Timeline of Cluj-Napoca explained
The following detailed sequence of events covers the timeline of Cluj-Napoca, a city in Transylvania, Romania.
Cluj-Napoca (in Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan pronounced as /ˈkluʒ naˈpoka/, German: link=no|Klausenburg; Hungarian: Kolozsvár, in Hungarian pronounced as /ˈkoloʒvaːr/; Medieval Latin: Castrum Clus, Claudiopolis; and Yiddish: קלויזנבורג, Kloiznburg), commonly known as Cluj, is located in the Someșul Mic River valley, roughly equidistant from Bucharest (324km (201miles)), Budapest (351km (218miles)) and Belgrade (322km (200miles)). Throughout its long history, the area around Cluj-Napoca was part of many empires and kingdoms, including the Roman Empire (as part of the Dacia province and later a sub-division of Dacia Porolissensis), Gepidia, Avaria, the Hungarian Kingdom, the Habsburg monarchy, Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Romania. From 1790 to 1848 and 1861–1867, it was the official capital of the Grand Principality of Transylvania.
In modern times, the city holds the status of municipiu, is the seat of Cluj County in the north-western part of Romania, and continues to be considered the unofficial capital of the historical province of Transylvania. Cluj continues to be one of the most important academic, cultural, industrial and business centres in Romania. Among other institutions, it hosts the country's largest university, Babeș-Bolyai University, with its famous botanical garden. The current boundaries of the municipality contain an area of 179.52km2. The Cluj-Napoca metropolitan area has a population of 411,379 people, while the population of the peri-urban area (Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: zona periurbană) exceeds 420,000 residents, making it one of the most populous cities in Romania.
2nd century
- 101 – After gaining support from the Roman Senate, emperor Trajan leads the Roman legions across the Danube into Dacia, starting the First Dacian War.
- 102 – Hostilities between Roman Empire and Dacian Kingdom cease and the two parties reach a peace agreement.
- 105 – Trajan starts the second Dacian campaign with aim of expansion and conquest.
- 105–106 – During the second campaign, the Romans build Castra of Napoca.
- 106 – 11 August
- 107
- After a directive from Trajan, Cohors I Hispanorum miliaria begins the work to connect Napoca with Potaissa (as part of via Traiana Pataesina), along the pre-existing salt road.
- June: Trajan returns to Rome after the successful Dacian campaign, starting a series of celebrations.
- 108
- Napoca is mentioned as a vicus, an ad hoc provincial civilian settlement, which sprang up close to the military castra.
- The work to the Roman road connecting Napoca to Potaissa finishes, increasing significantly the importance of Napoca
- The town becomes the end of the central spine from which all of the Roman forts in Northwest Dacia can be reached.
- c.108–124
- A bridge is constructed across Samus River.
- A brooch workshop is built using timber.
- Town starts to extend to the south, and the surveyors begin to lay out the main streets: decumanus maximus (east-west) and the cardo (north-south).
- 117
- 118 – After the battles with Roxolani and the Iazyges where Hadrian himself participates, the provinces of Moesia and Dacia are reorganized, Trajan's original province of Dacia being relabelled Dacia Superior.
- 124
- Emperor Hadrian visits Napoca in Dacia, grants the title and rank of municipium (as municipium Aelium Hadrianum Napocenses) and attaches it to his tribe, the Sergia.
- Province of Dacia is reorganized, and an additional province called Dacia Porolissensis is created in the northern portion of Dacia Superior
- Napoca becomes the location of the military high command in Dacia Porolissensis and its capital.
- Livius Gratus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 131 – Flavius Italicus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 138 – 11 July: Antoninus Pius becomes emperor at Hadrian's death.
- 151 – Marcus Macrinius Vindex becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 157 – Tiberius Clodius Quintianus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 161 – 8 March: Marcus Aurelius succeeds Antoninus Pius as Emperor.
- 161–162 – Volu[---] becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 164 – Lucius Sempronius Ingenuus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 166
- Pressures building along the Danube frontier force Marcus Aurelius to set up an overarching province, Tres Daciae (Three Dacias), which fuses the three Dacia provinces into one and is commanded by a consular legate.
- The three provinces, including Dacia Porolissesnsis, still remain as separate entities, each one governed by a praesidial procurator, who then reports to the proconsular governor.
- Sextus Calpurnius Agricola becomes the first Legatus Augusti pro praetore (consular legate) of the Tres Daciae.
- 168 – Marcus Claudius Fronto becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 170 – Sextus Cornelius Clemens becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 173 – Lucius Aemilius Carus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 176 – Gaius Arrius Antoninus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 177
- Marcus Aurelius bestows the title of Augustus on his son, Commodus, giving him the same status as his own and formally starting to share power.
