| The Classics in Romania: General State | ||||
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State of Classical Study in Romania For scholars of the ancient Greco-Roman world, Romania is obviously an important and fascinating country.. Its very name is tied to Rome. Its language, structurally and through much of the vocabulary, is of Latin origin and is the only Romance language in Southeast Europe. The Column of the Emperor Trajan in the heart of Rome was constructed to commemorate his victories in two wars against the Dacians, the name usually given to the ancient Romanians, just as the Roman province encompassing the country’s ancient territory was called Dacia. Dacia/Romania has a long history, going back thousands of years to barely-known prehistoric peoples, to the Geto-Dacian tribes, to the incursions of Scythian invaders, the founding of ancient Greek cities on the Western shore of the Black Sea which are a part of today’s Romania, the later Slavic invasions and the struggles ranging from the Carpathian Mountains in the West, along the Danube River, eastward to the Danube Delta and the Euxine, another name for the Black Sea. It is a region that produced many local heroes, like Burebista and Decebalus, both conquered by overwhelmingly superior Roman power, and was immortalized in the poems of Ovid, who was banished there by the emperor Augustus and spent the last years of his life in Tomis (the modern Constant(s)a), where he wrote letters in verse lamenting his fate, and where he is today honored by having the local university named Ovidius after him). Quite appropriately the ancient history and language of Romania have been studied by a long line of distinguished and prolific scholars. Many of these are now deceased, but for decades, they maintained a record of research and publication in the various aspects of Greek and Latin Studies that was internationally recognized and acclaimed. One need only mention such illustrious scholars as Dimitrie Cozacovici, Vasile Parvan, A.D. Xenopol, Constantin Daicoviciu and his son Hadrian Daicoviciu, Dionisie M. Pippidi, Constantin Balmus(h), Ion Barnea, Dumitru Berciu, S(h)tefan Bezdechi, Mihai Bucovala, Vasile Canarache, Emil Condurachi, Petre Constantinescu-Ias(h)I, Traian Costa, Dan Badarau, Octavian Floca, Aram Frenkian, Valentin Al. Georgescu, Nicolae Gostar, Alexandru Graur, Georghe Gut(s)u, Haralambie Mihaescu, I. I. Russu, Nicolae Iorga, Iorgu Iordan, Dimitrie Macrea, Bucur Mitrea, A. Teodor Naum, Ion Nestor, Constantin S. Nicolaescu - Plopsor, Constantin Noica, Radu Oches(h)eanu, Alexandru Rosetti, Theofil Sauciuc-Saveanu, Constantin Sandulescu, Dan Simonescu, Gheorghe S(h)tefan, Nicolae Stoicescu, Dumitru Tudor, Tudor Vianu, and Radu Vulpe. Among the more recently deceased is Professor Iancu Fischer, who may arguably be called the chief pillar of support for Romanian Classical Studies for the last several decades. Prof. Fischer (12/4/1923-10/18/2002), according to the bibliography of 245 entries published after his death, was not just a prolific scholar in his own right (history of Latin, the other Italic languages, Greek and its various dialects, Indo-European linguistics, the authors Plautus and Aulus Gellius), but a highly respected and admired teacher at all levels (secondary as well as the entire cursus honorum of university appointments). But many people will remember him primarily as an energetic -indeed heroic- promoter and champion of the Ancient Classics, at the national and international levels, and as a tireless participant and/or organizer at many congresses, conventions, and local gatherings of Greek and Latin scholars. Before both academic administrators and not always sympathetic government officials, he worked diligently, persistently and effectively, though in a low-key manner that befitted his slight frame and gentle, modest and respectful personality, to ensure that Classical Studies were always given the support due them. Through his efforts there began, in 1959, the annual publication of the Romanian Bibliography of Classical Studies, in the journal Studii Clasice, the compilation and editing of which he supervised for several decades. Indeed, it was through Prof. Fischer’s kindness and interest that I was myself encouraged to attend the biennial