of
the breadth of the river; but the stream is not uniformly so limited,
since it covers in some places twice and elsewhere thrice as much ground,
but the narrowest point, and the one in that region most adapted to
bridge-building, has just those dimensions. Yet the very fact that the
river here shrinks from a great flood to such a narrow channel and is here
confined, though it again expands into a greater flood, makes it all the
more violent and deep; and this feature must be considered in estimating
the difficulty of preparing a bridge. This achievement, then, shows the
greatness of Trajan's designs, though the bridge is of no particular use
to us. Merely the piers are standing, affording no means of crossing, as
if they were erected for the sole purpose of demonstrating that there is
nothing which human energy can not accomplish. Trajan's reason for
constructing the bridge was his fear that, some time when the Ister was
frozen, war might be made on the Romans across the water, and his desire
to enjoy the easy access to them that this work would permit. Hadrian, on
the contrary, was afraid that the barbarians might overpower the guard at
the bridge and cross into Moesia, and so he removed the surface work.

[Sidenote: A.D. 105 (a.u. 858)] [Sidenote:--14--] Trajan, having crossed
the Ister on this bridge, conducted the war with prudence, rather than
with haste, and eventually, after a hard struggle, vanquished the Dacians.
In the course of these encounters he personally performed many deeds of
good generalship and bravery, and his soldiers ran many risks and
displayed great prowess on his behalf. It was here that a certain
horseman, dangerously wounded, was carried from the battle on the
supposition that he could be healed; but, when he found that he could not
recover, he rushed from his quarters (since his hurt had not incapacitated
him) and stationing himself in the line again he perished, after having
displayed great valor. [Sidenote: A.D. 106 (a.u. 859)] Decebalus, when his
capital and all his territory had been occupied and he was himself in
danger of being captured, committed suicide, and his head was brought to
Rome.

In this way Dacia became subject to Rome and Trajan founded cities there.
The treasures of Decebalus were also discovered, though hidden beneath the
Sargetia river, which ran past his palace. He had made some captives
divert the course of the river and had then excavated its bed. There he
had pla