Romanians

Quick Facts: Who was Romanians?

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Romanians

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A Romance-speaking nation native to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Romanians (Romanian: români, pronounced [roˈmɨnʲ]; dated exonym Vlachs) are a Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Romanians share a common culture, history, ancestry and language and live primarily in Romania and Moldova. There is a debate regarding the ethnic categorisation of the Moldovans, concerning whether they constitute a subgroup of the Romanians or a completely different ethnic group. The origin of the Romanians is also fiercely debated, one theory suggests that the ancestors of Romanians are the Daco-Romans, while the other theory suggests that Romanians are mainly the Thraco-Romans and Illyro-Romans from the inner Balkan Peninsula, who later migrated north of the Danube. In one interpretation of the 1989 census results in Moldova, the majority of Moldovans were counted as ethnic Romanians as well.

Career & Major Achievements

Romanians also form an ethnic minority in several nearby countries situated in Central, Southeastern, and Eastern Europe, most notably in Hungary, Serbia (including Timok), and Ukraine. Estimates of the number of Romanian people worldwide vary from 24 to 30 million, in part depending on whether the definition of the term "Romanian" includes natives of both Romania and Moldova, their respective diasporas, and native speakers of both Romanian and other Eastern Romance languages. Other speakers of the latter languages are the Aromanians, the Megleno-Romanians, and the Istro-Romanians (native to Istria), all of them unevenly distributed throughout the Balkan Peninsula, which may be considered either Romanian subgroups or separated but related ethnicities. The territories of modern-day Romania and Moldova were inhabited by the ancient Getae and Dacian tribes. King Burebista who reigned from 82/61 BC to 45/44 BC, was the first king who successfully unified the tribes of the Dacian kingdom, which comprised the area located between the Danube, Tisza, and Dniester rivers.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

King Decebalus who reigned from 87 to 106 AD was the last king of the Dacian kingdom before it was conquered by the Roman Empire in 106 after two wars between Decebalus's army and Trajan's army. Prior to the two wars, Decebalus defeated a Roman invasion during the reign of Domitian between 86 and 88 AD. The Roman administration retreated from Dacia between 271 and 275 AD, during the reign of emperor Aurelian under the pressure from the Goths and the Dacian Carpi tribe. The later Roman province Dacia Aureliana, was organized inside former Moesia Superior. It was reorganized as Dacia Ripensis (as a military province, devastated by an Avars invasion in 586) and Dacia Mediterranea (as a civil province, devastated by an Avar invasion in 602).

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1989: 1989 Milestone — In one interpretation of the 1989 census results in Moldova, the majority of Moldovans were counted as ethnic Romanians as well.

Notable Quotes by Romanians

“"Return, return, brother!"”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Romanians

True or False: “The ancient Dacian kingdom was conquered by the Roman Empire in 106 AD after two wars involving Trajan's army.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): This conquest marked a major turning point, leading to subsequent Roman administrative reorganizations of the region.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. J. Ayer — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Abbie Hoffman — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Iconic American activist, co-founder of the Yippies, and counterculture figure.
• Romanos the Melodist — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Central Byzantine hymnographer and composer, known for Kontakion poetry.
• Romantic nationalism — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A form of nationalism viewing the state's legitimacy as an organic product of its culture.
• Romulus — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Legendary founder and first king of Rome, credited with establishing its core institutions.
• Romulus Augustulus — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The last Western Roman Emperor, whose deposition marked the end of the Western Empire.

Frequently Asked Questions about Romanians