they remained in their first home in Scythia near Maeotis.
In their second home, that is in the countries of Dacia,
Thrace and Moesia, Zalmoxes reigned, whom many writers
of annals mention as a man of remarkable learning in
philosophy. Yet even before this they had a learned man
Zeuta, and after him Dicineus; and the third was Zalmoxes
of whom I have made mention above. Nor did
they lack teachers of wisdom. Wherefore the Goths have 40
ever been wiser than other barbarians and were nearly
like the Greeks, as Dio relates, who wrote their history
and annals with a Greek pen. He says that those of noble
birth among them, from whom their kings and priests
were appointed, were called first Tarabostesei and then
Pilleati. Moreover so highly were the Getae praised that
Mars, whom the fables of poets call the god of war, was
reputed to have been born among them. Hence Virgil
says:

"Father Gradivus rules the Getic fields." 41

Now Mars has always been worshipped by the Goths
with cruel rites, and captives were slain as his victims.
They thought that he who is the lord of war ought to be
appeased by the shedding of human blood. To him they
devoted the first share of the spoil, and in his honor arms
stripped from the foe were suspended from trees. And
they had more than all other races a deep spirit of religion,
since the worship of this god seemed to be really
bestowed upon their ancestor.