Decebal, Dacian king (87-106 A.D.), organizer and leader in two defending wars agains the Roman expansion. Having great military and political qualities, Decebal have had some victories against the Romans.
Skilful diplomate, he makes a treaty with Domitian, after the Romans victory from Tapae, a peace in favour of the Dacians (89), but he did not stoped to prepare himself for a new war with the Romans, which he foresee. He fortify the army, the fortresses and try to form coalitions against the Romans with all the neighbour peoples, also menaced.
The second war with the Romans began in 101. Even he have wared heroically, the Dacian people was defeated (in the warlike expedition from 101-102 and 105-106), and Decebal committed suicide to avoid captivity and humility
On the left is the portrait of Decebal, sculptured on the Trajan Column. The Column, inaugurated in Forum Trajani of Rome on May 12th, 113 includes 155 scenes containing 2500 figures, representing the chronicle on the Dacian-Roman wars (101-102, 105-106).