Département de Constanta
www.primaria-constanta.ro
The Department of Constanta is situatied in the south of the historical province of Dobroudja (Between the Danube and the Black Sea). The first traces of civilization go back to the Paleolithic. Cut and polished stone tools were found as well ad ceramic artifacts. These artifacts are testimonies of the existence of Hamergia and Guemeinitza cultures.
It is only in 2400-1200 before C., that the great Tracs ethnos group (Scandinavian connects of Traco-gets) settled from the Carpates to the Balcans. It is the time of the great Indo-European ethnic reorganizations.
From 8th to 6th century before C. the Traco-gets people established important commercial links with Greek merchants. Apokania de Histia, Couatis (today Mangalia) and Tomis (today Constanza) get born. While in the same time, (6th century before C.), Axiopolis (today Cemavoda) was intensely developing commerce with the géto-dacs of the Romanian plain.
In 260, the war against the colony of Histria and Callatis begins. Tomis is victorious and the commercial links with the big centers of the antiquity are reinforced. At the same period, Tomis produces its own currency. The Greek world is more and more influent, Greek gods are venerated (Appollo, Poseidon…) as well as local divinities (Derzeiasand the Trac knight). In 106 before C. the Dacic war ends and the province is abandoned to the roman.
This Roman influence plays an educational and organizing part. Symbiosis daco-Roman will constitute the genetic base of the Rumanian people.
However Tomis remained under the influence of the Trojan emperor, and is forced to pay taxes. Hadrian emperor, releases it from this influence and Antonin, makes it a metropolis of the Greek part of the province.
It is thought that the remaining walls of the city, found out after diggings, date from the 2nd century. Numerous artifacts were found on Histria, which was benefiting from a preferential legal environment. Vestiges of walls and the remaining of two buildings, which probably were roman baths, were found out too. These made archaeologists think that there would have been a 2nd foundation of the city.
The peace ensured by Trojan lasted under the reign of Hadrian and Antonin the Piles. But the attacks of the great barbarian coalition shake the Roman empire of Marcus Aurelius. These invasions of the Castaboques, Germanic bastames people, invade many localities.
During the 6th century the Province of Dobroudja is envaded by Turkish and Tartares. The Province of Dobroudja becomes Turkish from 1476 to 1484. The black sea becomes Kara Deniz, and Constanza becomes Kustendjch. It is only after the independence war between 1877-1878 and the settlement of borders of Rumania that Dobroudja and its capital Constanza bagin their modern development.
