Burebista, the greatest king of Dacia ruled between 70 BC-44 BC.
He unifies the Thracian population from Hercinica (today's Moravia in the West, to the Bug in the East and from Northern Carpathians to Southern Dionysopolis, choosing his capital (called Argedava or Sargedava) near Costesti (the Orastie hills - see Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains).
The real name of Burebista was lost, but the fame was evoqued by the Greek writers, known under the name of Bu-ere-bu-ist-as ("the one that is not").
His wife was called Zina (according to some coins found in Transylvania and was the emperess and great priestess of the Thracians.
His adviser was the Great Priest Deceneu which instructed the Tracians to live according to the Nature Laws called the Belagines Laws and decided that the year 1 to be the birth year of Zamolxis, 713 BC. He went to Egypt where he taught the Egyptianian priests the sacerdotal misteries of the Pelasgians, then returns to Dacia where together with Burebista unifies both spiritually and politically the Thracians.
The spiritual center was called by Strabon as Kagaion, the holly mountain, which is thought to be localized somewhere in the Bucegi mountains.
On the South of Danube, the Proconsul of the province of Macedonia, the general Varro Lucullus, during the second Mithridatic War (74 BC-72 BC) occupies the Greek cities on the West coast of Black Sea from Apollonia to the Danube Delta. The Greek inhabitants of the conquered cities ask Burebista to help and the Roman army of Antonius Hybrida is defeate near Histria and the Greek cities of Tomis, Calatis, Dionysopolis and Apollonia agree to be part of Burebista's kingdom. Burebista continues his incursion in the region conquering Aliobrix (Cartal, southern Bessarabia, now part of Ukraine), Tyras (now Tiraspol, Moldova) and Odessas (now Odessa, Ukraine).
In 48 BC, Burebista interfered with the internal Roman dispute between Julius Cesar and Pompei, choosing the latter as a ally. Three years later, Cesar defeats his adversary and sent legions to punish Burebista, but on March 15 44 BC before the decissive battle, Cesar is assassinated in the Senate.
Soon after, in the same year, Burebista dies in similar circumstances.
