Roman, Romania
Encyclopedia
Roman (ˈroman; ) is a mid-sized city, having the title of municipality
, located in the central part of Moldavia
, a traditional region of Romania
. It is located 46 km east of Piatra Neamţ
, in the Neamţ County
at the confluence of Siret
and Moldova river
s.
It is thought that the name was taken from Moldavian
Voivode Roman I of Moldavia
, believed to be its founder. Roman's first son was Alexandru cel Bun
.
, in the historic region of Moldavia
, at the mouth of the Moldova River
, a tributary to the Siret
. The nearest large city is Bacău
, 40 km away on DN2
and on the Suceava-Bucharest railway
; Piatra Neamţ
, the county capital, is 50 km away and Iaşi, the historic capital of Moldavia, is 80 km away.
.
Roman became a bishopric see in September 14, 1408, when Alexandru cel Bun established a the orthodox bishopric in the city.
The representatives of the Catholic population of Roman, shepherded by the Bishop of Baia
, attend the Council of Constance
in 1412, which shows the religios diversity in the city.
Later on in the late 15th century, Ştefan cel Mare
build a new stone fortress on the left bank of the Siret river, to replace the old earthen one. Several documents from 1458, 1465 and 1488 during Ştefan's reign mention the Cathedral of Saint Paraskeva
(Paraschiva) in Roman. In 1467, the fortress resisted the siege of the Hungarian
army under King Matthias Corvinus, before the battle of Baia
. In 1476, an Ottoman
army, led by Mohamed II, besieged the new fortress again, with the Moldavians retreating after the Battle of Valea Albă
.
Petru Rareş
ordered the construction of a new episcopal see
on the same spot in 1542. The old fortress was apparently destroyed by Dumitraşcu Cantacuzino, following Ottoman command, together with all other Moldavian fortresses. One of the last mentions of it dates back to 1561–1563 during the reign of Ioan Iacob Heraclid
. The catholic community had its rights restored around the same time, in 1562, as Ioan Belusiuş, an agent of the Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I
, wrote his master from Roman, after the severe limitations under Alexandru Lăpuşneanu
. In 1623, the catholic community was described by the Franciscan
missionary Andreas Bogoslavici in a letter sent to Rome
, as Hungarian that understood and used Romanian
. The Catholics appear to have a church dedicated to Saint Peter
.
In 1569, Ruxandra Lăpuşneanu built an orthodox church dedicated to the Holy Virgin (Precista Mare) on the same spot the eponym
church is placed today. In 1595, the church Sfinţii Voievozi is built. The current Armenian Orthodox Church was built in 1610.
Some demographic data from 1641, recorded by the Vicar
of Sofia
, who was passing through Roman, shows there were apparently 1,500 Eastern Orthodox, 450 Armenian Orthodox
and 30 Hungarian Catholics.
A major personality of the city was orthodox bishop Dosoftei
who translated the Psalter
into Romanian in 1665–1671.
In December 1691, Miron Costin
, one of the first historians and writers in Romanian, was decapitated here on the orders of Prince Constantin Cantemir
(Dimitrie Cantemir
's father). Costin was in custody, being carried from Bărboşi to Iaşi
, where he hoped to prove his innocence; a few days earlier, the chronicler's brother had been killed in Iaşi, being believed to have attempted to obtain the throne for himself. The statue marking the spot is now obscured by a blue glass pyramid near the Roman Hotel.
The first hospital in Roman was built in 1798 on the place where the Municipal Hospital Precista Mare is located today. Talmud Torah, one of the first Jewish schools in Principality of Moldova, was inaugurated in 1817, an important event in itself as Moldova did not grant citizenship to Jews.
Roman became a railway hub in the 19th century, when the second railway in Romania was opened in December 1869, from Roman to Suceava
(Iţcani). One year later, on December 27th 1870, The Bucharest-Galaţi-Roman railway was also opened, linking Roman to the capital via Mărăşeşti
, Tecuci
, Galaţi
, Brăila
and Buzău
. Right after the inauguration, this railway was closed due to technical problems, but it was reestablished on September 13th, 1872. At the same time, after a reluctant government gave its long-waited approval, the first high school of the city, Roman-Vodă, was opened on September 30th in the building that is still in use today as that of School No. 1.
