This section of the timeline of Romanian history concerns events from Late Neolithic (c. 3900 BC) till Late Antiquity (c. 400 AD), which took place in or are directly related with the territory of modern Romania.
3900 BC – Bodrogkeresztúr-Gorneşti culture begins in Transylvania, as a continuation of Petreşti culture
3700 BC – Cernavodă III culture begins in Danube Valley, as a continuation of Cernavodă I culture
3500 BC – Copper Age begins and the areas of cultural influence start to expand again but without reaching the size of early Neolithic[1]
3500 BC – Cernavodă III culture begins in Dobruja, as a continuation of Cernavodă I culture
3500 BC – Coţofeni culture begins in Transylvania as a continuation of Bodrogkeresztúr-Gorneşti culture
3500 BC – Baden culture begins in Lower Tisza/Crişana as a continuation of Bodrogkeresztúr-Gorneşti culture
3rd millennium BC
3000-2800 BC – Climate becomes hotter and drier, affecting the human societies[1]
2750 BC – Cucuteni culture in eastern Romania comes to an end
2700 BC – Transition from Copper Age to Bronze Age[1]
Proto-Indo-Europeans related to the Decea Mureşului culture penetrate in Transylvania coming from the Black Sea region[1]
Kostolac culture develops sporadically in Banat coming from modern day Serbia[1]
Vučedol culture (3000 – 2200 BC) develops in Banat and western Crişana also coming from Serbia[1]
2700-2000 BC – Proto-Indo-Europeans assimilate the local Eneolithic populations
2300-1900 BC – Verbicioara culture develops in Oltenia, Banat and western Muntenia[2][3]
2100 BC – Otomani culture develops from a Baden culure background in a widespread area between the Mureş River, the Apuseni Mountains, and the Tisza River, up to modern-day Slovakia. It was characterized by fortified settlements and islands, the bronze deposits from Apa, Valea Chioarului in Transylvania, and Hajdúsámson in Hungary, the typical full handle swords and the axes with disc, the practice of inhumation, and later of cremation, and with the sanctuary of Sălacea[1]
2nd millennium BC
Pottery, bone and bronze artefacts of the Wietenberg culture. In display at National Museum of the Union, Alba Iulia
Glina III-Schneckenberg culture develops in Muntenia and extends into Oltenia and south eastern Transylvania;[1] it is characterized by settlements on any terrain, and the practices of inhumation and incinerations in cists[1]
Periam culture develops in southern Crişana, Banat, north-eastern Serbia and western Bulgaria; characterized by bronze jewelry and the practice of inhumation[1]
Pecica culture appears as a continuation of Periam culture and expands into the middle Danube, Tisa, and lower Mureş; brings moulds for casting weapons, crouched inhumation and the gold treasures from Pecica and Rovine[1]
Periam-Pecica/Mureş culture
Sighişoara-Wietenberg culture develops from a Coţofeni culture background in the center and the Transylvanian Plain; characterized by fortified settlements with many weapons, pottery with spiral and meander motifs, bronze deposits, Boiu-type swords, Mycenaean swords from import, golden jewellery and axes (Ţufalău), the practice of cremation and much rarely of inhumation[1]
Vatina culture begins in western Banat, on lower Tisa and northern Serbia; defined by rare bronze objects[1]
Verbicioara culture expands into Oltenia, eastern Muntenia, Serbia and north-western Bulgaria, with fortified settlements and a limited number of bronze artefacts[1]
Monteoru culture expands from Muntenia into south-eastern Transylvania[1]
Tei culture expands from Muntenia into south-eastern Transylvania[1]
Suciu de Sus culture spreads into northern Transylvania, Crisana, north-eastern Hungary and south-eastern Slovakia, practicing cremation[1]
Cruceni-Belegiš culture follows and replaces the Vatina culture in Serbia and western Banat; it is part of the Urnfield culture which moves from the middle Danube towards south-east; this advance leads to great dislocations of populations in the Balkan Peninsula, resulting in Dorian migration to the south, the destruction of Mycenaean civilization and expeditions of the Sea Peoples[1]
Callatis founded[4] by Heraclea Pontica, itself a colony of Megara
c. 550 BC – Agathyrsi, a Thraco-Scythian people, build burial tombs around modern day Ciumbrud, in contrast with the surrounding people who practice incineration[9][12]
514 BC – Darius I led his Persian army over the Bosphorus and campaigns unsuccessfully against the Scythians on the Danube.
