The Getae (^{[pronunciation?]}; Ancient Greek: Γέται, singular Γέτης; Bulgarian: Гети; Romanian: Geţi, singular Get) was the name given by the Greeks to several Thracian tribes inhabiting the regions to either side of the Lower Danube, in what is today northern Bulgaria and Romania. This was a hinterland of Greek colonies on the Black Sea coast, bringing the Getae into contact with the Ancient Greeks from an early date.

Getae and Dacians[link]

Ancient sources[link]

Strabo, one of the first ancient sources to mention Getae and Dacians, stated in his Geographica (ca. 7 BC-20 AD) that the Dacians lived in the western parts of Dacia, "towards Germania and the sources of the Danube", and the Getae in the eastern parts, towards the Black Sea, both south and north of the Danube.^[1] The ancient geographer also wrote that the Dacians and Getae spoke the same language^[2], after stating the same about Getae and Thracians.^[3]

Pliny the Elder, in his Naturalis Historia (Natural History), ca. 77-79 AD, provides a similar view: "... though various races have occupied the adjacent shores; at one spot the Getae, by the Romans called Daci...".^[4]

Appian, who began writing his Roman History under Antonius Pius, Roman Emperor from 138 to 161, noted: “[B]ut going beyond these rivers in places they rule some of the Celts over the Rhine and the Getae over the Danube, whom they call Dacians”^[5].^[6]

Justin, the 3rd century AD Latin historian, wrote in his Epitome of Pompeius Trogus that Dacians are spoken of as descendents of the Getae: "Daci quoque suboles Getarum sunt" (The Dacians as well are a scion of the Getae).^[7][8]

In his Roman History (ca. 200 AD), Cassius Dio adds: "I call the people Dacians, the name used by the natives themselves as well as by the Romans, though I am not ignorant that some Greek writers refer to them as Getae, whether that is the right term or not..."^{[9] [10]}. He also shows the Dacians to live on both sides of the Lower Danube; the ones south of the river (today's northern Bulgaria), in Moesia, and are called Moesians, while the ones north of the river are called Dacians. He argues that the Dacians are "Getae or Thracians of Dacian race":^[11]

In ancient times, it is true, Moesians and Getae occupied all the land between Haemus and the Ister; but as time went on some of them changed their names, and since then there have been included under the name of Moesia all the tribes living above Dalmatia, Macedonia, and Thrace, and separated from Pannonia by the Savus, a tributary of the Ister. Two of the many tribes found among them are those formerly called the Triballi, and the Dardani, who still retain their old name.^[12]

Modern interpretations[link]

There is a dispute among external and authentic scholars about the relations between the Getae and Dacians, and this dispute also covers the interpretation of ancient sources. Some historians such as Ronald Arthur Crossland state that even Ancient Greeks used the two designations "interchangeable or with some confusion". Thus, it is generally considered that the two groups were related to a certain degree,^[13] while the exact relation is a matter of controversy.

Same people[link]

Onomastic range of the Dacian, Getae and Moesian towns with the dava or deva ending, covering Dacia, Moesia, Thrace and Dalmatia and showcasing linguistic continuity

Strabo, as well as other ancient sources, led some modern historians to consider that, if the Thracian ethnic group should be divided, one of this divisions should be the "Daco-Getae".^[14] The linguist Ivan Duridanov also identified a "Dacian linguistic area"^[15] in Dacia, Scythia Minor, Lower Moesia and Upper Moesia.

Romanian scholars generally went further with the identification, historian Constantin C. Giurescu claiming the two were identical.^[16] The archaeologist Mircea Babeş spoke of a "veritable ethno-cultural unity" between the Getae and the Dacians.^{[citation needed]} According to Glanville Price, the account of the Greek geographer Strabo shows that the Getae and the Dacians were one and the same people.^[17] Others who support the identity between Getae and Dacians with ancient sources include freelance writer James Minahan and Catherine B Avery, who claim the people whom the Greek called Getae were called Daci by the Romans.^{[18] [19]} The same view is expressed by some British historians such as Sandler Berkowitz David and Philip Matyszak.^[20][21] The Bulgarian historian and thracologist Alexander Fol considers that the Getae became known as "Dacians" in Greek and Latin in the writings of Caesar, Strabo and Pliny the Elder, as Roman observers adopted the name of the Dacian tribe to refer to all the unconquered inhabitants north of the Danube.^[22] Also, Edward Bunbury believed the name of Getae, by which they were originally known to the Greeks on the Euxine, was always retained by the latter in common usage: while that of Dacians, whatever be its origin, was that by which the more western tribes, adjoining the Pannonians, first became known to the Romans.^[23] Some scholars consider the Getae and Dacians to be the same people at different stages of their history and discuss their culture as Geto-Dacian.^[24]

Same language, distinct people[link]

