In the days of the Roman Dacia, the city was called ôPelendava.ö Its geographical location in the north of the Oltenia plain and on the banks of the Jiu River made it possible for Craiova to forge privileged historical links with Transylvania and the countries south and west of the Danube, all the way to the Dalmatian Coast and Italy.
Starting from the 14th century, Craiova developed under the rule of the ôbans,ö members of the Wallachian aristocracy coming from the great local noble families. The city was known as the ôBansÆ Citadel.ö As representatives of the prince of Wallachia in Oltenia, the bans had important juridical and military powers, comparable to those of the prince, whom they could replace in various circumstances. Disposing of their own military forces made up of free peasants and mercenaries, the bans also possessed large estates outside the city. Their power reached its apex between 1486 and 1569, with the rise of the Craiove║ti and Buze║ti families. The most renowned bans were Radu the Great at the end of the 15th century and Michael the Brave at the end of the 16th century.
The political influence of the bans and the local aristocratic families was maintained until the second half of the 19th century. In this period, the bans invested heavily in trade and banking. Thus, these rich aristocrats made Craiova a great commercial centre of Oltenia and, benefiting from the cityÆs proximity to the Danube, traded goods with many other river ports. The money thus gained was used for erecting many palaces, churches, and fountains that still bear the name of their founders; it also contributed to developing the cityÆs culture and artistic refinement. The bansÆ collections of paintings and art objects are preserved extensively in the city museums.
The Craiova aristocracy strongly opposed the Austrian administration between 1718 and 1739. Craiova played an important role when Tudor Vladimirescu launched his revolutionary appeal for national and social liberties. During the 19th century, in spite of the Russian occupation (1828-1834) Craiova followed constantly the path of modernization. Public lighting, for instance, was introduced as early as 1854.
The city had an impressive cultural development in the 19th century, when the first private schools were created. Built between 1888 and 1891, the School of Arts and Crafts played a role in the training of the great sculptor Constantin BrΓncu║i. In 1840, the first public library was opened in the city. The National Theatre and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Oltenia have been highly representative cultural institutions of the city ever since 1850
