The “Aurelian withdrawal” phrase appeared as a result of misreading the literary sources and a simplistic – and sometimes tendentious – perception of the historical processes. Although the meaning of the phrase has changed over time and has grown to refer to the separation of Dacia from the Roman Empire, the phrase can no longer be accepted because it contradicts the historical reality, a reality that is far better known today and configures a very complex process, with frequent ebbs and flows on both sides of the Lower Danube. This study draws one’s attention not only to the limits of the concept of “Aurelian withdrawal”, but also the complex, often contradictory and especially lengthy process of the separation of Dacia from the rest of the Empire.
