Scurt istoric al Constantei
Orasul a fost întemeiat în secolul al VI-lea înainte de Hristos, sub denumirea de Tomis, de cãtre colonisti greci din Milet, care au înfiintat aici un important emporion (factorie comercialã). Întemeierea cetãtii si denumirea sa au fost asociate adeseori cu legenda lui Iason si a Argonautilor, eroi ai antichitãtii elene ce ar fi cãlãtorit din Grecia pânã în Colhida (litoralul Georgiei de azi) în cãutarea lânii de aur. La întoarcere, ei ar fi debarcat în locul în care, mai târziu, a fost fondatã cetatea.În timpul dominatiei romane, Tomis a devenit o adevãratã metropolã a Pontului stâng, orasul fiind îmbodobit cu numeroase statui, temple si monumente de arhitecturã. Dupã ce Constantinopolul a devenit capitala Imperiului Roman de Rãsãrit, cetatea a fost reconstruitã de împãratul Constantin cel Mare, care i-a schimbat denumirea în Constantiana (de la care derivã actuala denumire a orasului), în cinstea surorii sale.
Odatã cu pierderea stãpânirii orasului de cãtre Imperiul Bizantin, cetatea a decãzut total, devenind un simplu sãtuc al cãrui port era mai important decât localitatea însesi, singurele vestigii ale continuitãtii existentei sale fiind mentionarea sa în hãrtile maritime ale negustorilor italieni si construirea, în secolul al XIII-lea, a Farului Genovez.
Ocupatia turca instalata în perioada 1393-1420 a dus la decãderea totalã a asezãrii pânã la mijlocul secolului al XIX-lea, când, odatã cu construirea, sub stãpânire turceascã si investitii engleze, a cãii ferate Cernavodã-Kustenge (denumirea turceascã a localitãtii), localitatea a cunoscut un usor reviriment.
Adevãrata renastere a localitãtii a avut loc dupã alipirea Dobrogei la România (1878), când portul Constanta a devenit un important punct de export a produselor principatelor române cãtre Turcia si tãrile europene.
The Archaeology Museum houses interesting exhibits and ancient art objects, among which a menhir statue belonging to the prehistoric culture of Hamangia which represents a female goddess, the statues of Fortuna and Pontos, the patron protectors of ancient Tomis, as well as the Glycon serpent, having a snake body, but human hair and ears. One should not miss the superb multicoloured mosaic of the 13th century situated in the close vicinity of the Town Hall!
Constanta's spiritual patron is the Roman poet Ovid, who was exiled there by Emperor Augustus in 8 A.D.. In Tomis he wrote some of his important works, i.e. the poems Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto, which express sadness of being far away from home. Despite his appeals for mercy, Ovid remained in Tomis until his death.
Turkish rule is evoked by Mahmoud II Mosque, from whose tower one may get an overall view of Constanta.
Children may be delighted to admire the fish fauna of the Black Sea in the Aquarium near the wonderful rococo style Casino, or the very intelligent and playful dolphins at the Delphinarium.
The Archaeological Museum has a rich collection of Roman statues. Two of them
are special: the one of Fortuna Goddess and Pontos God, the two protectors of the
town, and the one of Glicon Snake. All of them were discovered in 1962 under the
old railway station, after they survived to the invasion of the Avars (the VII-th
century A.C.). Also here the tourists can see a Roman mosaic and visit a hall
dedicated to Ovidius, a Roman poet, who lived in exile in Tomis between 8 - 17
A.C. After it was destroyed the town was forgotten for 1200 years and only King Carol I gave it a new life at the end
of the XIX-th century as a port at the Black Sea and as a resort. Some fine buildings, a casino, holets were built.Of the Roman town of Tomis there are only a part of the wall of the town and the Butchers Tower (the VI-th century).
In an open-air exhibition in the Victory Park there are some columns and amphores too. Other ruins are in Histria, along
the seashore, and in Adamclisi. The Ottoman domination is marked in Constanta by the Mahmud II's Mosque.It is pleasant to walk along the seashore or to spend the time at the Casino built in Rococo style. Just in front of the Casino there is the Aquarium which exhibits flora and fauna of the Black Sea. In Constanta there are also a Dolphinarium with daily shows and a Planetarium.
Mai multe despre istoria orasului si a împrejurimilor puteti afla în pagina de istorie a Consiliului Judetean Constanta.
Autor: Cristi Serban. Puteti sa îmi scrieti la adresa roconstanta@gmx.net