Eirene Congress of primarily Central and East European Classicists, held in Bucharest and Cluj in the fall of 1972. This was a very memorable occasion for me, because through it I had the opportunity to meet the real giants of Greek and Latin studies from the at-that-time Soviet-bloc countries and establish contacts and friendships which have carried over to this day. It is therefore in a spirit of deep gratitude and affection that I produce my two modest CEECS installments on Romania as a tribute to the memory of the late Prof. Iancu Fischer. While many of Romania’s famous post-World War II Classicists are now deceased, numerous others are still going strong and new young cadres of bright and talented teachers and researchers have risen to fill the voids caused by death and retirement. Today the leaders are scholars like Eugen Cizek, Maria and Mihai Barbulescu, Alexandru Barnea, Florica Bechet, Doina Benea, Andrei Bodor, Octavian Bounegru, Livia Buzoianu, Gheorghe Ceaus(h)escu, Sorin Cocis(h), Zaharia Covacef, Gabriela Cret(s)ia, Alexandru Diaconescu, Nicolae Edroiu, Istvan /S(h)tefan Ferenczi, Nicolae Gudea, Ana Cristina Halichias, Vladimir Hanga, Dan Isac, Nicolae Lascu, Vasile Lica, Liana Lupas(h), Vasile Moga, Dan Negrescu, Andrei Opait(s), Vasile Oprea, Adela Paki, Adelina Piatcovschi, Constantin C. Petolescu, Zoe Petre, Ioan Piso, Gheorghe Poenaru-Bordea, Constantin Pop, Ioan Aurel Pop, Elena Popescu, Marius Porumb, Dumitru Protase, Vasile Rus, Marius Sala, Valerian Sirbu, Dan Slus(h)anschi, Ana Felicia S(h)tef-Vant(s), Alexandru Suceveanu, Gabriel Talmat(s)chi, Gheorghe Vladut(s)escu, Alexandru Vulpe, Lucia Wald, Judita Winkler, Mihail Zahariade, and Nelu Zugrafu. Many more, equally distinguished, names could be included; these I have attempted to list in the long section that comprises the second part of my write-up on the Classics in Romania. As elsewhere in the Central and East European countries, the study of the Ancient Greek and Roman Classics is generally supervised by the Romanian Academy (of Sciences), headquartered at 71102 Bucures(h)ti, Calea Victoriei 125. Its e-mail address is esimion@acad.ro and the Internet URL is www.academiaromana.ro. Among the Academy’s sections that are of particular interest to Classicists are those of Philology and Literature (Chair: Acad. Prof. Eugen Simion); Historical Sciences and Archaeology(Chair: Acad. Prof. Dan Berindei); Economics, Legal Sciences and Sociology (Chair: Acad. Prof. Tudorel Postolache); Philosophical, Theological and Psychological Sciences and Education (Chair: Acad. Prof. Alexandru Surdu) and Arts, Architecture and Audiovisual (Chair: Acad. Prof. Mihai Draganescu). The Publishing House of the Romanian Academy (general address: 76117 Bucures(h)ti, Calea 13 Septembrie 13; e-mail: edacad@ear.ro) produces many serials, journals, commemorative volumes and collections of studies important for the knowledge of antiquity, most notably Studii Clasice (Classical Studies, published in Bucures(h)ti)which , now in its fifth decade, remains the country’s flagship publication for Greek and Roman/Latin Studies and contains an annual bibliography of books, articles, editions, translations, reviews, commentaries, transactions and proceedings of scholarly meetings, and other items of interest to Classicists the world over. Other major periodicals published by the Academy and related to the ancient world are Arheologia Moldovei (The Archaeology of Moldova, published in Ias(h)I); Arhivele Olteniei (Archives of Oltenia, published in Craiova); Dacia – Revue d’archeologie et d’histoire ancienne, published in Bucures(h)ti; Dacoromania, published in Cluj-Napoca; Ephemeris Napocensis, published in Cluj-Napoca;; Limba Romana (The Romanian Language, published in Bucures(h)ti); Materiale s(h)I cercetari arheologice (Archaeological Materials and Researches, published in Bucures(h)ti); Revue des etudes sud-est europeennes, published in Bucures(h)ti; Revista de filosofie (Review of Philosophy, published in Bucures(h)ti); Revista istorica (Historical Review, published in Bucures(h)ti); Revista de istoria s(h)I teoria literara (Review of Literary History and Theory), published in Bucures(h)ti); Revue roumaine d’histoire, published in Bucures(h)ti; Revue roumaine de linguistique, published in