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Oltenia (), also called Lesser Wallachia in antiquated versions – with the alternative Latin names Wallachia Minor, Wallachia Alutana, and Wallachia Caesarea between 1718 and 1739 – is a historical province and geographical region of Romania in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt River.
Around 1247, a polity emerged in Oltenia under the rule of Litovoi. The rise of the medieval state of Wallachia followed in the 14th century, and the voivode (Prince of Wallachia) was represented in Oltenia by a ban - "the Great Ban of Craiova" (with seat in Craiova after it was moved from Strehaia). This came to be considered the greatest office in Wallachian hierarchy, and one that was held most by members of the Craiovești family, from the late 15th century to about 1550. The title would continue to exist up until 1831.
During the 15th century, Wallachia had to accept the Ottoman Empire suzerainty and to pay an annual tribute to keep its autonomy as a vassal. From the Craiovești family, many bans cooperated with the Turks. However, many rulers, including the Oltenian-born Michael the Brave, fought against the Ottomans, giving Wallachia brief periods of independence.
Two years later, in 1718 under the terms of the Treaty of Passarowitz, Oltenia was split from Wallachia and annexed by the Habsburg monarchy as the Banat of Craiova ( de facto, it was under Austrian occupation by 1716); in 1737, it was returned to Wallachia under Prince Constantine Mavrocordatos ( see Austro-Turkish War of 1716–1718 and Austro-Russian–Turkish War (1735–1739)). Under the occupation, Oltenia was the only part of the Danubian Principalities (with the later exception of Bukovina) to experience Enlightened absolutism and Austrian administration, although these were met by considerable and mounting opposition from Conservatism . While welcomed at first as liberators, the Austrians quickly disenchanted the inhabitants by imposing rigid administrative, fiscal, judicial and political reforms which were meant to centralize and integrate the territory (antagonizing both ends of the social spectrum: withdrawing privileges from the nobility and enforcing taxes for peasants).
In 1761, the residence of Bans was moved to Bucharest, in a move towards centralism (a kaymakam represented the boyars in Craiova). It remained there until the death of the last Ban, Barbu Văcărescu, in 1832.
In 1821, Oltenia and Gorj County were at the center of Tudor Vladimirescu's uprising ( see Wallachian uprising of 1821). Vladimirescu initially gathered his in Padeș and relied on a grid of fortified monasteries such as Tismana and Strehaia.
Since its promulgation on 13 April 2017, Oltenia Day is officially celebrated on 21 March.
Oltenia's main city and seat for a majority of the late Middle Ages is Craiova. The first medieval seat of Oltenia was Turnu Severin, anciently called Drobeta, in the Banate of Severin. That city is located near the site of Trajan's Bridge, built by Apollodorus of Damascus for Emperor Trajan in his conquest of the region.
| Craiova | Dolj County | 302,601 |
| Râmnicu Vâlcea | Vâlcea | 107,656 |
| Drobeta-Turnu Severin | Mehedinți | 92,617 |
| Târgu Jiu | Gorj County | 82,504 |
| Slatina | Olt County | 63,487 |
| Caracal | Olt County | 34,603 |
| Motru | Gorj County | 25,860 |
| Balș | Olt County | 23,147 |
| Drăgășani | Vâlcea | 22,499 |
| Băilești | Dolj County | 22,231 |
| Corabia | Olt County | 21,932 |
| Calafat | Dolj County | 21,227 |
| Filiași | Dolj County | 20,159 |
| Dăbuleni | Dolj County | 13,888 |
| Rovinari | Gorj County | 12,603 |
| Strehaia | Mehedinți | 12,564 |
| Bumbești-Jiu | Gorj County | 11,882 |
| Băbeni | Vâlcea | 9,475 |
| Târgu Cărbunești | Gorj County | 9,338 |
| Călimănești | Vâlcea | 8,923 |
| Segarcea | Dolj County | 8,704 |
| Turceni | Gorj County | 8,550 |
| Brezoi | Vâlcea | 7,589 |
| Tismana | Gorj County | 7,578 |
| Horezu | Vâlcea | 7,446 |
| Vânju Mare | Mehedinți | 7,074 |
| Piatra Olt | Olt County | 6,583 |
| Novaci | Gorj County | 6,151 |
| Bălcești | Vâlcea | 5,780 |
| Baia de Aramă | Mehedinți | 5,724 |
| Berbești | Vâlcea | 5,704 |
| Țicleni | Gorj County | 5,205 |
| Băile Olăneşti | Vâlcea | 4,814 |
| Bechet | Dolj County | 3,864 |
| Ocnele Mari | Vâlcea | 3,591 |
| Băile Govora | Vâlcea | 3,147 |
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