Baia (Hungarian: Moldvabánya; Latin: Civitas Moldaviae) is a commune in the Suceava County, Romania with a population of 6,793 (2002 census). It is composed of two villages, Baia and Bogata. Located on the Moldova River, it was one of the earliest urban settlements in Moldavia. The Romania name literally means "the mine" as in Hungarian, but it's also possible that the Hungarian name was borrowed from Romanian and not vice versa, since no mine was ever attested or discovered in the area. It is possible that it derives from the term "Bania" (from Ban, a political leader).
Baia was mentioned for the first time in the Nestor chronicle under the name Bania.
An earlier name of the settlement was Târgul Moldovei which literally means "Market of Moldavia", referring to the Moldova River. Its Hungarian name was Moldvabánya, "the Moldova mine". It also had a Latin name, Civitas Moldaviae which was found on an early seal of the city.
One of the earliest mention of the town was in Poland in 1335, when a certain merchant was mentioned by the name of "Alexa Moldaowicz" (i.e. Alexa from the Town of Moldavia) and the next was in 1345, when Baia is placed on a list of towns of the Franciscan missionaries.
The town was burnt by the Moldavian army in the prelude to the Battle of Baia on the night of 15 December 1467.