Bucures(h)ti; Revue roumaine de philosophie, published in Bucures(h)ti; Studii s(h)I cercetari de istorie veche s(h)I arheologie (Studies and Researches in Ancient History and Archaeology, published in Bucures(h)ti); Studii s(h)I cercetari de lingvistca (Studies and Researches in Linguistics, published in Bucures(h)ti); Studii s(h)I cercetari de numismatica (Studies and Researches in Numismatics, published in Bucures(h)ti) and Thraco – Dacica, published in Bucures(h)ti. In addition to these periodicals, published specifically by the Romanian Academy, there are over forty other serial, periodical and commemorative publications whose contents appear in the annual Studii Clasice bibliographies.Apart from the main central study and research units of the Academy there are several institutes, some affiliated with the Academy, and others functioning more on their own, in which a certain amount of work relating to the Ancient Greek and Roman Classics is conducted. Among these are: The Society of Historical Sciences of Romania, 70032 Bucures(h)ti, B-dul Republicii 13 (Sec.-Gen. B. Teodorescu); The Romanian Numismatic Society, 70772 Bucures(h)ti, Str. Popa Tatu 20 (Sec.-Gen. Aurica Smaranda) The Romanian Society of Linguistics, 76100 Bucures(h)ti, Calea 13 Septembrie 13 (Secretary: Laurentiu Theban); The Institute of Archaeology and History of Art, 3400 Cluj -Napoca 1, Str. C. Daicoviciu 2 (Director: Dr. Marius Porumb); The George Oprescu Institute of the History of Art, 71104 Bucures(h)ti, Calea Victoriei 196 (Director: Silviu Angelescu); The Center for History and European Civilization, 6600 Ias(h)I, Str. Cuza Voda 41 (Director: Gheorghe Buzatu); the Bucures(h)ti Institute of Archaeology, 71119 Bucures(h)ti, Str. Henry Coanda 11 (Director: Prof. Dr. Petre Alexandrescu); The Ias(h)I Institute of Archaeology, 700506 Ias(h)I, Str. Lascar Catargi 18 (Director: Dan Gh, Teodor; Secretary: Virgil Mihailescu-Birliba); the A.D. Xenopol Institute of History, 700506 Ias(h)I, Str. Lascar Catargi 15 (Director: Dr. Alexandru Zub; Secretary: Dr. Gheorghe Onis(h)oru); The Nicolae Iorga Institute of History, 71261 Bucures(h)ti, B-dul. Aviatorilor 1(Director: Prof. Dr. Serban Papacostea; The. G. Calinescu Institute of Literary History and Theory, 76117 Bucures(h)ti, Calea 13 Septembrie 13, Sector 5 (Director: Prof. Dr. Dan Grigorescu); The Institute of Linguistics, 76117 Bucures(h)ti, Calea 13 Septembrie 13, Sector 5 (Director: Marius Sala) and the Institute for South-East European Studies, Bucures(h)ti , Calea 13 Septembrie 13, Casa Academiei Romane, CP 22-159. Virtually all these institutes publish periodicals with valuable research findings and other useful information. Romania likewise has a national Association of Classical Studies with several hundred members and constituting one of the organizations united in the International Association of Classical Studies. The current President of the Romanian Association is Prof. Eugen Cizek of Bucures(h)ti; for many years the group had been headed by the late Prof. Iancu Fischer. The Association itself has local branches in several of the country’s major cities: Bucures(h)ti, Cluj-Napoca, Ias(h)I ,Constant(s)a, Timis(hoara, Craiova and Bras(h)ov. In the course of the average year the local affiliates hold meetings during which, beside the customary business agenda, learned papers are presented and discussed by not only the local scholars in attendance, but as well by visitors from other cities and occasional guests from foreign lands. The transactions and proceedings of the Association when it assembles as a whole and of all of its branch meetings are regularly reported in the journal Studii Clasice, which from time to time also publishes more or less a complete list, occasionally supplemented, of Association members. When we turn to Romanian institutions of higher education in which Classics programs are offered, we find a number of universities with distinguished departments in Greek and Roman/Latin antiquities. First and foremost are the University of Bucures(h)ti, the Babes(h)-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, the Al. I. Cuza University in Ias(h)I, and the Ovidius University of Constant(s)a. In Bucures(h)ti, Classical Studies are housed mainly in: The Department of Classical