SILISTRIA, or Silistra, a fortified town on the south side of the Danube, 75 miles below Rustchuk, and 150 miles from the mouth of the river, is now at the head of a district in the principality of Bulgaria. In 1881 the population was 10,657.

Silistria is the Durostorum of the Romans, the Durostolos of the Byzantines, the Drstr of the Bulgarians. It was one of the most important towns of the Roman province of Moesia Inferior, successively the headquarters of the legio I. Italica and the legio XI. Claudia. It was defended by the Bulgarian czar Simeon against the Hungarians (893). Captured by Svyatoslaff, the Varingian called to the assistance of the emperor Nicephorus (967), it was subsequently recovered by the Bulgarians after a three months’ heroic defence. Under the Turks, whose rule began in the latter part of the 14th century, Silistria continued to flourish: Hajji Khalfa describes it as the most important of all the Danubian towns. It was the seat of a Greek metropolitan with five bishops under him; and a settlement of Ragusan merchants kept alive its commercial interests. The Russians, who captured Silistria in 1810, destroyed its fortifications before they withdrew; but they were rebuilt by foreign engineers, and in 1828-9 were strong enough to offer a serious resistance to the Russians, who lost 3000 men. At that date the population, including the garrison, was 24,000, but in 1837 it was only about 4000. In 1854 the town was successfully defended by General Krach against the Russians till the arrival of the Austrians in the peninsula. It was again invested by the Russians in 1877, and on the conclusion of peace was evacuated by the Turks.