513 BC – Darius subdues the Getae and east Thrace in his war against the Scythians.
513 BC – first written evidence of tribes (Getae or Dacians) inhabiting the region by Herodotus
5th century BC
Scythian bowl, 5th century BC found at Castelu, Romania. In display at Constanţa Museum of National History
74 BC – Dacian Kingdom at its peak under King Burebista
72-71 BC – War between Pontic cities, allied with Thracians, and Romans; Callatis treaty with Rome[14][17]
61 BC – Coalition of Greeks and barbarians (Getae and Bastarnae) defeats C. Antonius Hybrida at Histria[14][17]
c. 60 BC – Burebista leads a policy of conquest of new territories: he attacks and vanquishes the Celtic tribes of Boii and Taurisci dwelling along the Middle Danube (in what is now Slovakia)[18]
c. 57 BC – Burebista conquers the Black Sea shore, subjugating the Greek fortresses from Olbia to Apollonia, as well as the Danubian Plain all the way to the Balkans.[18]
Burebista runs expeditions against a group of Celts who lived among the Thracians and Illyrians (probably the Scordisci)[19][20]
Tower house one and staircase with drain at the Dacian fortress of Costeşti
48 BC – Burebista sides with Pompey during his struggle against Julius Caesar in the Great Roman Civil War (49–45 BC),[18] sending Akornion as an ambassador and a military adviser[21]
48 BC – Citizens of Dionysopolis dedicate an inscription to Akornion, which mention this citizens' friendship to Burebista,[21] as well as a diplomatic mission to the Dacian town named Argedava[22] or Argidava[23] to possibly visit Burebista's father[22]
c. 45 BC – Caesar emerges as victor and plans on sending legions to punish Burebista[24]
44 BC
On March 15 Caesar is assassinated in the Senate before he can start a campaign against the Dacian Kingdom
Burebista is assassinated[14] in a plot made by the tribal aristocracy, which felt that a consolidation towards a centralized state would reduce their power
The Dacian Kingdom is dissolved, with the exception of the nucleus around the Orăştie Mountains,[18] while the rest being divided into four different kingdoms[19]
42 BC – Geto-Dacian contingent with Brutus at the Battle of Philippi,[14] fighting against Octavian and Mark Antony
15-35 AD – C. Poppaeus Sabinus, governor of Moesia[25]
c. 20 AD – Strabo publishes his Geographica (Geography) giving a detailed account of the Dacian Kingdom at the time of Burebista in Book VII, Chapter 3 (Mysia, Dacia, and the Danube);[26] he mentions that Getae and Dacians speak the same language,[27] and makes important references to the high priest Deceneus and the teachings of Zalmoxis[24][19]
26 AD – Poppaeus Sabinus and L. Pomponius Flaccus crushes Dobrujan revolt of Thracians [25][28]
c. 49 AD – Histria's fishing rights guaranteed[25]
54-68 AD – Noviodunum camp founded, during Nero's reign[25]
57-67 AD – Tiberius Plautius Silvanus Aelianus, governor of Moesia[25]
60-65 AD – Columella, agricultural writer, flourishes[25]
69 AD – Invasion of Dacians and Roxolans in Moesia, south of Danube; response of governor M. Aponinus Saturninus [28]
c. 77 AD – Pliny the Elder publishes his Naturalis Historia (Natural History), gives an account of the Dacians, noting that the Romans call the Getae, Daci[29]
81-96 AD – Bărboşi naval base founded during Domitian's reign[25]
before 84 AD – Duras becomes King of the Dacians and consolidates the consolidate the core of Dacia around Sarmizegetusa
84 AD – Diurpaneus reorganizes the Dacian army, and begins minor raids upon the heavily fortified Roman province of Moesia, on the southern course of the Danube river
85 AD
King Duras orders more vigorous attacks into Moesia, raids being led by Diurpaneus
Led by Diurpaneus the Dacians cross the Danube, wreak considerable havoc and kill the Moesian governor Oppius Sabinus.[30]
After this attack, the Roman emperor Domitian personally arrives in Moesia accompanied by a large force commanded by Cornelius Fuscus, and possibly bases himself in Naissus[30]
Summer 85 AD – Praetorian prefect Fuscus and Funisulanus Vettonianus successfully drives the Dacians back across the border[31][15]
Autumn 85 AD – Domitian returns to Rome and celebrates the tenth and eleventh salutations for driving out the invaders[31]
85-89 AD – Hadrian commands Legio V Macedonica[25]
86 AD
Domitian celebrates a triumph in Rome between March 17 and May 15 for the victory over the Dacians[31]
Domitian reorganizes the province of Moesia into Moesia Inferior and Moesia Superior,[25] and plans a future attack into Dacia.
