Editing Getae (section)

=== 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.