Languages, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures, 70709 Bucures(h)ti 1, Str. Edgar Quinet 7. The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Faculty of History, 70031 Bucures(h)ti 5, B-dul. Regina Elisabeta 4-12. The Center for the Comparative History of Ancient Societies, Faculty of History, 70031 Bucures(h)ti 5, B-dul. Regina Elisabeta 4-12. The Faculty of Philosophy, Bucures(h)ti 5, Splaiul Independent(s)ei 204. The Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Bucures(h)ti 4, Str. Sfanta Ecaterina 2. In the bilingual (Romanian-Hungarian) city of Cluj-Napoca (Napoca being the ancient name), the Babes(h)-Bolyai University features in Classical Studies: The Department of Classical Languages, Faculty of Letters, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Horea 31. The Department of General Linguistics and the Department of Classical Philology, Faculty of Letters, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Horea 31. The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Faculty of History and Philosophy, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 1. The Institute of Classical Studies, Faculty of History and Philosophy, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Avram Iancu 11, Room 216. The Department of Medieval History and Historiography, Faculty of History and Philosophy, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 1. The Department for the History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Faculty of History and Philosophy, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 1. The Department of Art History, Faculty of History and Philosophy, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Mihail Kogalniceanu 1. The Department of Universal Comparative Literature and Literary Theory, Faculty of Letters, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Horea 31. The Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law, 3400 Cluj-Napoca, Str. Avram Iancu 11. At the Al. I Cuza University in Ias(h)I Classics programs are to be found under the headings: The Department of Classical Languages, Italian and Spanish, Faculty of Letters, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul Carol I 11. The Department of Comparative Literature and Aesthetics, Faculty of Letters, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul. Carol I 11. The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Faculty of History, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul. Carol I 11. The Department of Medieval Romanian History and Universal History, Faculty of History, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul. Carol I 11 (Society and Power in Antiquity and the Middle Ages; Classicism and Christianity in European Spirituality). The Faculty of Orthodox Theology, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul S(h)tefan Cel Mare s(h)I Sfant 45. The Department for the History of Philosophy and Hermeneutics, Faculty of Philosophy, 700506 Ias(h)i, B-dul. Carol I 11. The Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul. Carol I 11. The Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, 700506 Ias(h)I, B-dul. Carol I 11. At the Ovidius University in Constant(s)a, whose central offices are located in 8700 Constant(s)a, B-dul. Mamaia 124, there are: The Department of the Romanian Language and Classical Languages, Faculty of Letters and Theology, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of Literature and Philosophy, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Faculty of Letters and Theology, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1 (new campus). The Department of Medieval History and Archive Studies, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department for the History and Civilization of the Black Sea and the Danube Area in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department for Roman and Geto-Dacian Archaeology, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of History, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of Law, Faculty of History, Law and Administrative Sciences, 8700 Constant(s)a, Aleea Universitat(s)ii 1. The Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, 8700 Constant(s)a, Str. Ion Voda 58. The Departments of Dentistry/Stomatology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, 