor Aurelian made a big decision. He decided to withdraw the Roman army and many Roman citizens from Dacia. This was because it was becoming too difficult and costly to defend the province. It was the first time Rome completely gave up a province.

The Romans moved their people and administration south of the Danube River. Even though the Romans left, their influence remained. The language spoken in modern Romania, Romanian, is a Romance language. This means it developed from Latin, the language of the Romans. This shows how strong the Romanization of Dacia was.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dacia (provincia romana) para niños

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