In the communist era, the city lost the county capital status, being included first in 1950 in the Bacău Region, and then in 1968 in Neamţ County
. It also became the target of forced industrialization: in 1957, the steel tubes factory, started production. After the fall of communism, most of the heavy industry, relying strongly on state subsidies, went bankrupt and Roman's economy struggled. The steel tubes factory was privatized, and it is now owned by the Mittal Steel Company N.V., and the economy started to recover.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, located in the central part of Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, a traditional region of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It is located 46 km east of Piatra Neamţ
Piatra Neamt
Piatra Neamț , , ; is the capital city of Neamţ County, in the historical region of Moldavia, eastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania...
, in the Neamţ County
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
at the confluence of Siret
Siret
Siret is a town in Romania, Suceava County, one of the oldest towns in, and a former capital of, the former principality of Moldavia. It is located 2 km from the border with Ukraine, being one of the main border passing points in the North of the country, having both a road border post and a...
and Moldova river
Moldova River
The Moldova River is a river in Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia. The river rises from the Obcina Feredeu Mountains of Bukovina in Suceava County and joins the Siret River near the city of Roman in Neamţ County....
s.
It is thought that the name was taken from Moldavian
Moldovans
Moldovans or Moldavians are the largest population group of Moldova...
Voivode Roman I of Moldavia
Roman I of Moldavia
Roman I was Voivode of Moldavia from December 1391 to March 1394. He was the second son of Costea Muşat, the first ruler from the Muşatin family....
, believed to be its founder. Roman's first son was Alexandru cel Bun
Alexandru cel Bun
Alexander cel Bun was a Voivode of Moldavia, reigning between 1400 and 1432, son of Roman I Mușat. He succeeded Iuga to the throne, and, as a ruler, initiated a series of reforms while consolidating the status of the Moldavian Principality....
.
Geography
Roman is located in north-eastern Romania, in Neamţ CountyNeamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
, in the historic region of Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, at the mouth of the Moldova River
Moldova River
The Moldova River is a river in Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia. The river rises from the Obcina Feredeu Mountains of Bukovina in Suceava County and joins the Siret River near the city of Roman in Neamţ County....
, a tributary to the Siret
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania for 470 km before it joins the Danube...
. The nearest large city is Bacău
Bacau
Bacău is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. It covers a land surface of 43 km², and, as of January 1, 2009, has an estimated population of 177,087. The city is situated in the historical region of Moldavia, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and on the Bistriţa River...
, 40 km away on DN2
DN2
The Romanian national road DN2 links Bucharest with the historical region of Moldavia in north-east Romania. Recently upgraded, it is today one of the best-maintained roads in the country. Along the first from Bucharest to Săbăoani, near Roman the road has two lanes with one narrow emergency lane...
and on the Suceava-Bucharest railway
Caile Ferate Române Line 500
Line 500 is one of CFR's main lines in Romania having a total of 488 km and passing through important cities like Bucureşti, Ploieşti, Buzău, Focşani, Adjud, Roman, Paşcani and Suceava.-Secondary lines:...
; Piatra Neamţ
Piatra Neamt
Piatra Neamț , , ; is the capital city of Neamţ County, in the historical region of Moldavia, eastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania...
, the county capital, is 50 km away and Iaşi, the historic capital of Moldavia, is 80 km away.
History
The earliest mention of the city is in the Novgorod Chronicle (dated between 1387 and 1392). Five years later, the name on a donation deed. The city is mentioned in a Moldavian document, signed by Moldavia's Voivode Roman I, on March 30th. The document is one of the first of documents of the then-young state of Moldavia, being the first which holds a fully legible version of the Moldavia seal, bearing the aurochs, the moon, the star, and the flower, still in use on Coat of Arms of MoldovaCoat of arms of Moldova
The coat of arms of Moldova consists of a stylized eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and an olive branch in its claws. According to the author of the coat of arms, the eagle symbolizes the Latin origin of the people....
.
Roman became a bishopric see in September 14, 1408, when Alexandru cel Bun established a the orthodox bishopric in the city.
The representatives of the Catholic population of Roman, shepherded by the Bishop of Baia
Baia
Baia is a commune in the Suceava County, Romania with a population of 6,793 . It is composed of two villages, Baia and Bogata. Located on the Moldova River, it was one of the earliest urban settlements in Moldavia, originally inhabited by Germans...
, attend the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
in 1412, which shows the religios diversity in the city.
Later on in the late 15th century, Ştefan cel Mare
Stephen III of Moldavia
Stephen III of Moldavia was Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504 and the most prominent representative of the House of Mușat.During his reign, he strengthened Moldavia and maintained its independence against the ambitions of Hungary, Poland, and the...
build a new stone fortress on the left bank of the Siret river, to replace the old earthen one. Several documents from 1458, 1465 and 1488 during Ştefan's reign mention the Cathedral of Saint Paraskeva
Paraskevi
Paraskevi is a female name. Variations include Petka, Paraskeva, Praskovia, Praskovie, Pyatnitsa, Pyetka, Paraskevoula, Paraschiva and Voula.Notable people with the name include:*Voula Patoulidou, Greek hurdler and long jumper*Paraskevi...
