Editing Pannonia (section)

== Background ==
In the [[Early Iron Age]], [[Transdanubia]] was inhabited by the [[Pannonians]] or Pannonii,{{refn|group=note|Whose name the [[Toponymy|toponym]] "Pannonia" stems from.{{Sfn|Barkóczi|1980|p=89}}}} a collection of [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tribes. The [[Celts]] invaded in the [[Late Iron Age]] and [[Gallo-Roman culture|Gallo-Roman]] historian [[Pompeius Trogus]] writes that the Celts met with heavy resistance from the locals and were not able to overrun the southern part of Transdanubia. Some tribes advanced as far as [[Delphi]], with the Scordisci settling in [[Syrmia]] (279 BC) upon being forced to withdraw.{{Sfn|Trogmayer|1980|p=81}} The arrival of the Celts in Transdanubia disrupted the flow of amber from the [[Baltic Sea region]], through the [[Amber Road]], to the Illyrians.{{Sfn|Wilkes|1992|p=225}} They founded many villages. Those that held prominent economic significance developed into ''[[Oppidum|oppida]].''{{Sfn|Trogmayer|1980|p=81}} Independent tribes minted their own coins with the faces of their leaders. These were at first modelled on Macedonian and, later [[Roman currency]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Trogmayer|1980|p=81}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|pp=29–31}}</ref>

Upon the Scordisci's withdrawal and settlement, they and the [[Dardani]] (in [[Kingdom of Dardania|Dardania]]) both became strong powers opposing each other. The Dardani consistently raided [[Macedonia (ancient kingdom)|Macedon]] and developed close ties to Rome.{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=12}} [[Philip V of Macedon|Philip V]], who was a vehement enemy of the Dardani, allied with the Scordisci and in 179 BC persuaded the [[Bastarnae]] (at the [[Danube Delta]]) to break into Italy and subdue them on the way. Despite Philip's [[Battle of Cynoscephalae|defeat]] at the hands of the Romans in 197 BC and the [[Dardanian–Bastarnic war|failure]] of the Bastarnae, in this time the Dardani's power crumbled , under the pressure from the Macedonians and Scordisci. Finally, [[Perseus of Macedon|Perseus]] annihilated them, giving way to hundred years of Scordisci hegemony in the [[Balkans]]. During this time, the tribe started raiding the new province of [[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]], and —[[Strabo]] says— expanded as far as [[Paeonia (kingdom)|Paeonia]], [[Illyria]] and [[Thrace]].{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=13-14, 15}}

[[Aquileia]]'s foundation in 181 BC was the first step towards the Roman takeover of Pannonia. The town functioned as the starting station of the Amber Road and the starting point of attacks in that direction.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barkóczi|1980|p=90}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|p=33}}</ref> The Scordisci, in alliance with the Dalmatae were in armed conflict with the Romans as early as 156 BC and 119 BC. In both wars, the Romans failed to take Siscia (now [[Sisak]], Croatia), which laid in a key position.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barkóczi|1980|p=86}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|pp=15, 16}}</ref> After these setbacks, Rome instead turned towards Noricum which had both iron and silver mines.{{Sfn|Barkóczi|1980|p=90}}

As part of a new Celtic migration wave at the end of the 2nd century BC, the [[Boii]] left [[Northern Italy]] and established themselves as an important power at the Danube.{{Sfn|Barkóczi|1980|p=86}} According to the [[Posidonius]]'s record of the [[Cimbri]] migration (preserved by Strabo), they were first repulsed by the Boii, then by the Scordisci, and then by the [[Taurisci]] towards the [[Helvetii]]. This describes the balance of power in the region.{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=16}} In the early 1st century BC, the [[Dacians]] emerged as a new dominant power. While their hold on the area between the Danube and the [[Tisza|Tisza river]] was loose, they had considerable influence in the territories beyond.{{Sfn|Barkóczi|1980|p=87}} In 88 BC, [[Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus (consul 83 BC)|Scipio Asiaticus]] (consul 83 BC) defeated the Scordisci so badly that they retreated to the eastern part of Syrmia.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barkóczi|1980|p=88}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|p=18}}; {{Harvnb|Tóth|1983|p=19}}</ref> Taking advantage of this situation, the Dacian king [[Burebista]] vanquished them sometime between 65 and 50 BC, and subsequently the Boii{{Refn|group=note|Hence the name ''deserta Boiorum'' ('desert of the Boii') used even by [[Pliny the Elder]] in his ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]''.{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=21}}}} and the Taurisci too. Thanks to the ebb of these entities, several local tribes regained their independence and influence.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barkóczi|1980|p=87}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|pp=18, 19}}; {{Harvnb|Tóth|1983|p=20}}</ref> In context of [[Mithridates VI Eupator]]'s unfulfilled plan to invade Italy from the north (64 BC), the territory he was to cross is noted to have belonged to the Pannonians.<ref>{{Harvnb|Barkóczi|1980|p=87}}; {{Harvnb|Mócsy|1974a|p=18}}</ref> Immediately after Burebista's death ({{Circa|44 BC}}), [[Dacia]]'s kingdom dissolved too,{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=21}} leaving no entity in the region that Rome would make allowances for.{{Sfn|Mócsy|1974a|p=22}}[[File:Dacia_occupation_of_Pannonia_and_modern_day_Czechia.png|thumb|alt=Dacia|Map showing Burebista's dominance over Pannonia and Bohemia.]]