87 AD
Cornelius Fuscus leads five or six legions across the Danube into Dacia on a bridge of ships[32]
The Roman legions are ambushed at Tapae and face disaster with complete destruction of Legio V Alaudae (see First Battle of Tapae)[33]
Cornelius Fuscus dies in the battle,[25] the battle standard of the Praetorian Guard is lost and the Dacians capture Roman flags and war machines[33]
Rome must pay tribute to the Dacians in exchange for a vague recognition of Rome's importance.
King Duras knowingly offers the kingship to Diurpaneus as a recognition of his diplomatic, military and leadership skills
Diurpaneus dubbs himself Decebalus, meaning "with the strength of ten [men]"[34] or simply "The Brave,"[32] and is crowned king of Dacia
88 AD
The Roman offensive into Dacia continues, with general Tettius Iulianus in command[35]
The army starts from Viminacium following the same route Cornelius Fuscus had in the previous year and heads towards Sarmizegetusa, the capital of Dacia[35]
In Rome, Domitian celebrates the Secular Games and possibly plans a trip to the Danube to accept Dacians' surrender in person[35]
Late 88, a battle takes place mainly in the same area, at Tapae, and this time the Romans are victorious[35]
Facing a difficult road to Sarmizegetusa and for fear of falling into a trap, Iulianus abandons the offensive[32]
Domitian attacks the Germanic Suebi tribes of Marcomanni and Quadi, possibly as a punitive action since the Germanics did not provide assistance in the Dacian conflict[36]
After Marcomanni defeat the Romans in Pannonia and Rome faces wars on two fronts, Domitian comes in person to the Danube and accepts the peace with the Dacians[37]
Later in the year, Decebalus sends Diegis, general, member of the Dacian royal family and brother of Decebalus,[38] to Rome[38] to accept the diadem from Domitian and the generous settlement[37]
Decebalus becomes a client king of Rome, he receives money, craftsmen[39] and war machines to protect the empire's borders
For Domitians' achievements in Dacia, the Roman Senate decrees a huge equestrian statue, impressive games take places and throughout the empire statues are erected[36]
after 89 AD
Instead of using the money as Rome intended, Decebalus builds new citadels in the mountains, in important strategic points, and reinforces the existing ones.
92 AD
A coalition of Dacians and Rhoxolani Sarmatians completely slaughter the Legio XXI Rapax at Tropaeum Traiani, modern Romania, in the First Battle of Adamclisi
The date used as the end of the ancient era is entirely arbitrary. Not all historians agree on the ending dates of ancient history, which frequently falls somewhere in the 5th, 6th, or 7th century. Western scholars usually date the end of ancient history with the fall of Rome in AD 476, the death of the emperor Justinian I in AD 565, or the coming of Islam in AD 632 as the end of ancient European history.
↑ 32.032.132.232.3"De Imperatoribus Romanis" (Assorted Imperial Battle Descriptions). An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors. http://www.roman-emperors.org/assobd.htm#t-inx. Retrieved 2007-11-08. "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 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)."
↑"Decebalus" means "strong as ten [men]" (cf. Sanskrit daśabala); Dece- being derived from Proto-Indo-European*dekm- ('ten') and -balus from PIE *bel-, 'strong'. Cf. Proto-Albanian*dek(a)t-, from PIE *dekm- (Demiraj, 1999).