Topalu is a
commune located on the right bank of the
Danube
The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
in
Constanța County
Constanța () is a Counties of Romania, county (județ) of Romania on the Bulgaria–Romania border, border with Bulgaria, in the Dobruja region. Its capital city is also named Constanța.
Demographics
In 2021, it had a population of 655,997 ...
,
Northern Dobruja
Northern Dobruja ( or simply ; , ''Severna Dobrudzha'') is the part of Dobruja within the borders of Romania. It lies between the lower Danube, Danube River and the Black Sea, bordered in the south by Southern Dobruja, which is a part of Bulgaria.
...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
.
Administration
The commune includes two villages:
* Topalu (historical name: )
* Capidava (historical names: ''Calichioi'', )
Demographics
At the 2011 census, Topalu had 1,707
Romanians
Romanians (, ; dated Endonym and exonym, exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Sharing a Culture of Romania, ...
(99.94%), 1 others (0.06%).
History
Tabula Peutingeriana
Capidava is depicted in the form ''Calidava''/''Calidaua'' in Segmentum VIII of
Tabula Peutingeriana
' (Latin Language, Latin for 'The Peutinger Map'), also known as Peutinger's Tabula, Peutinger tablesJames Strong (theologian) , James Strong and John McClintock (theologian) , John McClintock (1880)"Eleutheropolis" In: ''The Cyclopedia of Bibli ...
(1st-4th century AD) on a
Roman road
Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
between
Axiopolis and
Carsium.
The map provides accurate data on the distances between Axiopolis, Capidava and Carsium. These distances coincide with the distances between the present localities of
Hinog -
Capidava
Capidava (''Kapidaua'', ''Cappidava'', ''Capidapa'', ''Calidava'',''Calidaua'') was originally an important Geto-Dacian centre on the right bank of the Danube. After the Roman conquest, it became a civil and military centre in the province o ...
and Capidava -
Hârșova
Hârșova (also spelled ''Hîrșova''; ; ; , ''Harsovo'') is a town located on the right bank of the Danube, in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania.
The village of Vadu Oii is administered by the town. The village is linked with Giurge ...
. This is also verified by the discovery of military marking pillar at
Seimenii Mici that indicates the distance of 18,000 feet (27 km) from Axiopolis to Capidava.
Ancient times

The village Capidava is the site of the fortified
Geto-
Dacia
Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus ro ...
n center with the same name,
Capidava
Capidava (''Kapidaua'', ''Cappidava'', ''Capidapa'', ''Calidava'',''Calidaua'') was originally an important Geto-Dacian centre on the right bank of the Danube. After the Roman conquest, it became a civil and military centre in the province o ...
.
After the
Roman conquest of Dacia
Trajan's Dacian Wars (101–102, 105–106) were two military campaigns fought between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Emperor Trajan's rule. The conflicts were triggered by the constant Dacian threat on the Danubian province of Moesia and al ...
it became a
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of Roman civilization
*Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
and
castra
''Castra'' () is a Latin language, Latin term used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire for a military 'camp', and ''castrum'' () for a 'Fortification, fort'. Either could refer to a building or plot of land, used as a fortified milita ...
in the
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Scythia Minor (modern
Dobruja
Dobruja or Dobrudja (; or ''Dobrudža''; , or ; ; Dobrujan Tatar: ''Tomrîğa''; Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and ) is a Geography, geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe that has been divided since the 19th century betw ...
).
Etymology
Capidava is a
Getic toponym, meaning the "curve fortified settlement".
See also
*
Dacia
Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus ro ...
*
Roman Dacia
Roman Dacia ( ; also known as ; or Dacia Felix, ) was a province of the Roman Empire from 106 to 271–275 AD. Its territory consisted of what are now the regions of Oltenia, Transylvania and Banat (today all in Romania, except the last regi ...
*
List of ancient towns in Scythia Minor
*
List of ancient cities in Thrace and Dacia
This is a list of ancient cities, towns, villages, and fortresses in and around Thrace and Dacia. A number of these settlements were Thracian and Dacians, Dacian, but some were Celtic, Ancient Greece, Greek, Roman Empire, Roman, Paeonian, or Per ...
*
Dacian davae
References
Further reading
*
Early Byzantine CapidavaOfficial Capidava Archaeological SiteOfficial Capidava Fortress Site at Constanţa County Councilhosted by ''The Public Office for Tourism, Commerce and Public Services'', part of the
Constanţa County Council
Capidavahosted by the
Romanian National Institute of Historical Monuments
Capidava article at ziare.com
External links
Official Capidava Archaeological SiteOfficial Capidava Fortress Site at Constanţa County Councilhosted by ''The Public Office for Tourism, Commerce and Public Services'', part of the
Constanţa County Council
Capidavahosted by the
Romanian National Institute of Historical Monuments
Capidava article at ziare.com
{{Authority control
Communes in Constanța County
Localities in Northern Dobruja
Populated places on the Danube
Dacian towns
Archaeological sites in Romania
Ruins in Romania
Place names of Turkish origin in Romania