- Publius Helvius Pertinax becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.178–179 – Marcus Valerius Maximianus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 180
- c.180 – the city gaines the status of a colonia as Colonia Aurelia Napoca.
- c.180–190 – Gaius Valerius Catulinus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- c.180–192
- 182 – Lucius Vespronius Candidus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 185
- Dacian revolt in the province, Free Dacians living outside the borders also defeated.
- Commodus' legates devastate a territory some 5miles deep along the north of the Castrum Gilău (near Napoca) to establish a buffer in the hope of preventing further barbarian incursions.
- c.185 – Gaius Pescennius Niger becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.190 – G. C(...) Hasta becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 191 – Aelius Constans becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 192 – 31 December: Emperor Commodus is assassinated.
- 193 – 14 April: Septimius Severus' legion, XIV Gemina, proclaims him Emperor.
- c.193–211: The villa rustica from Apahida (near Napoca) is in use.
- c.193 – Quintus Aurelius Polus Terentianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 195 – Publius Septimius Geta becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.197 – Pollienus Auspex becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 198 – Caracalla is appointed by his father, Septimius Severus, as joint Augustus and full Emperor.
- c.198–209 – Publius Aelius Sempronius Lycinus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- c.198–209 – Gaius Publicius Antonius Probus becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 200 – Lucius Octavius Julianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.200 – Marcus Cocceius Genialis becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
3rd century
- c.200–230 – Marcus Veracilius Verus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 204 – Lucius Pomponius Liberalis becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 205 – Mevius Surus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 206 – Claudius Gallus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 208 – Gaius Julius Maximinus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 211 – 4 February: Caracalla and his brother Geta reign together after their father's death.
- c.211–217 – The road from Napoca to Porolissum is repaired.
- 212 – Lucius Marius Perpetuus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 215 – Gaius Julius Septimius Castinus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 217 – Marcus Claudius Agrippa becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.217 – Ulpius Victor becomes procurator of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 222 – 11 March: Severus Alexander becomes Emperor.
- c.222 – Iasdius Domitianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 235 – 20 March 235: Maximinus Thrax succeeds to the rule of Roman Empire, after Severus Alexander is assassinated.
- c.235–238 – Quintus Julius Licinianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.235–238 – Marcus Cuspidius Flaminius Severus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- c.235–238 – Decimus Simonius Proculus Julianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 236–238 – Maximinus Thrax campaigns in Dacia against the Carpi.
- c.238 – Decimus Simonius Proculus Julianus becomes the consular legate of the Three Dacias.
- 242–247 – Carpi are attacking Dacia and Moesia Inferior.
- 248–250 – Dacia is attacked by the Germanic tribes of the Goths, Taifals and Bastarns together with the Carpi.
- 253
- 22 October: Gallienus and Valerian start ruling jointly the Roman Empire.
- Monetary circulation starts to decrease in Dacia and Pannonia.
- 257 – Gallienus claims the title Dacicus Maximus after repeated victories over the Carpi and associated Dacian tribes.
- 258 – Dacia is attacked by Carpi and Goths.
- 258–260 – A percentage of the cohorts from the V Macedonica and XIII Gemina legions are transferred from Dacia to Pannonia.
- 260 – Monetary circulation and raising of inscribed monuments have a dramatic drop in Dacia.
- c.260 – Repairs of the castra fortifications are conducted on the northern border of Dacia Porolissensis.
- 263 – Dacia is attacked by Carpi and Goths.
- 267 – Dacia is attacked by Goths and Herules.
- 269 – Dacia is attacked by Goths and Herules.
- 270 – September: Aurelian becomes Roman Emperor.
- 271–275 – Aurelian evacuates the Roman troops and civilian administration from Dacia, and establishes Dacia Aureliana with its capital at Serdica in Lower Moesia.
- c.291
- Goths, including Thervingi, begin to move into the former province of Dacia.
- Victohali, a subdivision of Hasdingi (themselves southern Vandals), push from north and west into north west of Dacia.
- Taifals join Thervingi to fight Victohali and Gepids over the possession of Samus valley.
- Gepids mentioned for the first time.
- 291–300 – Thervingi continue migrating into north-eastern Dacia but are opposed by the Carpi and the non-Romanized Dacians.
- c.295 – Goths defeat the Carpi, pushing them southward.
4th century
- 295-320s – After a peace treaty with the Romans, Goths proceed to settle down in parts of Roman Dacia (starting to be called Gothia), dividing some of the land with the Taifals, and co-existing with the remaining semi-Romanized population.
