. The Roman forces approached Sarmizegetuza in three main
columns. The first column crossed the bridge built by
Apollodorus of Damascus, and then followed the valleys of rivers
Cerna and
Timiş up to
Tibiscum. They then turned on the valley of the river
Bistra, through the Țara Haţegului depression. In these places, there were already Roman garrisons stationed from the first war, greatly easing the advance. They passed through Valea Cernei,
Haţeg, and Valea Streiului and destroyed the Dacian fortresses at
Costești, Blidaru, and Piatra Roșie. The second column of the army is believed to have crossed the Danube somewhere near ancient
Sucidava and then marched northwards on the valley of
Jiu, linking with the first Roman column in Țara Haţegului. The combined forces of the two columns then began attacking the area of the
Şureanu Mountains, meeting sporadic but desperate resistance from the Dacians. The third Roman column, most likely led by Trajan himself, advanced through eastern
Muntenia, crossed the
Carpathians at a location close to what is now
Bran, and marched westwards through southern Transylvania. The rest of the troops left from
Moesia Inferior and passed through Bran, Bratocea, and
Oituz and destroyed the Dacian fortresses between
Cumidava (now
Râșnov, in Romania) and
Angustia (now
Brețcu, in Romania). At the battle for the conquest of Sarmizegetusa the following legions participated:
II Adiutrix,
IV Flavia Felix, and a
vexillatio of
VI Ferrata which until this war had been stationed in
Iudaea. The Roman forces then enveloped Sarmizegetusa. Other Roman units are believed to have attacked other Dacian settlements and rally points, as far as the river
Tisa to the north, and
Moldavia to the east. Dacian settlements in the west, such as
Ziridava, were completely destroyed in this period. However,
Moldavia and
Maramureş, located in modern-day northern Romania, were never part of the Roman province of Dacia and would remain free from Roman rule. == Siege==