In ancient times, Dobrogea was known as Schythia Minor or Mikra Skythia. In the Ist century BC, the respective territory was under the influence of the Pontic kingdom of Mithridate the VIth Eupator. From 28 BC it was integrated in the Roman province of Moesia Inferior by Emperor Augustus. Most Roman-Byzantine fortresses have been established by the Romans on the site of former Getic settlements: Tropaeum Traiani, Capidava, Carsium, Beroe, Troesmis, Arrubium, Dinogetia, Noviodunum, Ibida, Durostorum. Most of them existed until the VIIth century, when they were abandoned. Others have an older history, dating back to the VIIth century BC, when Greek colonists established here several fortresses, such as Histria, Tomis, Callatis, Argamum, Halmyris, Aegyssos, Axiopolis.
After 395, Dobrogea became part of the Byzantine Empire. Under the rule of Justinian (525-548), many of these fortresses were restored. In the VIth century, the Church and religion itself underwent changes, which resulted in 15 bishoprics of Scythia Minor, subordinated to the Tomis Metropolitan; the large number of Christian basilicas is an indicator of the great importance allotted to Christianity in these areas. Dobrogea was then part of the First Bulgarian Czardom (VIIth-Xth centuries), of the Byzantine Empire (Xth-XIth centuries), of the Second Bulgarian Czardom (XIIth-XIIIth centuries), of Wallachia (in the XIVth century) and of the Ottoman Empire (XVth-XIXth centuries). After 1878, the northern part of Dobrogea joined the Romanian Principalities.
