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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 *dʰeh₁-, "to set, place").³ Therefore, dava 'town' derived from the reconstructed proto-Indo-European *dhewa 'settlement'.⁴ 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'.⁵

List of davae

Below is a list of Dacian towns which include various forms of dava in their name:

• Acidava⁶ (Acidaua), a fortress town close to the Danube.⁷ Located in today's Enoșești, Olt County, Romania
• Aedava⁸ (Aedeva, Aedabe, Aedeba or Aedadeba), placed by Procopius on the Danubian road between Augustae and Variana,⁹ in Moesia (the present Northern Bulgaria)
• Aiadava¹⁰ (Aiadaba or Aeadaba, Greek: Αἰάδαβα¹¹), was a locality in the Remesiana region, present Bela Palanka, Serbia.¹²
• Argedava¹³ (Argedauon, Sargedava, Sargedauon, Zargedava, Zargedauon, Ancient Greek: Αργεδαυον, Σαργεδαυον), mentioned in the Decree of Dionysopolis, potentially the dava discovered at Popești, a district in the town of Mihăilești, Giurgiu County, Romania and maybe Burebista's court/capital
• Argidava (Argidaua, Arcidava, Arcidaua, Argedava, Argedauon, Sargedava, Sargedauon, Zargedava, Zargedauon, Ancient Greek: Ἀργίδαυα, Αργεδαυον, Σαργεδαυον), potentially Burebista's court/capital, located in today's Vărădia, Caraș-Severin County, Romania
• Bregedaba
• Buricodava¹⁴
• Buridava¹⁵ or Burridava, today's Ocnele Mari, Romania
• Buteridava¹⁶
• Capidava¹⁷ or Kapidaua, a fortress town on the southern side of the lower Danube
• Carsidava or Karsidaua
• Cumidava,¹⁸ Comidava or Komidaua, ancient Râșnov, Romania
• Dausdava, Dausadava or Dausdavua,¹⁹ "The shrine of wolves", a fortress town close to the Danube
• Desudaba
• Docidava or Dokidaua
• Gildova²⁰ or Gildoba, located alongside the Vistula river
• Giridava²¹
• Itadeba²² or Itadava, in north eastern North Macedonia
• Jidava,²³ near Câmpulung Muscel, Romania
• Jidova²⁴
• Klepidaua
• Kuimedaba
• Marcodava or Markodaua
• Murideba
• Nentinava²⁵ or Netindaua, ancient Slobozia, Romania
• Nentivava,²⁶ ancient Oltenița, Romania
• Patridava or Patridaua
• Pelendava²⁷ or Pelendova, ancient Craiova, Romania
• Perburidava
• Petrodava²⁸ or Petrodaua located in Piatra Neamţ
• Piroboridava or Piroboridaua
• Pulpudeva, originally named Eumolpias by the Dacians. Philip II of Macedon conquered the area in 342–341 BC and renamed the city Philippoupolis (Greek: Φιλιππούπολις), of which the later Dacian name for the city, Pulpu-deva, is a reconstructed translation. Today's city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria.
• Quemedava, mentioned by Procopius in Dardania²⁹
• Ramidava or Rhamidaua
• Recidava
• Rusidava³⁰ or Rusidava
• Sacidava or Sacidaba
• Sagadava
• Sandava
• Sangidaua
• Scaidava or Skedeba
• Setidava³¹ or Setidaua, mentioned by Ptolemy as a thriving settlement
• Singidava or Singidaua
• Sucidava,³² Suvidava or Sukidaua located in Corabia, Olt County, Romania
• Susudava,³³ 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, Serbia.³⁴
• Utidava or Utidaua
• Zargidava or Zargidaua
• Ziridava or Ziridaua
• Zisnedeva,³⁵ Zisnudeva or Zisnudeba, located in Dacian Moesia
• Zucidaua
• Zisnudeba
• Zusidava

See also

• List of ancient cities in Thrace and Dacia
• Dacian language
• Dacia
• Polis
• Deva

Citations

Bibliography

• Berzovan, Alexandru (2020). "Considerations regarding the origin of Dacian Term dava / deva / daba. A Historical and Linguistic Journey from the Lower Danube to Anatolia and Transcaucasia". The Thracians and their neighbours in antiquity. Archaeology and history. Studies in honor of Valeriu Sîrbu at his 70th anniversary. Romania: Editura Istros , Brăila.
• Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5.
• Olteanu, Sorin. "Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section". Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum (in Romanian and English). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
• Polome, E. C. (1982). "20e". In Boardman, John (ed.). The Cambridge Ancient History. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-22496-3.
• Van den Gheyn, Joseph (1885). "Les populations Danubiennes". Revue des questions scientifiques. 17–18. Brussels: Société scientifique de Bruxelles.
• Velkov, Velizar Iv (1977). The cities in Thrace and Dacia in late antiquity: (studies and materials). Hakkert. ISBN 90-256-0723-3.
• Tomaschek, Wilhelm (1883). "Les Restes de la langue dace". Le Muséon. 2. Belgium: "Société des lettres et des sciences" Louvain, Belgium.

