An aside on Burebista

From: george knysh
Message: 67540
Date: 2011-05-12



From: Torsten <tgpedersen@...>
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 4:56 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: The Bastarnians

 That's accommodates the date at which I would like to place Burebista's expulsion of the Bastarnae: around 89 BCE, where Mithridates lines up his forces and allies to attack Rome, including the Bastarnae, cf
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/67060
Nicomedes IV was in Rome in 90-89 and in 88-84 BCE, a good time to receive a poem praising your reign.
 
****GK: There seems to be some confusion about Burebista's regnal dates and his expansionism. Some say he started to rule in 82, others in 70, still others in 60. I see you base your view on your understanding of Jordanes' "when Sulla ruled the Romans". I don't find this too reliable, but don't particularly care about the regnal start as such. As for the expansionism, I don't see Burebista starting his empire-building when Mithradates was still flexing his muscles. An expulsion of the Bastarnians from Moldavia before 63 BCE is about as highly improbable as anything else in world history. But from about 60 BCE he (Burebista) could certainly do some territorial collecting. The destruction of Olbia BTW is generally put at ca. 50 BCE. What are your arguments for earlier dates?*****