Historian and archaeologist Alexandru Vulpe found a remarkable uniformity of the Geto-Dacian culture,^[25] however he is one of the few Romanian archaeologist to make a clear distinction between the Getae and Dacians, arguing against the traditional position of the Romanian historiography that considered the two people the same.^[26] Nevertheless, he chose to use the term "Geto-Dacians" as a conventional concept for the Thracian tribes inhabiting the future territory of Romania, not necessarily meaning an "absolute ethnic, linguistic or historical unity".^[26]

Ronald Arthur Crossland suggested the two designations may refer to two groups of a "linguistically homogeneous people" that had come to historical prominence at two distinct periods of time. He also compared the probable linguistic situation with the relation between modern Norwegian and Danish languages.^[3] Paul Lachlan MacKendrick considered the two as "branches" of the same tribe, speaking two dialects of a common language.^[27]

The Romanian historian of ideas and historiographer Lucian Boia stated: "At a certain point, the phrase Geto-Dacian was coined in the Romanian historiography to suggest a unity of Getae and Dacians".^[28] Lucian Boia took a sceptical position, arguing the ancient writers distinguished among the two people, treating them as two distinct groups of the Thracian ethnos.^[28][29] Boia contended that it would be naive to assume Strabo knew the Thracian dialects so well,^[28] alleging that Strabo had "no competence in the field of Thracian dialects".^[29] The latter claim is contested, some studies attesting Strabo's reliability and sources.^[30] There is no reason to disregard Strabo's view that the Daci and the Getae spoke the same language.^[17] Boia also stressed that some Romanian authors cited Strabo indiscriminately.^[29]

A similar position was adopted by Romanian historian and archaeologist G. A. Niculescu, who also criticized the Romanian historiography and the archaeological interpretation, particularly on the "Geto-Dacian" culture.^[31] In his opinion, Alexandru Vulpe saw ancient people as modern nations, leading the latter to interpret the common language as a sign of a common people, despite Strabo making a distinction between the two.^[26]

History[link]

Eastern Europe in 200 BC showing the Getae tribes north of the Danube river.

7th century BC[link]

From the 7th century BC onwards, the Getae came into economic and cultural contact with the Greeks, who were establishing 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 Scythian campaign of Darius I in 513 BC. 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.^[32]

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.

Persian expedition[link]

Before setting out on his Persian expedition, Alexander the Great defeated the Getae and razed one of their settlements.^[33] In 313 BC, the Getae formed an alliance with Callatis, Odessos, and other western Pontic Greek colonies against Lysimachus, who held a fortress at Tirizis (modern Kaliakra).^[34]

The Getae flourished especially in the first half of the 3rd century BC. By about 200 BC, the authority of the Getic prince, Zalmodegicus, stretched as far as Histria, as a contemporary inscription shows.^[35] Other strong princes included Zoltes and Rhemaxos (about 180 BC). Also, several Getic rulers minted their own coins. The ancient authors Strabo^[36] and Cassius Dio^[37] say that Getae practiced ruler cult, and this is confirmed by archaeological remains.

Conflict with Rome[link]

In 72-71 BC, Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus became the first 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. Antonius Hybrida at Histria.^[38][39] This victory over the Romans allowed Burebista to dominate the region for a short period (60-50 BC).

In the mid-first BCE Burebista organized a 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.^[24]

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 in charge of the plan. In 29 BC, Crassus defeated the Bastarnae with the help of the Getic prince Rholes.^[40] Crassus promised him help for his support against the Getic ruler Dapyx.^[41] After Crassus had reached as far the Danube Delta, Rholes was appointed king and returned to Rome. In 16 BC, the Sarmatae invaded the Getic territory and were driven back by Roman troops.^[42] The Getae were placed under the control of the Roman vassal king in Thrace, Rhoemetalces I. In 6 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.

Culture[link]

The Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari, Bulgaria.

According to Herodotus, the Getae were "the noblest as well as the most just of all the Thracian tribes."^[43] When the Persians, led by Darius the Great, campaigned against the Scythians, the Thracian tribes in the Balkans surrendered to Darius on his way to Scythia, and only the Getae offered resistance.^[43]

One episode from the history of the Getae is attested by several ancient writers.^[44][45]

When Lysimachus tried to subdue the Getae he was defeated by them. The Getae king, Dromichaetes, took him prisoner but he treated him well and convinced Lysimachus there is more to gain as an ally than as an enemy of the Getae and released him. According to Diodorus, Dromichaetes entertained Lysimachus at his palace at Helis, where food was served on gold and silver plates. The discovery of the celebrated tomb at Sveshtari (1982) suggests that Helis was located perhaps in its vicinity,^[46] where remains of a large antique city are found along with dozens of other Thracian mound tombs.

As stated earlier, the principal god of the Getae was Zalmoxis whom they sometimes called Gebeleizis.

"This same people, when it lightens and thunders, aim their arrows at the sky, uttering threats against the god; and they do not believe that there is any god but their own." - Herodotus. Histories, 4.94.

Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia mentions a tribe called the Tyragetae,^[47] apparently a Daco-Thracian tribe who dwelt by the river Tyras (the Dniester). Their tribal name appears to be a combination of Tyras and Getae; cf. the names Thyssagetae and Massagetae.

The Roman poet Ovid, during his long exile in Tomis, is asserted to have written poetry (now lost) in the Getic language. In his Epistulae ex Ponto, written from the northern coast of the Black Sea, he asserts that two major, distinct languages were spoken by the sundry tribes of Scythia, which he referred to as Getic, and Sarmatian.

Physical appearance[link]

Jerome (Letter CVII to Laeta. II) described the Getae as red and yellow-haired.^[48]

Legacy[link]

At the close of the 4th century AD, Claudian, court poet to the emperor Honorius and the patrician Stilicho, habitually uses the ethnonym Getae to refer poetically to the Visigoths.

During 5th and 6th centuries, several writers (Marcellinus Comes, Orosius, John Lydus, Isidore of Seville, Procopius of Caesarea) used the same ethnonym Getae to name populations invading the Eastern Roman Empire (Goths, Gepids, Kutrigurs, Slavs). For instance, in the third book of the History of the Wars Procopius details: "There were many Gothic nations in earlier times, just as also at the present, but the greatest and most important of all are the Goths, Vandals, Visigoths, and Gepaedes. In ancient times, however, they were named Sauromatae and Melanchlaeni; and there were some too who called these nations Getic."^[49]

The Getae were also assumed to be the ancestors of the Goths by Jordanes in his Getica written at the middle of the 6th century. Jordanes assumed the earlier testimony of Orosius.

See also[link]

Notes[link]

References[link]

Ancient[link]

Modern[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dacia and Dacians

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ancient Thrace and Ancient Thracians

v t e Dacia topics Dacian tribes: Aedi · Albocense · Anartes · Apuli · Artakioi · Biephi · Biessoi · Buri · Carpi · Cauci · Ciaginsi · Clariae · Costoboci · Cotini · Crobidae · Daci · Getae · Moesi · Osi · Peukini · Piephigi · Potulatense · Predasense · Rhadacense · Saldense · Scaugdae · Sense · Suci · Terizi · Teurisci · Trixae · Tyragetae · Troglodytae Dacian kings: Burebista · Comosicus · Coson · Cotiso · Cothelas · Dapyx · Decebalus · Deceneus · Dicomes · Dromichaetes · Dual · Duras · Moskon · Oroles · Rhemaxos · Rholes · Rubobostes · Scorillo · Zalmodegicus · Zyraxes Culture and civilisation: Art, jewellery, treasures, tools (Bracelets)  · Clothing  · Foreign Relations (Greeks · Celts · Romans · Germanic tribes)  · Warfare (Falx · Sica · Thracian warfare) Language: Belagines · Words of possible Dacian origin · Dacian plant names · Dacian names · Dacian script · Sinaia lead plates · Daco-Thracian · Thracian language · Thraco-Illyrian Religion: Dacian gods (Bendis · Deceneus · Derzelas · Dionysus · Gebeleizis · Kotys · Pleistoros · Sabazios · Semele · Seirenes · Silenus · Zalmoxis) · Dacian Draco · Kogaionon Towns and fortresses: Sarmizegetusa · Argidava · Buridava · Cumidava · Piroboridava · Sucidava · More towns... · Davae · Dacian Fortresses of the Orăştie Mountains · Murus dacicus Wars with the Roman Empire: Domitian's war - (First Battle of Tapae) Trajan's wars - First War (Second Battle of Tapae - Battle of Adamclisi) - Second War (Battle of Sarmisegetusa) Roman Dacia: Dacia Traiana · Moesia · Scythia Minor · Dacia Aureliana · Diocese of Dacia · Dacia Mediterranea · Dacia Ripensis · Trajan (Bridge · Column) · Towns and cities · Castra · Limes (Alutanus · Moesiae · Porolissensis · Sarmatiae · Transalutanus · Trajan's Wall · Brazda lui Novac) · Language (Thraco-Roman · Eastern Romance substratum) Research on Dacia: Books about Dacia · Dacian archaeology · Archaeological sites in Romania · Dacology · Thracology · Protochronism WikiProject • Commons Project • Dacian fortresses, settlements, Roman castra, limes from Romania: Google Maps  • Google Earth

Negură Bunget
Background information
Origin	Timișoara, Romania
Genres	Progressive black metal[1] Folk metal
Labels	Code666 Records (Aural Music) Prophecy Productions (Lupus Lounge)
Website	negurabunget.com/
Members
Negru Corb Spin Gadinet Inia Dinia Ageru Pamintului

Negură Bunget is a black metal band from Timișoara, Romania.

