Editing Getae (section)

== History ==
[[Image:Getae 200bc.jpg|thumb|300px|Eastern Europe in 200{{nbsp}}BC showing the Getae north of the Danube river]]

=== 7th – 4th centuries BC ===
From the 7th century BC onwards, the Getae came into economic and cultural contact with the [[Greeks]], who were establishing [[Colonies in antiquity|colonies]] on the western side of Pontus Euxinus, nowadays the Black Sea. The Getae are mentioned for the first time together in [[Herodotus]] in his narrative of the [[European Scythian campaign of Darius I|Scythian campaign]] of [[Darius I]] in 513{{nbsp}}BC, during which the latter conquered the Getae.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=nNDpPqeDjo0C&dq=darius+I+conquers+getae&pg=PA494 ''The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume 10 - Persia, Greece, and the Western Mediterranean''] [[Cambridge University Press]], 1982. {{ISBN|978-0521228046}} p 494</ref> According to Herodotus, the Getae differed from other Thracian tribes in their religion, centered around the god (''daimon'') [[Zalmoxis]] whom some of the Getae called [[Gebeleizis]].<ref>Herodotus, the Histories. Edited by Paul Cartledge. Translated by Tom Holland, Penguin Books, 2015. Page 296 - 297</ref> 

{{blockquote|But the Getans, who are the bravest of the Thracians, and most sensitive to the demands of justice as well, became obstinate, and were promptly enslaved. |Herodotus. ''the Histories'', 4.93. trans. Tom Holland}}

Between the 5th and 3rd centuries BC, the Getae were mostly under the rule of the flourishing [[Odrysian kingdom]]. During this time, the Getae provided military services and became famous for their cavalry. After the disintegration of the Odrysian kingdom, smaller Getic principalities began to consolidate themselves.

=== Prosperity ===
Before setting out on his [[Persian Empire|Persian]] expedition, [[Alexander the Great]] defeated the Getae and razed one of their settlements.<ref>[http://websfor.org/alexander/arrian/book1a.asp Arrian. ''Anabasis'', Book IA]. "The Getae did not sustain even the first charge of the cavalry; for Alexander’s audacity seemed incredible to them, in having thus easily crossed the Ister, the largest of rivers, in a single night, without throwing a bridge over the stream. Terrible to them also was the closely locked order of the phalanx, and violent the charge of the cavalry. At first they fled for refuge into their city, which was distant about a parasang from the Ister; but when they saw that Alexander was leading his phalanx carefully along the side of the river, to prevent his infantry being anywhere surrounded by the Getae lying in ambush, but that he was sending his cavalry straight on, they again abandoned the city, because it was badly fortified."</ref> In 313{{nbsp}}BC, the Getae formed an alliance with [[Callatis]], [[Varna, Bulgaria|Odessos]], and other western Pontic Greek colonies against [[Lysimachus]], who held a fortress at Tirizis (modern [[Kaliakra]]).<ref>Strabo. ''Geography'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7F*.html 7.6.1]. "On this coast-line is Cape Tirizis, a stronghold, which Lysimachus once used as a treasury."</ref>

The Getae flourished especially in the first half of the 3rd century BC. By about 200{{nbsp}}BC, the authority of the Getic prince, [[Zalmodegicus]], stretched as far as [[Histria (ancient city)|Histria]], as a contemporary inscription shows.<ref>Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 18.288</ref> Other strong princes included [[Zoltes]] and [[Rhemaxos]] (about 180{{nbsp}}BC). Also, several Getic rulers minted their own coins. The ancient authors [[Strabo]]<ref>Strabo. ''Geography'', 16.2.38–16.2.39.</ref> and [[Cassius Dio]]<ref>Cassius Dio. ''Roman History'', 68.9.</ref> say that Getae practiced [[ruler cult]], and this is confirmed by archaeological remains.

=== Conflict with Rome ===
In 72–71 BC [[Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus]] became the first [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] commander to march against the Getae. This was done to strike at the western Pontic allies of [[Mithridates VI]], but he had limited success. A decade later, a coalition of [[Scythians]], Getae, [[Bastarnae]] and Greek colonists defeated C.{{nbsp}}[[Antonius Hybrida]] at [[Histria (Sinoe)|Histria]].<ref>[[Livy]]. ''[[Ab Urbe Condita Libri (Livy)|Ab urbe condita]]'', 103.</ref><ref>Cassius Dio. ''Roman History'', 38.10.1–38.10.3.</ref> This victory over the Romans allowed [[Burebista]], the leader of this coalition, to dominate the region for a short period (60–50 BC).

In the mid-first century BC [[Burebista]] organized a [[Dacia|kingdom]] consisting of descendants of those whom the Greeks had called ''Getae'', as well as [[Dacians]], or ''Daci'', the name applied to people of the region by the Romans.{{sfn|Waldman|Mason|2006|p=335}}

[[Augustus]] aimed at subjugating the entire [[Balkan peninsula]], and used an incursion of the Bastarnae across the Danube as a pretext to devastate the Getae and Thracians. He put [[Marcus Licinius Crassus (consul 30 BC)|Marcus Licinius Crassus]] in charge of the plan. In 29{{nbsp}}BC, Crassus defeated the Bastarnae with the help of the Getic prince [[Rholes]].<ref>Cassius Dio. ''Roman History'', 51.24.7; 26.1.</ref> Crassus promised him help for his support against the Getic ruler [[Dapyx]].<ref>Cassius Dio. ''Roman History'', 51.26.</ref> After Crassus had reached as far the [[Danube Delta]], Rholes was appointed king and returned to Rome. In 16{{nbsp}}BC, the [[Sarmatae]] invaded the Getic territory and were driven back by Roman troops.<ref>Cassius Dio. ''Roman History'', 54.20.1–54.20.3.</ref> The Getae were placed under the control of the Roman vassal king in Thrace, [[Rhoemetalces I]]. In 6{{nbsp}}AD, the province of [[Moesia]] was founded, incorporating the Getae south of the [[Danube River]]. The Getae north of the Danube continued tribal autonomy outside the Roman Empire.