The Dacian costumes were hard to create. Director Sergiu Nicolaescu had to travel to Rome where he studied the Dacian costumes featured on Trajan's Column. The costumes were created by Romanian costume designer Hortensia Georgescu.
The role of Meda, King Decebalus' daughter, was played by French actress Marie-José Nat. However, this role was initially sought by Lica Gheorghiu, the daughter of Romanian Communist leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. Director Sergiu Nicolaescu was summoned to the residence of a very ill Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, who asked him to cast his daughter in the part. Knowing that she was moody and only showed up for work when she felt like it, Nicolaescu refused to cave in and justified his refusal by saying that the role of Meda had been contracted to Miss Nat as a condition of French financial participation in the project. He also argued that Meda is a peasant woman who walks in her bare feet, and as such would be unsuitable for a refined actress such as his daughter. Her father agreed, and Lica was not cast.
The Dacians were related to other Thracian tribes inhabiting the region of modern-day Romania. Their last king, Decebalus, ruled between 87 A.D. and 106 A.D., when his kingdom was conquered by the Roman Empire. He committed suicide in 106 A.D. rather than be captured by Roman soldiers and sold into slavery. The Roman Empire viewed Dacia as a threat to its security, as evidenced by frequent Dacian raids into the Roman province of Moesia, located south of the Danube River. Major Dacian-Roman wars took place in the years 88 A.D. , 101-102 A.D. and 105-106 A.D., the last ending in total defeat for the Dacians and the death of Dacian king Decebalus.
Director Sergiu Nicolaescu's first feature-length film as a director and also as an actor.
Fourth most watched Romanian film of all time, according to a 2006 press release from the Romanian Filmmakers Union.
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