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Cracking the Code: Understanding the Enigmatic Dacian Sphinx Inscription
In the 19th century, an extraordinary sphinx statue was discovered in what is now Romania. However, for decades, scientists struggled to decipher the mysterious inscription found at its base.
Dacia, a historical land in Europe within present-day Romania, was inhabited by an ancient people known as the Dacians. In 101 AD, under Emperor Trajan’s leadership, the Romans began the conquest of the region, culminating in their triumph five years later. In Rome, at the Forum of Trajan, a column still stands commemorating these events.
The mysterious discovery from ancient Dacia
In 106 AD, Trajan established the Roman province of Dacia, which, several decades later during Hadrian’s time, became one of the frontier provinces with fortifications erected along its borders. Dacia, like any province of ancient Rome, underwent a process of Romanization. Yet, despite strong influences of Roman culture and the Latin language, people in the Roman provinces still retained the traditions of their ancestors.
The latest discovery by Professor Peter Z. Revesz from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln may shed new…