History
The history of Romanians resembles more to a story, a fairytale with princes and castles, kings and wars.
There is archaeological proof that on this land people had lived and created a unique civilization even since the Paleolithic.
There is archaeological proof that on this land people had lived and created a unique civilization even since the Paleolithic.
Adamclisi has a Turkish origin and it is an adaptation in Romanian of “Adam Kilisse” which means “the church of man” (when the Turkish people settled in this area, they thought the Ancient Roman monument was a church).
10.000 B.C.
Paintings on cave walls in North-West Transylvania prove the existence of life and cultural manifestation.
4.000 B.C.
Pictures, statuettes and tools dating from this period had been found in the Bones Cave. The Hamangia Culture contains a piece dating back 6.000 years, the Thinker. It is famous all over the world.
3.500 – 3.000 B.C.
The Indo-European migration. The process had influenced the entire continent and led to the formation of Indo-European peoples and languages. After the invasion of Indus by the Arian people, the process reversed, and the people in the nowadays Indian and Pakistani territories invaded Europe. According to a theory, the gypsy (Roma people) population in Romania is a result of that migration. Romania has the largest Roma population in Europe.
Paintings on cave walls in North-West Transylvania prove the existence of life and cultural manifestation.
4.000 B.C.
Pictures, statuettes and tools dating from this period had been found in the Bones Cave. The Hamangia Culture contains a piece dating back 6.000 years, the Thinker. It is famous all over the world.
3.500 – 3.000 B.C.
The Indo-European migration. The process had influenced the entire continent and led to the formation of Indo-European peoples and languages. After the invasion of Indus by the Arian people, the process reversed, and the people in the nowadays Indian and Pakistani territories invaded Europe. According to a theory, the gypsy (Roma people) population in Romania is a result of that migration. Romania has the largest Roma population in Europe.
2.000 B.C.
The Greeks called the Indo-European tribes that had settled on the nowadays Romanian territory Getae (or Gets). The Romans called them Dacians. They also called themselves Dacians, according to Herodotus. Still from Herodotus we know that the ancestors of Romanians were honest and brave, especially because they believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death.
700 B.C.
The Greeks colonize the Black Sea coastline and build the Tomis (nowadays Constanța), Histria and Callatis (Mangalia) strongholds.
77 – 44 B.C.
the first man acknowledged as king of Dacians, Burebista. He united all the tribes into one powerful kingdom, Dacia.
The Greeks called the Indo-European tribes that had settled on the nowadays Romanian territory Getae (or Gets). The Romans called them Dacians. They also called themselves Dacians, according to Herodotus. Still from Herodotus we know that the ancestors of Romanians were honest and brave, especially because they believed in the immortality of the soul and in life after death.
700 B.C.
The Greeks colonize the Black Sea coastline and build the Tomis (nowadays Constanța), Histria and Callatis (Mangalia) strongholds.
77 – 44 B.C.
the first man acknowledged as king of Dacians, Burebista. He united all the tribes into one powerful kingdom, Dacia.
The archaeological inventory found at Sarmizegetusa Regia site demonstrates that Dacian society had a relatively high standard of living.
105 – 106
Dacia, ruled by King Decebalus is conquered by Romans and transformed into a Roman province.
The old Dacian dialect, combined with Latin, gives birth after decades to the Romanian language. Also, the Romanian people are a mix of Dacians and Romans. The Christianity introduced by the Roman missionaries had been almost naturally adopted.
271
Emperor Aurelius orders a large part of the Roman troops to withdraw form Dacia. This decision was mainly influenced by migrating peoples who weakened the Roman Empire.
3rd – 9th Century
Nomad tribes and peoples invade and sack Dacia: Huns, Slavs, and Saxons.
9th Century
formation of the first types of states: Voivodeships. There are also the leaders of the voivodeships: Gelu, Glad and Menumorut.
Dacia, ruled by King Decebalus is conquered by Romans and transformed into a Roman province.
The old Dacian dialect, combined with Latin, gives birth after decades to the Romanian language. Also, the Romanian people are a mix of Dacians and Romans. The Christianity introduced by the Roman missionaries had been almost naturally adopted.