(Paraschiva) in Roman. In 1467, the fortress resisted the siege of the Hungarian
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
army under King Matthias Corvinus, before the battle of Baia
Battle of Baia
The Battle of Baia was fought on 15 December 1467 between the Moldavian Prince, Stephen the Great and Hungarian King, Matthias Corvinus. The battle was the last Hungarian attempt to subdue the independent Moldavia, as previous attempts had ended in failure...
. In 1476, an Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
army, led by Mohamed II, besieged the new fortress again, with the Moldavians retreating after the Battle of Valea Albă
Battle of Valea Alba
The Battle of Valea Albă or Battle of Războieni or Battle of Akdere was an important event in the medieval history of Moldavia. It took place at Războieni, also known as Valea Albă, on July 26, 1476, between the Moldavian army of Ştefan cel Mare and an invading Ottoman army which was commanded...
.
Petru Rareş
Petru Rares
Peter IV Rareș was twice voievod of Moldavia: 20 January 1527 to 18 September 1538 and 19 February 1541 to 3 September 1546. He was an illegitimate child born to Ștefan cel Mare...
ordered the construction of a new episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
on the same spot in 1542. The old fortress was apparently destroyed by Dumitraşcu Cantacuzino, following Ottoman command, together with all other Moldavian fortresses. One of the last mentions of it dates back to 1561–1563 during the reign of Ioan Iacob Heraclid
Ioan Iacob Heraclid
Ioan Iacob Heraclid , also known as Jacob Heraclides, was a Greek soldier and ruler of Moldavia from November 1561 to November 1563, most notable for being the first officially Protestant monarch in Eastern Europe....
. The catholic community had its rights restored around the same time, in 1562, as Ioan Belusiuş, an agent of the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, wrote his master from Roman, after the severe limitations under Alexandru Lăpuşneanu
Alexandru Lapusneanu
Alexandru Lăpuşneanu was Prince of Moldavia between September 1552 and 18 November 1561 and then between October 1564 and 5 May 1568....
. In 1623, the catholic community was described by the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
missionary Andreas Bogoslavici in a letter sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, as Hungarian that understood and used Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
. The Catholics appear to have a church dedicated to Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
.
In 1569, Ruxandra Lăpuşneanu built an orthodox church dedicated to the Holy Virgin (Precista Mare) on the same spot the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
church is placed today. In 1595, the church Sfinţii Voievozi is built. The current Armenian Orthodox Church was built in 1610.
Some demographic data from 1641, recorded by the Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, who was passing through Roman, shows there were apparently 1,500 Eastern Orthodox, 450 Armenian Orthodox
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
and 30 Hungarian Catholics.
A major personality of the city was orthodox bishop Dosoftei
Dosoftei
Dimitrie Barilă, better known under his monastical name Dosoftei , was a Moldavian Metropolitan, scholar, poet and translator....
who translated the Psalter
Psalter
A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
into Romanian in 1665–1671.
In December 1691, Miron Costin
Miron Costin
Miron Costin was a Moldavian political figure and chronicler. His main work, Letopiseţul Ţărâi Moldovei [de la Aron Vodă încoace] was meant to extend Grigore Ureche's narrative, covering events from 1594 to 1660...
, one of the first historians and writers in Romanian, was decapitated here on the orders of Prince Constantin Cantemir
Constantin Cantemir
Constantin Cantemir was a Moldavian Voivode between June 25, 1685 and March 27, 1693.-Life:Cantemir became a voivode at the age of 71, after being favored by the Ottoman Empire in his conflict with Dumitraşcu Cantacuzino...
(Dimitrie Cantemir
Dimitrie Cantemir
Dimitrie Cantemir was twice Prince of Moldavia . He was also a prolific man of letters – philosopher, historian, composer, musicologist, linguist, ethnographer, and geographer....
's father). Costin was in custody, being carried from Bărboşi to Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, where he hoped to prove his innocence; a few days earlier, the chronicler's brother had been killed in Iaşi, being believed to have attempted to obtain the throne for himself. The statue marking the spot is now obscured by a blue glass pyramid near the Roman Hotel.
The first hospital in Roman was built in 1798 on the place where the Municipal Hospital Precista Mare is located today. Talmud Torah, one of the first Jewish schools in Principality of Moldova, was inaugurated in 1817, an important event in itself as Moldova did not grant citizenship to Jews.
