Although this historic lifestyle based on the lands is still common today to a great degree, many changes have also occurred. The Roman Empire arrived to the region and they made an incredibly significant impact as the people gained a new language. Ties to this and later the Byzantine Empire also led to the introduction of Christianity and the region's ties to the Greeks and other people connected to the Byzantine Empire.
Later influences also arrived, including in the form of the Turks, Austrians, Hungarians, and Russians. The Russians didn't have a significant impact, but their successor, the Soviet Union greatly changed the culture and people. Communism arrived to Romanian and, although independent from the Soviet Union, the Soviets allowed communism to last much longer than most of the Romanians would have preferred.
Communism in Romania destroyed the economy and changed the culture and lifestyle. The country quickly urbanized and industrialized as the economy shifted from agriculture to industrial production. Advancements in technology also arrived, but often in the form of high taxes. However, many aspects of the culture remained, including foods and the language among many others, although ethnic Hungarians were at times treated harshly. The lifestyle also changed as people urbanized, although most of the people remained in the towns and villages and even today many people live simple lives based off the lands.