Dochia and Trajan

This is another legend that was past down us about Dochia’s rock in Ceahlău, ever since the terrible Dacian – Roman war in 105-106 A.D.

Trajan, seeing the failure of his first campaign to conquer Dacia, spent some three years preparing his revenge. And the bloodshed started again and filled the fortresses in the mountains as this was the only way the Romans could weaken resistance of Decebal’s brave warriors. Lest he missed the victory again, Trajan selected the most hardened soldiers and he led them in the battle himself under the walls of the greatest stronghold, Sarmizegetusa Regia (i.e. the Royal Sarmizegetusa), the capital city of the country, in the Orăștie Mountains…

For some time now, among the Romans a stunning rumour was circulating: up, on the walls of Sarmizegetusa, a young maiden wearing leather and brass armour was fighting like a lioness spreading death around her! … She must be a goddess or a witch – some said with fear – that she would blind anyone would her beauty. Who had ever seen a maiden so skilfully handling the bow, the spear, not to mention that cursed curved sword, invented by a Dacian’s mind to put a stop to one’s life in the blink of an eye? This rumour reached Trajan eventually, so he started to boil: – “How can a mere maiden sow death among my soldiers?”

Eventually, Sarmizegetusa Regia fell, rotten slowly by the furious siege and outnumbered by the enemy. The Romans dashed upon the stronghold like jackals trying to find Decebal and his chieftains. It was the very order of the great emperor to have the Getae-Dacian king and his entire close circle as “trophies” of the spoils he would carry back to Rome upon his triumphant return… However, Decebal had fled the stronghold at the last minute through a secret escape route, together with his chieftains and his family! Trajan flew into such a rage at the news of the escape! On top of that, he heard that the beautiful “goddess” or “witch” was… Decebal’s daughter! Then, he saw red: he ordered that the escapees be followed mercilessly and brought in chains before him.

As Decebal understood that he could have been captured and humiliated by the Romans at any time, he first parted with Dochia, his beloved daughter. He advised her not to stop until she reached the sacred Mount Ceahlău, where, in retreat from so many dangers, she should live the peaceful live of a shepherdess. Then, the great king, in the name of his people’s liberty and immortality, sipped greedily from the poison cup prepared to this purpose. For Dochia, many days of running, on foot and on horse, followed Dochia, together with some other escapees. After a while – no one knows for how many days and nights – there they were, at the foot of the mount dedicated to praying: their ancestors’ and the holy shadows’ mount Ceahlău… Arriving there, the small company scattered seeking shelter and rest; Dochia stopped only to catch her breath, as she could feel with all her being that the followers were closer and closer…

So she reached, powerless, almost to the peaks surrounded by the clouds. She stopped again to let her heartbeats settle down after such an effort, but when she turned her head, she could see in horror that the Romans where behind her. She tried to run but she could no longer run and there was nowhere to run… Desperate, almost breathless, and horrified at the thought that she could be chained into slavery and dishonour, she prayed to Zalmoxes: – O great, merciful, and almighty god, have mercy of me and do not let me pray to my enemy! …

A dark cloud wrapped the followers; thunder lit the princess’ exhausted body and rolled its roar over the mountain. When the smoke-like veil broke up, Dochia was nowhere: there was only the rock in front, with a maiden’s face, standing there to tell, over the centuries and millennia, about the wonder. As for the followers, there was no trace left: the darkness in the cloud carried them as if in a whirl, to the bottomless abyss…