Histria (ancient city)

Histria
Ἰστρίη (in Ancient Greek)
City walls
Histria (ancient city) is located in Romania
Histria (ancient city)
Shown within Romania
Alternative nameIstros
LocationIstria, Constanța, Romania
RegionDobruja
Coordinates44°32′51″N 28°46′29″E / 44.54750°N 28.77472°E / 44.54750; 28.77472
Typefortified city, settlement
Area82 ha
History
Foundedmid-7th century BC
Abandonedmid-7th century AD
Site notes
ArchaeologistsErnest Desjardins, Vasile Pârvan,
ConditionRuined
OwnershipPublic
Public accessYes

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.

Eastern Moesia and Moesian Limes, and Ancient towns and colonies in modern Dobruja (ancient coastline)
Plan of Histria
The site
  1. ^ Public Domain Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Istropolis". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
  2. ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Istropolis