One Version of Romania's History

Romania - Myth - Legend - Cultures - Genealogy - Misfits - And More

Den | Romania | History | Bronze Age

Bronze Age

Topics covered in this section:

Introduction

Eventually human technology, if you can call it such, advanced beyond simple stone tools. Early humans began expanding to metals and to alloys of those metals. In an archaeological sense, these are termed "modern" ages.

The "modern" ages are traditionally named:

• Copper Age (4500-2500 BC)
• Early Bronze Age (2500-1300 BC)
• Urnfield Period (1300-600 BC)
• Iron Age (800-140 BC)

We'll have a lot more to say about these "modern" ages, though it's important to remember that they're still generally prehistoric periods. Almost all of our information about these time periods is gleaned from archaeological excavations.

Romania's Beginnings

Unfortunately, Romanian archaeology has lagged somewhat behind the rest of Europe. But, given their past, this is quite understandable. As I work through Romania's historic past and into the present in these web pages, I think you'll see what I mean.

However, I can safely determine some basic "facts" about Romania's early history.

Between 800 BC and 700 AD (Iron Age and beyond), Romania was subjected to a great many migrations through its territory. And the indigenous people themselves had been given numerous names and labels by these immigrants. I'll cover most of these complex associations as I unravel Romania's history (at least, my version of her history).

We know, for example, that the Thracians, Scythians, and other migratory and sedentary peoples traveled through the territory at one time or another (800 BC to AD 300). Many of these people most likely settled down and became the farmers and herders that are the ancestors of modern-day Romanians.

We know that between 800 BC and 300 BC, the Greeks established trading colonies along the Black Sea coastline in present-day Dobrogea, Romania. They added to the culture and gene pool of the developing Romanian people.

Later, between 140 BC and AD 300, we know that the Romans had a marked effect on the indigenous Romanian people (Dacians). They also left their mark on Romanian culture in the form of the Romanian language and, undoubtedly, contributed their share to the gene pool.

And even later, between AD 300 and 700, migratory barbarian hordes swarmed through Romanian territory. All the raping and pillaging during that period most likely preserved it's place in the gene pool as well.

All of these people, and more, criss-crossing Romanian lands hints at the complex diversity of early Romania.

When I first started looking at Romania's history, I thought I'd find one (or just a few) ethnic groups who had established their homes in the region now called Romania. After all, a cursory glance at any map of the region clearly shows that Romania wasn't on the major pathways between the Near Eastern cultures and the Western European or Mediterranean cultures.

But the more I read, the more convinced I became that Romania's past reflects an ethnic diversity that's not at all uncommon all across the European continent.