Ancient times Numerous archeological discoveries prove that life in the region flourished as early as the
Bronze Age, around the 10th century BC, Cugir being part of the territory known as "The
Iron Gates of Transylvania", a region famous for its natural iron resources. In 88–44 BC, king
Burebista, the most powerful of the kings of
Thrace, according to the historian
Acronion, established the new capital in the area, at
Sarmizegetusa Regia (located in the
Șureanu Mountains, west of Cugir). In this period the settlement of Cugir (villa Kunentum) was an important center for metal extracting and processing, with renowned workshops producing tools, weapons, and coins.
Modern period Cugir has a complex political history with periods under the
Principality of Transylvania, the
Habsburg monarchy, the
Kingdom of Hungary, and the
Kingdom of Romania. In the mid-18th century the
Habsburg Empire authorities established the "Frontier Police" in Transylvania. They also tried to recruit Romanians from southern Transylvania between
Baraolt and
Orăștie, but the locals put up a fierce resistance against the enrollment. The population revolted due to a policy of forced removal and deportation used to convince the peoples to join in, and a bloody massacre took place in the place known today as the old market of the town. Severe clashes occurred again in the area when the authorities decided to "brake" the neighboring villages Șibot and Vinerea to establish the 4th company. Finally, after severe conflicts and pressure, in 1764, 6 regiments were established and in 1768 another battalion was formed so that the frontier police in Transylvania was of approximatively 17,000 soldiers. After the loss of
Silesia, the authorities and the Austrian business began investing funds into the mining and manufacturing industry in Transylvania. In 1764 Empress
Maria Theresa of Austria gave long-term loans without interest to concessionaires that pledged to exploit the mines and the state and concessionaire manufactories used free workers brought from
Styria,
Carinthia,
Tyrol,
Upper Hungary or
Dalmatia, but the local peasants represented the main work force. Due to industrialisation, a great number of Romanian villages and their grounds, pastures, agricultural land and forest were seized. At the end of the 18th century factories for metal processing were founded in Cugir and
Sibișel, just 15 years after the suppression of the
Revolt of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan to exploit the mineral resources and also to bolster obedience towards the Empire. According to documents, the "Iron and Steel factory" was established in Cugir in the year 1799, one of the first factories in Transylvania and since then the history of the town has revolved around it. After the
Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, it became part of the
Kingdom of Hungary within
Austria-Hungary up until the end of
World War I. From that time, it has been part of
Romania, which was acknowledged internationally by the
Treaty of Trianon in 1920. Thereafter the factory became owned by the Romanian state and during
World War II its production was seized by
Nazi Germany for war purposes. Since 1946 the
Cugir Arms Factory oriented its production towards military components and house appliances, especially washing machines. It became the top Romanian producer of sewing machines for industrial and private purposes. During the
Romanian Revolution, Cugir was the first locality in Alba County and the fourth in the country where protests against the
communist regime of
Nicolae Ceaușescu occurred, on December 21, 1989. ==Demographics==