271
Emperor Aurelius orders a large part of the Roman troops to withdraw form Dacia. This decision was mainly influenced by migrating peoples who weakened the Roman Empire.
3rd – 9th Century
Nomad tribes and peoples invade and sack Dacia: Huns, Slavs, and Saxons.
9th Century
formation of the first types of states: Voivodeships. There are also the leaders of the voivodeships: Gelu, Glad and Menumorut.
Decebalus is considered a national hero in Romania and has been portrayed in numerous literary works, movies, public sculptures, and other memorials.
10th-13th Centuries
Formation of the principalities: Transylvania, Moldova and Wallachia.
14th – 19th Centuries
Moldova and Wallachia had been numerously and repeatedly invaded by the Ottoman Empire. They paid tribute in certain periods, but always kept their autonomy. Romanians fought for their freedom, rights and language. A ruler that clashed with the turks was Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler), who inspired the legend of Dracula. All this time Transylvania was under different occupations: either Hungarian or Habsburg.
1862
Moldova and Wallachia are unified under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. This is when the country was named Romania.
1866
A German nobleman (aristocrat) becomes King of Romania: Carol I.
Formation of the principalities: Transylvania, Moldova and Wallachia.
14th – 19th Centuries
Moldova and Wallachia had been numerously and repeatedly invaded by the Ottoman Empire. They paid tribute in certain periods, but always kept their autonomy. Romanians fought for their freedom, rights and language. A ruler that clashed with the turks was Vlad Țepeș (Vlad the Impaler), who inspired the legend of Dracula. All this time Transylvania was under different occupations: either Hungarian or Habsburg.
1862
Moldova and Wallachia are unified under the rule of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. This is when the country was named Romania.
1866
A German nobleman (aristocrat) becomes King of Romania: Carol I.
1867
Hungary directly and forcefully subjugates Transylvania starting a process of Magyarization.
1877
The Romanian Parliament declares the independence of Romania from the Ottoman Empire.
1914
King Carol dies and his nephew, Ferdinand takes his place. After two years of neutrality, Romania joins the war on the Allies’ side, against the Axis (Austria-Hungary and Germany especially) seeking to recover the lost territories.
1918
After the War, Romania takes back Transylvania, Basarabia and part of Bucovina, unifies and forms Great Romania. Since then, December, 1st 1918, the day of the Great Union, is the National Day of Romania.
Hungary directly and forcefully subjugates Transylvania starting a process of Magyarization.
1877
The Romanian Parliament declares the independence of Romania from the Ottoman Empire.
1914
King Carol dies and his nephew, Ferdinand takes his place. After two years of neutrality, Romania joins the war on the Allies’ side, against the Axis (Austria-Hungary and Germany especially) seeking to recover the lost territories.
1918
After the War, Romania takes back Transylvania, Basarabia and part of Bucovina, unifies and forms Great Romania. Since then, December, 1st 1918, the day of the Great Union, is the National Day of Romania.
As the capital of Wallachia, Târgoviște faced numerous sieges and invasions.
1941
Romania enters World War II as an ally to Hitler’s Germany. After two years, defects and becomes Russia’s ally. After hard moment and unfavorable peace treaties, Romania entered the communist era.
1989
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and Nicolae Ceaușescu’s communist dictatorships come to an end after the Revolution in 1989. The communist period was a dark one and very difficult for the Romanian people, affecting the economy of the country and mass mentality.
After 1989 Romania begins to experience freedom, human rights and democracy.
1991
Romanians vote the Constitution.
1997
Romania becomes a NATO member.
2007
Romania becomes an EU member.
Romania enters World War II as an ally to Hitler’s Germany. After two years, defects and becomes Russia’s ally. After hard moment and unfavorable peace treaties, Romania entered the communist era.
1989
Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej and Nicolae Ceaușescu’s communist dictatorships come to an end after the Revolution in 1989. The communist period was a dark one and very difficult for the Romanian people, affecting the economy of the country and mass mentality.
After 1989 Romania begins to experience freedom, human rights and democracy.
1991
Romanians vote the Constitution.
1997
Romania becomes a NATO member.
2007
Romania becomes an EU member.
“History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.”
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy