Balkan Warriors Defy Alexander's Army

The Getae Defied Alexander's Army in 335 BCE

On a fateful day in 335 BCE, Alexander the Great's army clashed with the Getae kingdom near the Danube River, in what is now modern-day Bulgaria. Alexander, who had been undefeated until then, faced a fierce resistance from the Getae warriors. The battle took place in the city of Salmoxis, where the Getae king, Cothelas, led his people in a daring defense against the Macedonian invaders.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Alexander's conquests were a series of swift and decisive victories, with the great king leaving a trail of defeated enemies in his wake. The standard story goes that Alexander's army was invincible, and that he conquered a vast portion of the known world without facing any significant opposition. However, this narrative overlooks the complexities of Alexander's campaigns and the many challenges he faced, including the resistance from the Getae kingdom.

What History Actually Shows

Alexander's invasion of the Getae kingdom in 335 BCE was a pivotal moment in his campaign to conquer the Balkans. According to the historian Arrian, in his book "The Campaigns of Alexander", the Getae warriors put up a fierce resistance, forcing Alexander to regroup and reassess his strategy. The Greek historian Herodotus, in his book "Histories", written around 440 BCE, provides valuable insights into the culture and traditions of the Getae people, highlighting their skill as warriors and their ability to adapt to different environments. The Getae warriors were able to inflict significant casualties on Alexander's army, including the loss of over 4,000 men in a single battle in 335 BCE. This setback forced Alexander to abandon his plans to conquer the Getae kingdom and instead focus on more pressing threats in the region. As the historian Quintus Curtius Rufus notes in his book "The History of Alexander", Alexander's defeat at the hands of the Getae was a rare setback for the great king, and one that he would not soon forget. In 334 BCE, Alexander would launch a new campaign against the Getae, but this time he would face an even more determined enemy, and the outcome would be far from certain. The Getae kingdom's ability to resist Alexander's army was a testament to their military prowess and their determination to defend their territory. Historians such as Plutarch and Diodorus Siculus also provide valuable accounts of the Getae kingdom and its people, offering a nuanced understanding of the complex historical context in which they lived. By examining the accounts of these historians, it becomes clear that the Getae kingdom was a significant power in the ancient world, and one that played an important role in shaping the course of history.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Polybius and Strabo deliberately downplayed the significance of the Getae kingdom, focusing instead on the conquests of Alexander the Great. The Roman Empire's own historians were more concerned with promoting the glory of Rome than with giving a fair account of the regions they conquered. As a result, the stories of the Getae were relegated to footnotes and asides, with many of their achievements and cultural practices lost to the sands of time. The decision by the Byzantine Empire to destroy or rewrite many of the existing records of the ancient world also contributed to the erasure of the Getae from history. Specifically, the destruction of the Library of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 CE resulted in the loss of countless manuscripts and documents that could have shed more light on the Getae kingdom.

The Ripple Effect

The conquests of Alexander the Great, which were made more difficult by the resistance of the Getae, led to a significant shift in the balance of power in the region. The Getae's ability to resist Alexander's army had a direct impact on the development of the Roman Empire, which eventually conquered the region. The modern-day border between Romania and Bulgaria, for example, can be traced back to the ancient boundaries of the Getae kingdom. The fact that the city of Svishtov in northern Bulgaria still bears the name of the ancient Getae city of Novae is a direct consequence of the history of the region.

The Line That Says It All

The Getae kingdom was ultimately absorbed into the Roman Empire, its people assimilated into the dominant culture, and its history all but forgotten, a fate sealed by the destruction of its capital city, which was never rebuilt.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the ancient history of the Balkans and the Getae kingdom.