Bulgarian

A church fresco depicting Stephen the Great, Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504, and the most prominent Moldavian historical personality

Antiquity and early middle ages

In Antiquity Moldova's territory was inhabited by Dacian tribes. Between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, the south was intermittently under the Roman, then Byzantine Empires. Due to its strategic location on a route between Asia and Europe, Moldova was repeatedly invaded, including by the Bastarns, Sarmatians, Goths, Huns, Avars, Magyars, Kievan Rus', Pechenegs, Cumans, and the Mongols.

During the early Middle Ages, the Iron Gates region continued to be an important area of economic and major strategic interests. It was for more than once that political interests prevailed in front of the economical ones.

Medieval Severin Fortress - N-E Tower