''Dava'' (

Latinate Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area around Rome, Italy. Through the expansion o ...

plural In many languages, a plural (sometimes list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated as pl., pl, , or ), is one of the values of the grammatical number, grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than ...

''davae'') was a Geto-Dacian name for a city, town or fortress. Generally, the name indicated a tribal center or an important settlement, usually fortified. Some of the Dacian settlements and the fortresses employed the Murus Dacicus traditional construction technique. Most of these towns are attested by

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; , ; ; – 160s/170s AD) was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine science, Byzant ...

, and therefore date from at least the 1st century CE. The dava towns can be found as south as the cities of

Sandanski Sandanski ( ; , formerly known as Sveti Vrach, , until 1947) is a town and a recreation center in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Blagoevgrad Province. Named after the Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary Yane Sandanski, it is situated in Sanda ...

and

Plovdiv Plovdiv (, ) is the List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, second-largest city in Bulgaria, 144 km (93 miles) southeast of the capital Sofia. It had a population of 490,983 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is a cultural hub ...

in present-day

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...

specified that the

Dacians The Dacians (; ; ) were the ancient Indo-European inhabitants of the cultural region of Dacia, located in the area near the Carpathian Mountains and west of the Black Sea. They are often considered a subgroup of the Thracians. This area include ...

("Daci") are the Getae. The

Getae The Getae or Getai ( or , also Getans) were a large nation who inhabited the regions to either side of the Lower Danube in what is today northern Bulgaria and southern Romania, throughout much of Classical Antiquity. The main source of informa ...

and their kings were always considered as

Thracians The Thracians (; ; ) were an Indo-European languages, Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Southeast Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied the area that today is shared betwee ...

by the ancients (

Dio Cassius Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history of ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

, Trogus Pompeius,

Appian Appian of Alexandria (; ; ; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who prospered during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. He was born c. 95 in Alexandria. After holding the senior offices in the pr ...

Herodotus Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...

and

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

), and were both said to speak the same

Thracian language The Thracian language () is an extinct and Attested language, poorly attested language, spoken in ancient times in Southeast Europe by the Thracians. The linguistic affinities of the Thracian language are Classification of Thracian, poorly unde ...

Etymology

Many city names of the Dacians were composed of an initial lexical element (often the tribe name) affixed to ''-dava'', ''-daua'', ''-deva'', ''-deba'', ''-daba'' or ''-dova'' (<

PIE A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts ( pecan pie), fruit preserves ( jam tart ...

br>''*dʰeh₁-''
"to set, place"). Therefore, ''dava'' 'town' derived from the reconstructed

proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. No direct record of Proto-Indo-European exists; its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-Euro ...

*dhewa 'settlement'. A non-Indo European, Kartvelian solution has also been briefly mentioned, but dismissed as a random occurrence (Tomaschek 1893, p. 139) e.g., see comparison with *daba, 'town, village'.

List of ''davae''

Below is a list of Dacian towns which include various forms of ''dava'' in their name: Teritoriul onomastic al elementului dava - Sorin Olteanu

Acidava Acidava (''Acidaua'') was a Dacians, Dacian and later Roman Dacia, Roman town and fort on the Olt river near the lower Danube. The settlement's remains are located in today's Enoşeşti, Olt County, Oltenia, Romania. History After the Roman ...

(''Acidaua''), a fortress town close to the

Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...

. Located in today's

Enoșești Piatra-Olt is a town in Olt County, Oltenia, Romania. The town administers five villages: Bistrița Nouă, Criva de Jos, Criva de Sus, Enoșești, and Piatra. The town is an important railway station and road intersection. It officially became a to ...

, Olt County, Romania *

Aedava Aedava (also known as Aedeva, Aedabe, Aedeba, Aedadeba) was a Dacian settlement located south of the Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in ...

(''Aedeva'', ''Aedabe'', ''Aedeba'' or ''Aedadeba''), placed by

Procopius Procopius of Caesarea (; ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; ; – 565) was a prominent Late antiquity, late antique Byzantine Greeks, Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in Justinian I, Empe ...

on the Danubian road between Augustae and Variana, in

Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; ) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River. As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballi ...

(the present Northern

) *

Aiadava Aiadava (''Aiadaba'' or ''Aeadaba'', ) was a Dacians, Dacian town in the Remesiana region, present day Bela Palanka, Serbia. After the Romans conquered Moesia in the 75 BC, the new castrum (imperial domain with estates) and municipium was known ...

(''Aiadaba'' or ''Aeadaba'', ), was a locality in the Remesiana region, present

Bela Palanka Bela Palanka (Serbian Cyrillic: Бела Паланка, ) is a town and municipality located in the Pirot District of southeastern Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the population of the town is 7,140, and the population of the municipality i ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. *

Argedava Argedava (''Argedauon'', ''Sargedava'', ''Sargedauon'', ''Zargedava'', ''Zargedauon'', ) was potentially an important Dacians, Dacian town mentioned in the Decree of Dionysopolis (48 BC), and maybe located at Popești, Giurgiu, Popești, ...

(''Argedauon'', ''Sargedava'', ''Sargedauon'', ''Zargedava'', ''Zargedauon'', ), mentioned in the

Decree of Dionysopolis The Decree of Dionysopolis was written around 48 BC by the citizens of Dionysopolis (today's Balchik, on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria) to Akornion, who traveled far away in a diplomatic mission to meet somebody's farther in ''Argedauon''. The ...