Roman became a railway hub in the 19th century, when the second railway in Romania was opened in December 1869, from Roman to Suceava
Suceava
Suceava is the Suceava County seat in Bukovina, Moldavia region, in north-eastern Romania. The city was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia from 1388 to 1565.-History:...
(Iţcani). One year later, on December 27th 1870, The Bucharest-Galaţi-Roman railway was also opened, linking Roman to the capital via Mărăşeşti
Marasesti
Mărăşeşti is a small town in Romania in Vrancea County. It is north of Focşani. It administers six villages: Călimăneşti, Haret, Modruzeni, Pădureni, Siretu and Tişiţa.King Milan I of Serbia was born in Mărăşeşti on 22 August 1854....
, Tecuci
Tecuci
Tecuci is a city in the Galaţi county of Romania , situated among wooded hills, on the right bank of the Bârlad River, and at the junction of railways from Galaţi, Bârlad and Mărăşeşti.-History:...
, Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
, Brăila
Braila
Brăila is a city in Muntenia, eastern Romania, a port on the Danube and the capital of Brăila County, in the close vicinity of Galaţi.According to the 2002 Romanian census there were 216,292 people living within the city of Brăila, making it the 10th most populous city in Romania.-History:A...
and Buzău
Buzau
The city of Buzău is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Wallachia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain.The city's name dates back to 376 AD when the name...
. Right after the inauguration, this railway was closed due to technical problems, but it was reestablished on September 13th, 1872. At the same time, after a reluctant government gave its long-waited approval, the first high school of the city, Roman-Vodă, was opened on September 30th in the building that is still in use today as that of School No. 1.
In the communist era, the city lost the county capital status, being included first in 1950 in the Bacău Region, and then in 1968 in Neamţ County
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
. It also became the target of forced industrialization: in 1957, the steel tubes factory, started production. After the fall of communism, most of the heavy industry, relying strongly on state subsidies, went bankrupt and Roman's economy struggled. The steel tubes factory was privatized, and it is now owned by the Mittal Steel Company N.V., and the economy started to recover.
Notable natives
- Viorica AgariciViorica AgariciViorica Agarici was a Romanian nurse, the chairwoman of the local Red Cross in the city of Roman during World War II and the Ion Antonescu regime...
- Max (Marcel) BlecherMax BlecherMax Blecher was a writer from Romania.His father was a well-to-do Jewish merchant and the owner of a porcelain shop. He attended primary and secondary school in Roman, Romania. After receiving his baccalaureat, Blecher left for Paris to study medicine...
- Otilia Cazimir
- Sergiu CelibidacheSergiu Celibidache- Biography :Celibidache was born in Roman, Romania, and began his studies in music with the piano, after which he studied music, philosophy and mathematics in Bucharest, Romania and then in Paris...
- Michael CretuMichael CretuMichael Cretu is a Romanian musician. He is known also as Curly, MC or Curly M.C. because of his fair curled hair . His peak musical activity was with the Enigma project, which was mainly based in Germany....
- Gheorghe FlondorGheorghe FlondorGheorghe Flondor was Romanian politician who served as Royal Resident of Ţinutul Suceava from February 7, 1939 to September 23, 1940.-Political career:...
- Virgil GheorghiuVirgil GheorghiuVirgil Gheorghiu may refer to:*Constantin Virgil Gheorghiu, novelist*Virgil Gheorghiu , poet and pianist who was immortalised in the work of Geo Bogza...
- Ion Ionescu de la BradIon Ionescu de la BradIon Ionescu de la Brad , born Ion Isăcescu, was a Moldavian-born Romanian revolutionary, agronomist, statistician, scholar and writer....
- Mihail JoraMihail JoraMihail Jora was a Romanian composer, pianist, and conductor.Jora studied in Leipzig with Robert Teichmüller. From 1929 to 1962 he was a professor at the conservatoire of Bucharest. He worked 1928 to 1933 as a director/conductor of the Broadcasting Orchestra in Bucharest...
- Andreea Marin
- Jean Mihail (Mihailovici)
- Simona SpiridonSimona SpiridonSimona Spiridon is an Austrian handballer who plays for Russian Superleague club Zvezda Zvenigorod. She is also member of the Austrian national team.-Career:...
- Tereza PîslaruTereza PîslaruTereza Pîslaru is a Romanian handball player. She currently plays for the Serbian club RK Zaječar.With the Romanian national team she participated at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, where Romania placed seventh....