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possible to give to any extent a detailed description of the epic struggle which the Rumanians carried on for
centuries against the Turks. I shall have to deal, therefore, on broad lines, with the historical facts--laying
greater stress only upon the three fundamental epochs of Rumanian history: the formation of the Rumanian
nation; its initial casting into a national polity (foundation of the Rumanian principalities); and its final
evolution into the actual unitary State; and shall then pass on to consider the more recent internal and external
development of Rumania, and her present attitude.
2
Formation of the Rumanian Nation
About the fifth century B.C., when the population of the Balkan-Carpathian region consisted of various tribes
belonging to the Indo-European family, the northern portion of the Balkan peninsula was conquered by the
Thracians and the Illyrians. The Thracians spread north and south, and a branch of their race, the Dacians,
crossed the Danube. The latter established themselves on both sides of the Carpathian ranges, in the region
which now comprises the provinces of Oltenia (Rumania), and Banat and Transylvania (Hungary). The
Dacian Empire expanded till its boundaries touched upon those of the Roman Empire. The Roman province of
Moesia (between the Danube and the Balkans) fell before its armies, and the campaign that ensued was so
successful that the Dacians were able to compel Rome to an alliance.
Two expeditions undertaken against Dacia by the Emperor Trajan (98-117) released Rome from these
ignominious obligations, and brought Dacia under Roman rule (A.D. 106). Before his second expedition
The Balkans - A History Of Bulgaria--Serbia--Greece--Rumania--Turkey 92
Trajan erected a stone bridge over the Danube, the remains of which can still be seen at Turnu-Severin, a short
distance below the point where the Danube enters Rumanian territory. Trajan celebrated his victory by
erecting at Adam Klissi (in the province of Dobrogea) the recently discovered _Tropaeum Traiani_, and in
Rome the celebrated 'Trajan's Column', depicting in marble reliefs various episodes of the Dacian wars.
The new Roman province was limited to the regions originally inhabited by the Dacians, and a strong
garrison, estimated by historians at 25,000 men, was left to guard it. Numerous colonists from all parts of the
Roman Empire were brought here as settlers, and what remained of the Dacian population completely
amalgamated with them. The new province quickly developed under the impulse of Roman civilization, of
which numerous inscriptions and other archaeological remains are evidence. It became one of the most
flourishing dependencies of the Roman Empire, and was spoken of as Dacia Felix.
About a century and a half later hordes of barbarian invaders, coming from the north and east, swept over the
country. Under the strain of those incursions the Roman legions withdrew by degrees into Moesia, and in
A.D. 271 Dacia was finally evacuated. But the colonists remained, retiring into the Carpathians, where they
lived forgotten of history.
The most powerful of these invaders were the Goths (271-375), who, coming from the shores of the Baltic,
had shortly before settled north of the Black Sea. Unaccustomed to mountain life, they did not penetrate
beyond the plains between the Carpathians and the Dnjester. They had consequently but little intercourse with
the Daco-Roman population, and the total absence in the Rumanian language and in Rumanian place-names
of words of Gothic origin indicates that their stay had no influence upon country or population. Material
evidence of their occupation is afforded, however, by a number of articles made of gold found in 1837 at
Petroasa (Moldavia), and now in the National Museum at Bucarest.
After the Goths came the Huns (375-453), under Attila, the Avars (566-799), both of Mongolian race, and the
Gepidae (453-566), of Gothic race--all savage, bloodthirsty raiders, passing and repassing over the Rumanian
regions, pillaging and burning everywhere. To avoid destruction the Daco-Roman population withdrew more [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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