Decebal Triumphant: Rome - Dacia Wars Series 85 – 99 AD

Roman Empire was going through a hard time with Emperor Domitian spending money on games and luxury and trying to extend the territory of the Empire to the East, to Dacia - one of the wealthiest kingdoms of the time. Dacians are led by a young and talented general Decebal, who soon becomes the king. Peter Jaksa is a specialist in Dacian wars and presents the story from the point of view of Dacia. Traditions, political matters, religion and the situation of the Dacebal Court are described in deta

Loved this one - writing closer to a history manual than to a literary novel in many ways and the description of the battles somewhat vague, but the novel has that "energy" that is hard to define and makes one turn pages, while not being able to put it down until finished - which however polished prose may fail to do it so often - while remaining eager to read more. Of course, what attracted me was the subject and I found the depictions of Dacia under Decebal very flattering - maybe a bit too go

Historical fact and fiction merged!This wasn't a war story as such, although we had numerous battles between Dacian warriors and Roman legionaries. Brutal clashes with huge casualties on both sides but, in the case of the Dacians at least, respect for their enemy and magnanimity shown to the defeated. This Dacian trait led to many former legionaries changing sides and fighting for Dacia. That is according to the author, who clearly favoured the Dacian people and culture over Roman civilisation.