- c.300–350 – Ruralization of the urban life in Dacia.
- c.350 – Sântana de Mureş-Černjachov culture/Goths enter intra-Carpathian Transylvania.
- 376 – Huns arrive, attacking the Thervingi and leading to a collapse of the Gothic dominance in the area.
5th century
- c.401–420 – Gepidic center on the plains north-west of the Meseş Mountains.
- 420s – Huns impose their authority over the Gepids, but the latter remain united under the rule of their kings.
- c.440 – Ardaric, favored by the Hunic king, becomes the leader of the Gepids.
- c.435–453 – Huns fight the Alans, Vandals, and Quadi, forcing them toward the Roman Empire and making Pannonia their center.
- 453 – Attila, King of the Huns dies and the Hunnic Empire starts to disintegrate.
- c.454
- Ardaric initiates an uprising of the Gepids against the Huns.
- Gepids defeat the Huns in Pannonia, regain their independence and are able to start to expand eastwards, into Dacia.
- c.475–500
6th century
- c.501–568
- More Gepid power centers appear in Transylvania.
- New settlements appear along the Someş, Mureş, and Târnava rivers, reflecting a period of tranquillity in Gepidia.
- A "circle" of Gepid settlements develops around Napoca.
- Gepids start to adopt Arian Christianity through their connection with the Goths.
- Farming is the primary activity, but looms, combs, and other items are produced in local workshops.
- Gepidia is trading with faraway regions such as Crimea, Mazovia or Scandinavia.
- 568 – The Avar invasion ends the independent Gepidia.
- c.568 – Carpathian Basin is incorporated in the Avar Khaganate established by khagan Bayan I.
- c.599–600 – Gepids under assimilation but settlements still exist within Avaria.
7th century
- c.600–800 – Avars bring with them and allow Slavs to settle inside Transylvania.
8th century
- c. 700–800 – Center and northern Transylvania under Moravian influence.
- 791–795 – Plunder of the Avar state by the Franks of Charlemagne.
- 794 – Avars, in small numbers, and mixed with Slavs, still inhabit parts of Transylvania.
- 796 – Avar Khaganate suffers a crippling blow by the Franks.
9th century
- c.796–803 – Bulgars under Khan Krum unite with Franks to crush the Avar Khaganate.
- c.803
- c.850–900
10th century
- c. 895–902 – Magyars (Hungarians) commence the conquest of the Carpathian Basin defeating and conquering the lands of Menumorut and later Gelou
- c. 902–950 – Area falls under the rule of (Tétény) and his descendants (within newly formed Principality of Hungary)
- c. 900–1000
- A small settlement appears on the ruins of Roman Napoca covering less than 3rd of the ancient site, with Roman fortifications being used as a source of construction materials.
- The settlement has four unequal sides (northern side 250 m, western side 223 m, southern side 300m, eastern side 197 m).
- A cemetery is active 600–1300 m from Napoca.
- 1000 – Area becomes part of the Kingdom of Hungary, as Stephen I of Hungary is crowned as the first king and adopts Christianity.
11th century
12th century
13th century
14th century
- 1316
- 1332 – The first appearance of the Hungarian form Koloswar, as it underwent various phonetic changes over the years.
- 1348 – First usage of the Transylvanian Saxon name of Clusenburg/Clusenbvrg appeared.
- 1349 – A document signed by the archbishop of Avignon and fifteen other bishops grants the indulgence for those contributing to the illumination and furniture of the St. Michael's Church.
- 1377 – King Louis I of Hungary grants to Cluj the coat of arms and seal, consisting of three towers, a city wall with a gate in silver on a blue background.
- 1390
- The altar of St. Michael's Church is inaugurated and the church starts to be used as the new parochial church of Kolozs.
- The original church from the Old Town is given to friars of the Dominican Order.
15th century
16th century
17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
21st century
- 2001 – Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR) founded.
- 2004 – Emil Boc becomes mayor.
- 2008
- 2009 – 16 July: Construction of the new stadium, Cluj Arena, begins on the site of demolished Ion Moina Stadium.
- 2011
- 2012 – Emil Boc becomes mayor again.
- 2015 – Holds the title of European Youth Capital.
- 2016 – Emil Boc reelected mayor yet again.
- 2018 – Holds the title of European City of Sport.
See also
Sources
Secondary sources
- Wanner. Robert. Forts, fields and towns: Communities in Northwest Transylvania from the first century BC to the fifth century AD. University of Leicester. Leicester. 2010. 2381/8335. free.
Tertiary sources
External links
