Timisoara is one of the largest cities in Romania. Established as a fortress known as Castrum Temesiensis in the 11th or 12th century, Timisoara soon became the chief city in the Banat region. The city was conquerred by the Turks in 1552 and claimed by the Hapsburgs in 1712. Temeschwar remained under Austrian control until 1867 when it passed into the hands of "Great Hungary". When the modern borders of Romania were established in 1918, Timisoara returned to Romania. This city was the epicenter of the December 1989 revolution that ousted Ceausescu and introduced democracy.

The heart of Timisoara is vibrant and colorful - the streets are always full of people of all ages, especially at night. The main sqaures are Piata Victoriei, Piata Libertatii and Piata Unirii. These squares and the streets running off them host many cafes, bars, restaurants and shops.

Timisoara is a good meeting point and we spent the first few days of the Field School here, seeing the main attractions. A visit to the Banat Museum of History provided an excellent opportunity to learn the history of the region from ca. 500,000 B.P. to the present. This tour was led by Dr. Sandru Flutur, researcher at the museum. Another Romanian archaeologist, Dr. Calin Timoc, guided us through the surrounding region, including a visit to the nearby Roman site of Tibiscum, where the West University of Timisoara has been excavating under the direction of Prof. Doina Benea.