Introduction

Now, as well as then, Ocnele Mari has held an important place on the Romanian map from geo-political and the economical organisation point of view.Before it has represented a powerful political, military, spiritual and economical centre, a great kingdom of Burebista - the Centre of the Burs - then continued to make part of the economical main areas whichy interesed all rulers of Wallachia. The present name was documentary attested by Mircea cel Batran ( The Wise) and then up to Constantin Brancoveanu and afterwards. There has been here a representative of the rulers and an ambassador who represented their ruling interests. This is the reason why in Ocnele Mari the entire history of the Romanian people and their ancestors is present.

Dacian Buridava

Dacian Buridava - a fortress documentary attested 2,000 years ago as part of the social and political system that reached its highest development in the time of Burebista. In archaeological diggings in 1973 the first Latin inscriptions were found revealing the name of the ancient settlement - BURIDAVA and the term BUR, that is undoubtedly connected to the name of those Dacian people "buridavensis", mentioned by the geographer Ptolemey, and whose political, military and religious centre was Buridava. The old place where the fortress had been was exactly stated.

The research continues and in 1980 inscriptions in Greek are being found. The last one belonged to a local king unknown from Burebista's list and the predecessors of Decebal : the Geto-Dacian king Thyamarcus, bearing the title "king - Basileus" found on the inscription. "Basileus Thyamarcus epoiei" (Latin transcription) meaning "King Thyamarcus has done" - two conclusions can be drawn :

One refers to the fact that during that period there were several small state forms - one of the four, five regions which resulted from the division of Burebista's state, in north-east of Oltenia, north-vest of Muntenia and the northern side of the South Carpathians; that means in a region where the state tradition established by Burebista and his followers will be preserved until the Romanian pre-feudal and feudal state organisation.

The second conclusion refers to a whole new aspect of the Geto-Dacian monarchic position towards society and precisely towards the nation. We believe that the king owned the salt mines and the pottery workshops which he exploited in terms of leasing or directly, as the Roman emperors.

The ancient civil settlement is located on the right of the Sarat brook, north of Cosotei brook. It was located in a small valley, crossed in ancient times by a small stream, around which human settlements could develop in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic period. The Geto-Dacian fortress is surrounded by hill peaks that have been fortified. They are placed in a kind of horseshoe pattern opened towards Ocnita and the old salt mines.

The present name of the city of Ocnele Mari comes from the greatest salt mines in Wallachia up to the 20th century. It was first attested in 1402 by Mircea cel Batran ( Mircea the Wise) in a chronicle written in Slavonic language : " neither the relatives, nor the officials….. as those who would donate their wealth to the Cozia monastery." He also strengthens the princely monasteries built by Anghel from Ocna. Anghel from Ocna as well gave everything to the monastery and said by himself that his house, his live or dead wealth, everything from small to large to be given to the abbot Sofranie" (Arh.St.I., 7.15).

But the chronicles about Ocnele Mari do not stop here. Starting with this attesting chronicle during the time of Mircea cel Batran, almost every year the princely chanceries mention in documents and deeds about Ocnele Mari and the economical importance of the city. The salt extracting in this region favoured the settlement of various merchants and lead to the developing of the commercial, cultural and religious exchange through the well-known fair in Raureni.

After mentioning Buridava and the document attesting it, it is time to mention the fact that after conquest of Dacia by Traian, the Roman army also occupiedBuridava. We have documents to certify that on the peak of the "Licura" hill the Roman emperor Aurelianus has extracted salt through surface wells. The wells have been found in our times.

A long period of time without any information about Ocnele Mari followed, probably a formation and consolidation period of the Romanian feudal states. After the formation of the Hungarian-Vallachia the documents mention Ocnele Mari and the presence of their inhabitants' activities. Not only the documents certify the presence of Ocnele Mari, also the vestiges that we will discuss further.

English version by Sanda Nicoara.