, potentially the ''dava'' discovered at Popești, a district in the town of Mihăilești,

Giurgiu County Giurgiu () is a county ('' județ'') of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Giurgiu. Demographics In 2011, it had a population of 265,494 and the population density was . * Romanians – 96% * Romani ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

and maybe Burebista's court/capital *

Argidava Argidava (''Argidaua'', ''Arcidava'', ''Arcidaua'', ''Argedava'', ''Argedauon'', ''Argedabon'', ''Sargedava'', ''Sargedauon'', ''Zargedava'', ''Zargedauon'', ) was a Dacians, Dacian fortress town close to the Danube, inhabited and governed by ...

(''Argidaua'', ''Arcidava'', ''Arcidaua'', ''Argedava'', ''Argedauon'', ''Sargedava'', ''Sargedauon'', ''Zargedava'', ''Zargedauon'', ), potentially Burebista's court/capital, located in today's

Vărădia Vărădia () is a commune in Caraș-Severin County, Banat, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Mercina (''Mercsény'') and Vărădia. It is located near the border with Serbia, on the river Caraș, at a distance of from Oravița and fr ...

Caraș-Severin County Caraș-Severin () is a county ( județ) of Romania on the border with Serbia. The majority of its territory lies within the historical region of Banat, with a few northeastern villages considered part of Transylvania. The county seat is Reșița ...

* Bregedaba *

Buricodava Buricodava was a Dacian town. See also * Dava (Dacian), Dacian davae * List of ancient cities in Thrace and Dacia * Dacia * Roman Dacia Notes References Ancient * * * Modern * * * Further reading * * * External links

* Buridava or

Burridava Buridava (''Burridava'') was a Dacian town situated in Dacia, later Dacia Apulensis, now Romania, on the banks of the river Aluta, now Olt River, Olt. Later a Roman fort (Buridava castra) was built there. Etymology The name is Geto-Thracia ...

, today's Ocnele Mari, Romania *

Buteridava Buteridava was a Dacian town. See also * Dava (Dacian), Dacian davae * List of ancient cities in Thrace and Dacia * Dacia * Roman Dacia Notes References Ancient Modern * Further reading Dacian tow ...

* Capidava or Kapidaua, a fortress town on the southern side of the lower

* Carsidava or Karsidaua *

Cumidava Cumidava (also Comidava, Komidava, ) was originally a Dacian settlement, and later a Ancient Rome, Roman military camp on the site of the modern city of Râșnov (15 km from Brașov) in Romania. Etymology After the Roman conquest of Dacia ...

, Comidava or Komidaua, ancient Râșnov, Romania * Dausdava, Dausadava or Dausdavua, "The shrine of wolves", a fortress town close to the

* Desudaba * Docidava or Dokidaua * Gildova or Gildoba, located alongside the

Vistula The Vistula (; ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest in Europe, at in length. Its drainage basin, extending into three other countries apart from Poland, covers , of which is in Poland. The Vistula rises at Barania Góra i ...

river * Giridava * Itadeba or Itadava, in north eastern

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

* Jidava, near Câmpulung Muscel, Romania * Jidova * Klepidaua * Kuimedaba * Marcodava or Markodaua * Murideba * Nentinava or Netindaua, ancient Slobozia, Romania * Nentivava, ancient

Oltenița Oltenița () is a Municipiu, city in Călărași County, Muntenia, Romania, on the left bank of the river Argeș (river), Argeș, where its waters flow into the Danube. Geography The city is located in the southwestern part of the county; it sta ...

, Romania * Patridava or Patridaua * Pelendava or Pelendova, ancient

Craiova Craiova (, also , ) is the largest city in southwestern Romania, List of Romanian cities, the seventh largest city in the country and the capital of Dolj County, situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It i ...

, Romania * Perburidava * Petrodava or Petrodaua located in Piatra Neamţ * Piroboridava or Piroboridaua * Pulpudeva, originally named ''Eumolpias'' by the Dacians.

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

conquered the area in 342–341 BC and renamed the city ''Philippoupolis'' (), of which the later Dacian name for the city, ''Pulpu-deva'', is a reconstructed translation. Today's city of

in Bulgaria. * Quemedava, mentioned by Procopius in DardaniaEthnic continuity in the Carpatho-Danubian area by Elemér Illyés,1988,,page 223 * Ramidava or Rhamidaua * Recidava * Rusidava or Rusidava * Sacidava or Sacidaba * Sagadava * Sandava * Sangidaua * Scaidava or Skedeba * Setidava or Setidaua, mentioned by Ptolemy as a thriving settlement * Singidava or Singidaua * Sucidava, Suvidava or Sukidaua located in

Corabia Corabia () is a small Danube port located in Olt County, Oltenia, Romania, which used to be part of the now-dissolved Romanați County before World War II. Across the Danube from Corabia lies the Bulgarian village of Gigen. History Beneath Co ...

, Olt County, Romania * Susudava, mentioned by Ptolemy as a thriving settlement * Sykidaba * Tamasidava or Tamasidaua * Thermidava, placed by Ptolemy on the Lissus- Naissus route. The toponym is most probably a misreading of a settlement which most scholars in contemporary research locate near present-day

Banat Banat ( , ; ; ; ) is a geographical and Historical regions of Central Europe, historical region located in the Pannonian Basin that straddles Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. It is divided among three countries: the eastern part lie ...

, Serbia. * Utidava or Utidaua * Zargidava or Zargidaua * Ziridava or Ziridaua * Zisnedeva, Zisnudeva or Zisnudeba, located in Dacian

* Zucidaua * Zisnudeba * Zusidava

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * *

External links

Dacian Davae in Enciclopedia Dacica
(Romanian)

(Romanian)

(Romanian, partially English)

{{Dacia topics Dacian towns Dacian language