Histria (ancient city)

Histria
Ἰστρίη (in Ancient Greek)
	City walls
	Shown within Romania
Alternative name	Istros
Location	Istria, Constanța, Romania
Region	Dobruja
Coordinates	44°32′51″N 28°46′29″E / 44.54750°N 28.77472°E
Type	fortified city, settlement
Area	82 ha
History
Founded	mid-7th century BC
Abandoned	mid-7th century AD
Site notes
Archaeologists	Ernest Desjardins, Vasile Pârvan,
Condition	Ruined
Ownership	Public
Public access	Yes

Histria or Istros (Ancient Greek: Ἰστρίη) was founded as a Greek colony or polis (πόλις, city) on the western coast of the Black Sea near the mouth of the Danube (known as Ister in Ancient Greek) whose banks are today about 70 km away. In antiquity, it also bore the names Istropolis, Istriopolis, and Histriopolis (Ἰστρόπολις, Ἰστρία πόλις)^[1] or simply Istros/Histros (Ἴστρος).^[2] It is near the modern town of Istria.

It was the first urban settlement on today's Romanian territory, founded by Milesian settlers in the 7th century BC and was inhabited for at least 1,200 years.

It was under Roman rule from the 1st century AD in the Roman province of Moesia. The Tabula Peutingeriana shows it 11 miles from Tomis and 9 miles from Ad Stoma.

Invasions during the 7th century AD rendered it indefensible, and the city was abandoned.

^ Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Istropolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Istropolis

[1] Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Istropolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.

[2] Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Istropolis

[1]

[2]