External links

• Dacian Davae in Enciclopedia Dacica (Romanian)
• Dacian materials and construction techniques in Enciclopedia Dacica (Romanian)
• Sorin Olteanu's Project: Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section (Romanian, partially English)
• Lists of Dacian fortresses, towns and citadels Archived 20 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine

References

1. Georgiev, Vladimir I. (1981). Introduction to the History of the Indo-European Languages (3rd ed.). Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. p. 120. ... the toponyms with dava (deva) are typical of Dacia, rarely found in Moesia, and not found in Thrace /wiki/Vladimir_I._Georgiev ↩

2. "Bronze Age Tomb Finds Thrill Romanian Historians". Balkan Insight. https://balkaninsight.com/2017/07/21/nine-rare-bronze-age-tombs-discovered-in-romania-07-21-2017/ ↩

3. Olteanu. - Olteanu, Sorin. "Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section". Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum (in Romanian and English). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716103139/http://soltdm.com/geo/arts/categs/categs.htm ↩

4. Polome 1982, p. 886. - Polome, E. C. (1982). "20e". In Boardman, John (ed.). The Cambridge Ancient History. London: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-22496-3. ↩

5. Berzovan 2020, pp. 99. - Berzovan, Alexandru (2020). "Considerations regarding the origin of Dacian Term dava / deva / daba. A Historical and Linguistic Journey from the Lower Danube to Anatolia and Transcaucasia". The Thracians and their neighbours in antiquity. Archaeology and history. Studies in honor of Valeriu Sîrbu at his 70th anniversary. Romania: Editura Istros , Brăila. https://www.academia.edu/43986589 ↩

6. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

7. "Considerations regarding the etymology of the Dacian word dava / deva / daba. A Historical and Linguistic Journey from the Lower Danube to Anatolia and Transcaucasia". ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343988855 ↩

8. Velkov 1977, p. 92. - Velkov, Velizar Iv (1977). The cities in Thrace and Dacia in late antiquity: (studies and materials). Hakkert. ISBN 90-256-0723-3. ↩

9. Olteanu. - Olteanu, Sorin. "Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section". Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum (in Romanian and English). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716103139/http://soltdm.com/geo/arts/categs/categs.htm ↩

10. Olteanu. - Olteanu, Sorin. "Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum – Toponyms Section". Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum (in Romanian and English). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716103139/http://soltdm.com/geo/arts/categs/categs.htm ↩

11. *Procopii Caesariensis opera omnia. Edited by J. Haury; revised by G. Wirth. 3 vols. Leipzig: Teubner, 1976-64. Greek text. /wiki/Teubner ↩

12. TSR9, Proc. 123. 26 ↩

13. Grumeza 2009, p. 88. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

14. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

15. Grumeza 2009, p. 12. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

16. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

17. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

18. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

19. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

20. Grumeza 2009, p. 14. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

21. Grumeza 2009, p. 14. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

22. Grumeza 2009, p. 14. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

23. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

24. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

25. Grumeza 2009, p. 12. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

26. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

27. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

28. Grumeza 2009, p. 12. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

29. Ethnic continuity in the Carpatho-Danubian area by Elemér Illyés,1988,ISBN 0-88033-146-1,page 223 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier) ↩

30. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

31. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

32. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

33. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩

34. Lepper, F. A. (1988). Trajan's Column: A New Edition of the Cichorius Plates. Alan Sutton. p. 138. ISBN 9780862994679. Stuart Jones noted the Dacian – sounding place – name ' Thermidava ' on the Lissus Naissus road : but see Miller col . 557 , for the evidence on this. The place was most probably called ' Theranda ' and there is no evidence for any settlement there of pro-Roman Dacians now, nor is it very likely. (..) Most scholars , however , have supposed , as did Cichorius , that we are now north of the Danube , somewhere in the Banat area where the local inhabitants are frightened that they may lose their recently acquired 'liberty'. 9780862994679 ↩

35. Grumeza 2009, p. 13. - Grumeza, Ion (2009). Dacia: Land of Transylvania, Cornerstone of Ancient Eastern Europe. Hamilton Books. ISBN 978-0-7618-4465-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=07-RjGQajw0C ↩