Biography[link]

Negură Bunget formed at the end of 1994, as a duo, with Hupogrammos Disciple on guitars, vocals, and keyboards, and Negru on drums (at that point, the band was known as Wiccan Rede). In 1997, Sol'Faur Spurcatu joined the group on guitar. In a 2004 interview, Negru explained the symbolism of the name:

“

Negură Bunget is a black fog coming from a deep dark dense forest. The name tries to picture somehow the kind of atmosphere, both musical and spiritual we'd want to create through our music. It has also an esoteric nature, standing for the inexpressible parts of our ideology. The two words are also from the Tracic substrate of the Romanian language (the oldest one, containing about 90 words) as the interest for our local history and spirituality is something of crucial importance and meaning for us as a band.

”

After one demo, one album and one EP, three more full-length albums followed - Măiastru Sfetnic, 'N Crugu Bradului and OM. The success of Măiastru Sfetnic secured the band a three-album contact with the 'code666 record' label. Now reaching a wider audience, they began their first European tours.

N Crugu Bradului included four songs spanning a total of nearly an hour.

The band described the album as:

“

The 4th Negură Bunget phase… the principles of 4 (four). The natural form of the Universe to manifest itself (the 4 seasons, the 4 phases of the moon, the 4 moments of the day, the 4 winds, the 4 cardinal points, the 4 elements…). The principle of 4 is a form that needs to be activated, through the consciousness (the awakening of the conscience) moving towards contemplation, standing for the initiation though mystery.

”

In 2006 Negură Bunget released OM. The album has received attention in the extreme music press; for example, it was ranked as the second best album of 2006 by the writers of the British Terrorizer Magazine.

In 2009, the band went through some unreconcilable disagreements between the three formers of the band, Hupogrammos, Sol'Faur and drummer Negru. Both Hupogrammos and Sol'Faur left the band, and Negru continues under the name of Negură Bunget with a new line-up.^[4]

The bands most recent album, Vîrstele Pămîntului, was also released in a very limited special edition version. This limited version, each handmade to order, consisted of a hand crafted wooden box finished with rope and burned finish containing an undisclosed amount of genuine soil from Transylvania, a poster, pin and deluxe digipack edition of the CD album itself.^[5]

Band members[link]

Current line-up[link]

• Stefan - vocals (December 2011 -)
• Urzit - guitar (2010 -)
• Fulmineos - guitar, vocals (2010- 2011, 2011 -)
• Gadinet - bass (July 2009 -)
• Inia Dinia - keyboards (July 2009 -)
• Negru - drums, percussion (1994 -)

Former members[link]

• Hupogrammos (Dordeduh) - guitars, vocals, bass, keyboards, archaic instruments (1994–2009)
• Sol'Faur (Dordeduh)- guitars (also bass, keyboards, backing vocals) (1997–2009)

• Ageru Pământului - percussions, archaic instruments, vocals (July 2009 - 2011)
• Corb - vocals, guitars (July 2009 - August 2010)
• Spin - guitars (July 2009 - July 2010)

Former live members[link]

• Ermit (Ursu) - bass (1999–2007)
• Nǎval (Vapern) - keyboards (1996–2006), bass (2007)
• Arioch - bass (2007 - June 2009)
• Ageru Pământului - percution, traditional instr. (2004 - June 2009)
• Daniel Dorobanțu - (Thy Veils) - keyboards (1997–1998)
• Andrei Popa - guitar (September - December 2005)
• Iedera - keyboards (2005–2006)
• Necuratul - (Vokodlok) - percussion (2003)
• Inia Dinia - keyboards (2006 - June 2009)
• Aiwazz Vallach - keyboards (1995)

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Zîrnindu-să, 1996
• Măiastru Sfetnic, 2000
• 'N Crugu Bradului, 2002
• OM, 2006
• Măiestrit, 2010 (re-recording of Măiastru Sfetnic)
• Vîrstele Pamîntului, 2010

EPs[link]

• Sala Molksa, 1998
• Inarborat Kosmos, 2005
• Poarta De Dincolo, 2011^[6]

Demos[link]

• From Transilvanian Forest, 1995

Live[link]

• Focul Viu (2011)

Box Sets[link]

• Negură Bunget Box, 2004

Related projects/bands[link]

• Negura Magazine / Negura Music: central European ideological magazine, of which Negru is the chief editor.
• Makrothumia: progressive / doom death metal band formed in 1994, of which Hupogrammos and Negru were founding members.
• Dordeduh band formed in June 2009 by Hupogrammos and Sol Faur.
• Din Brad project of Negru.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Negură Bunget official website
• Negură Bunget Music
• Negură Bunget on Myspace
• Code666 Records
• Prophecy/Lupus Lounge Records

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Negură Bunget