Vasile Parvan (1882-1927)

Romanian historian and archaeologist, born at Huruiesti, in the neighbourhood of Bacau. His study years begun in Bucharest, continued in Germany, where he took a major in ancient history. Professor at the University of Bucharest, member of the Romanian Academy and member of other foreign Academies and scientific organisations. He was deeply interested in the archaeology and history of the primitive commune and the Greek - Roman civilisation. It is he who opened archaeological sites in various parts of the country, the best known being the archaeological site at Histria, and who industriously conducted archaeological studies and worked out reports and monographs based on a large and valuable on-site documentation.

His debut as a historian was marked by a Ph. D thesis on "The Nationality of Merchants in the Roman Empire", dated 1909 and written in German, thought to be, in other historians' opinion, one of the best studies on the evolution of trade in classical ancient times. Preoccupied with clarifying periods in the history of Dacia, he organized for systematic diggings to be executed on the archaeological sites of the second Iron Age (Piscul Crasanilor, Tinosul, Manastirea, Poiana). Part of the discoveries inspired his writing of "Getica" (1926)- an all comprehensive and solid historical and archaeological synthesis thereby he planned to call once again the historian community's attention to the political and cultural role played by Daco-Getas; although one might be aware of some omissions or unrealistic considerations (say his insistence on the role of the Scythians and the Celts in furthering the Geto-Dacian culture), the importance of the work keeps the same high.

His idealistic historical view, as expressed in both "The Basic Ideas of the Contemporary Social Culture", an analysis of sociological nature, and his essays ("Historical Ideas and Forms" and "Memorials"), represented an attempt at approaching Neohegelianism and Neokantianism.

Vasile Parvan was the main promoter of the idea of creating a new Romanian archaeology school. He founded the "Accademia di Romania" in Rome, and meant it to be the institution where young archaeologists and historians would become scholars. He launched and chief -edited the two Annuaries Accademia di Romania": "Ephemeris Dacoromana" and "Diplomatarium Italicum" as well as the first series of the "Dacia" Journal.

Main works: "Marc Aurelius versus Caesar and L. Aurelius Commodus" (1909), "Epigraphic Contributions to the History of Daco-Roman Christianism" (1911), "The Trophaeum Citadel" (1912), "Dawns of Roman Life at the Danube Mouths" (1923), "Dacia", "Ancient Civilisations of the Carpathian-Danube Areas" (written in English and appeared in 1928, to be translated in Romanian and published in 1937, 1957, 1958).

Last update: 2004, October 27
Go to:	Home Page	Romania Home	Science Home				Romanian Language		Contact Info