Roman, Romania
Roman (Hungarian: Románvásár, German: Romanvarasch) is a town in Moldavia, Romania, with a population of 69,483. It is located 46 Km East of Piatra Neamţ, in the Neamţcommunist county at the confluence of Siret and Moldova rivers. Its Town Hall is placed at 46 degrees and 55' lat. N, 26 degrees and 55' long. E.
It is thought that the name was taken from the moldavian Domn (dominus in latin language)Roman I Musat, believed to be its founder. Roman's 1-st son was Alexander the Good(1400-1432).
History
- 1234 One of the official catholic acts mentions one of the so-called schismatic bishops (orthodox) as being placed on the spot where the town now is placed.
- The earliest appearance of the name can be found in the Novgorod Chronicle, dated between 1387 - 1392.
- 1392 It is mentioned in a Moldavian document, on March 30th.
- 1408 In September 14th, Alexandru cel Bun (Alexander the Good) established a bishopric.
- 1412 The representants of the catholic inhabitants of Roman, shepherded by the Baia bishop, attend the Council of Constance.
- Stefan cel Mare (Stephan the Great) build a new stone fortress on the left bank of the Siret river, to replace the old earthen fortress.
- 1458, 1465, 1488 Stefan cel Mare mentions the bishopal church of Saint Parascheva in his official acts.
- 1467 The fortress resists the siege of Hungaro-Transylvan army of Matthias Corvinus.
- 1476 A Turkish army, led by Mohamed II, siege the new fortress; moldavians retreat.
- 1542 Petru Rares orders the construction of a new bishopal residence.
- 1561 - 1563 The last mentions of the old fortress, during the reign of Despot Voda (Ioan Iacob Eraclid).
- 1562 Ioan Belusius, an agent of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, writes from Roman to his master reporting the restoration of the catholics' rights by Despot Voda (Ioan Iacob Eraclid) after the interdictions imposed by Alexandru Lapusneanu.
- 1558 In September 13th, Johannes Künig, an jesuit missionary, writes to the head of jesuits, Claudius Aquaviva, describing the town as dominated by Orthodox Romanians. He adds that there are also Armeninans and Gypsies and that the handful of Catholic Hungarians and Germans are not interested in joining a church where the priests didn't speak their language.
- 1623 The franciscan missionary Andreas Bogoslavici writes to Rome describing Roman's Catholics as Hungarian that usually speak Romanian. The Catholics have a church dedicated to Saint Peter.
- 1641 The vicar of Sofia, visiting Roman, counts 1500 Romanian Orthodox, 450 Armenian Orthodox and 30 Hungarian Catholics. The Armenians have their own church, still in place these days.
- 1665 - 1671 Bishop Dosoftei translates in Romanian the Versified Psalms.
- 1675 The newer stone fortress is destroyed by Dumitrascu Cantacuzino, as all the other fortresses in Moldavia.
- 1691 In December, Miron Costin, one of the first Romanian historians and writers, is decapitated at the orders of Alexandru Brancoveanu. He was in custody, on the road from Barbosi to Iasi, where he hoped he could prove his innocence. A few days earlier, the chronicler brother was killed at Iasi, suspected of trying to become the ruler of Moldova. The statue marking the place is now obscured by a blue glass pyramid near the Roman Hotel.
- 1869 The second railway of the new Romanian principate opens in December. It was running from Roman to Itcani (northern railway station of Suceava). In December 15th the railway station, still in use today, is opened to the public.
- 1870 On December 27th, the railway from Bucharest to Roman through Buzau, Braila, Galati, Tecuci, Marasesti is opened to the public. Later it is closed for two years due to technical problems and is reestablished September 13, 1872.
- 1872 After a reluctant government gave its long-waited approval, the first high school, "Roman Voda", is opened on September 30th on the building of the School No. 1, which is still in use today.
- 1897 The government approves the construction of a new building for the "Roman Voda" high school.
- 1957 The steel tubes factory, now known as Petrotub Ispat, starts production.
- 1962 The Museum of Natural Sciences is built.
- 1968 Roman, centre of Roman county, became part of the new Neamţ communist county, as part of Nicolae Ceausescu's "administrative reform."
- 1989 After revolution population has marked Roman county's old borders, but the new regime from Bucharest was against Roman county's reborn.
- 1993 The statue of Roman Voda, now a symbol of the town, is erected near the Town Hall.