8700 Constant(s)a, Str. Ilarie Voronca 7. The Department of Art. At the University of the West in Tomis(h)oara, Ancient Studies come under the rubrics of: The Department of Classical Languages, Faculty of Letters, Philosophy and History, 1900 Timis(h)oara, Str. V. Parvan 4. The Dept. of Orthodox Theology, Faculty of Letters, Philosophy and History, 1900 Timis(h)oara, Str. V. Parvan 4; at the University of Craiova: The Department of General Linguistics and Classical Languages, Faculty of Letters, 200585 Craiova, Str. Al. I. Cuza 13. The Department of History, Faculty of History, Philosophy and Geography, 200585 Craiova, Str. Al. I. Cuza 13; at the Petroleum and Gas University of Ploies(h)ti (!): The Department of Social and Legal Sciences, Faculty of Letters and Sciences, 2000 Ploies(h)ti, B-dul. Bucures(h)ti 39; at the S(h)tefan Cel Mare (Stephen the Great) University in Suceava: The Faculty of Letters, 5800 Suceava, Str. Universitat(s)ii 1. The Faculty of History and Geography, 5800 Suceava, Str. Universitat(s)ii 1; at the University of the Lower Danube in Galat(s)I: The Faculty of Letters, History and Theology, 6200 Galat(s)I, Str. Domneasca 47; at the December 1, 1918 University of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Str. Mihai Vitrazul 12: The Department of History, Faculty of History and Philology, 510009 Alba Iulia, Str. N. Iorga 13 (History, History/Archaeology, Archive Studies/Museology). The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences; at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism
in Bucures(h)ti (70109 Bucures(h)ti, Str. Academiei 18-20): The Faculty of Architecture (Architecture, Restoration and Conservation). The Faculty of Urbanism (Urbanism and City Planning, History and Theory of Architecture and Restoration); at the North University of Baia Mare, 430083 Baia Mare, Str. Dr. Victor Babes(h) 62A: The Faculty of Letters, Str. Victoriei 76 (Modern Languages, Philosophy and Theology, Orthodox Theology); at the Aurel Vlaicu University in Arad, 310130 Arad, B-dul. Revolut(s)iei 81: The Faculty of Orthodox Theology. The Faculty of Humanistic and Social Sciences. The Department of Modern Languages; at Transylvania University in Bras(h)ov: The Faculty of Law and Sociology, Transylvania University, 2200 Bras(h)ov, B-dul Eroilor 25, Corp. T, Room T 11, 10. The Faculty of Letters, B-dul Eroilor 29, Et. 2, 210. The Faculty of Medicine. Some universities that otherwise do not have many offerings in Ancient Studies programs may still present Classics elements in their courses oriented toward seminary and other religious training. Among these are: The Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Oradea University, 3700 Oradea, Str. Armatei Romane 5. and The Faculty of Orthodox Theology, Dec. 1, 1918 University, 510009 Alba Iulia, Bul. Dec. 1, 1918 13. One likewise assumes that some type of training in Greek-and-Latin-based medical and scientific terminology is standard in medical, dental/stomatological and pharmacy university-level institutions (Oradea, Bucures(h)ti, Cluj-Napoca, Ias(h)I, Targu Mures and Timis(h)oara) and agriculture and veterinary medicine campuses (Bucures(h)ti, Cluj-Napoca, Ias(h)I). To prepare students for university-level courses in Ancient Studies, Romania has numerous secondary schools and lycees, some of them of long standing and with venerable reputations, which have been the didactic training grounds for many of Romania’s most eminent Classical scholars. I do not list these as a group, but a few of them are mentioned as the institutions of affiliation for several of the Classicists listed in the second, much longer, section of my presentation. Taken together, the Romanian Academy, the universities and secondary schools, museums, libraries, other cultural institutions and the national and local Classical associations with their manifold activities, remind us that, even in today’s market economies and amidst the increased emphasis on business and technological training, there is still room for, and a substantial and appreciative clientele of, those who wish to discover the greatness of the Greco-Roman world.
© 2003 Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc. |
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