The vestiges found on the territory of Constanta city tell a long and fascinating story reminding us of times of glory but also of decay, of Ovidiu's exile in what he called "The shining metropolis and capital of the Left Harbor".
The Greeks arrived here two and a half millenia ago and founded the colony of Tomis. The oldest attestation of the city comes from the third century B.C., period in which the city knew a considerable development (buildings were erected, the first Tomis coins appeared).
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Tomis came under the Roman rule between 72 and 62 B.C., to be later occupied for a while by Getae-Dacian King Burebista. | History Museum of Constanta |
After his death the Romans managed to defeat Getae-Dacian tribes, the Pontic seas coming under Roman rule. Tomis reached its maximum development in the 2nd century A.D., during the dynasties of the Antonins and of the Severs , becoming the greatest port of the Black Sea.
Starting with the 4th century A.D., the city took the name of Constantia (after the name of Emperor Constantine the Great). After the year 600 it was affected by the migrations of the Slavs and Avars and in the 10th century it came under the rule of Byzantium.
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In the year 1878 Dobrudja was integrated into Romania. King Charles gave it a new life at the beginning of the 20th century, as port and resort. In his presence they inaugurated the port docs and silos (the biggest in the world in 1909), work of romanian engineer Anghel Saligny.
Today Constanta is the most important romanian port on the Black Sea, industrial city, cultural and academic centre, museum of vestiges, valuable tourist centre. |
| Constantza Mosque |
