Dacian Chieftain Tapae, 88 AD

The Dacians were an Indo-European people that lived in the area between the Carpathian Mountains and the Black Sea, in parts of today’s Romania, Moldavia, and Ukraine. Their origins are somewhat obscure but it is assumed they had influences from both the eastern Celts and the Scythians.

The Dacian kingdoms started gaining relevance during the first century before Christ, and that led to an inevitable collision course with the Romans, that intensified gradually until reaching the reign of Decebalus at the end of the I century.

Early campaigns by Domitian resulted in disaster and defeat, as Decebalus managed to rally the huge Dacian population and resisted the Romans, but Trajan had much more success. It took him two major campaigns (known as the Dacian Wars), spanning from 101 to 102 AD, and 105 to 106 AD, but he managed to defeat them decisively. The events of that conquest were immortalized in the Trajan Column, which still stands as a witness in central Rome.

Our bust represents a defiant Dacian Chieftain, equipped with the characteristic arms and armor of the period.

Note: This is a resin miniature kit that requires assembly and painting.