The Ephemeris Napocensis archaeological yearbook was founded at the same time with the Institute of Archaeology and History of Art of the Romanian Academy-Cluj-Napoca Branch (I-1991). The first Editor-in-chief was Mihai Bărbulescu followed by Nicolae Gudea.

The journal continues the research traditions of the academic center of Cluj from the period before the WW II, known by archaeological publications as 'The Yearbook of the Classical Studies Institute', or the 'The Yearbook of the Historical Monuments Commission-Transylvania'. Our yearbook was publishing from the beginnings studies of the Institute’s members and of other Romanian specialists written in Romanian with abstracts in foreign languages, based on the results of the archaeological, numismatic and epigraphic researches. The themes approached in our yearbook start from Paleolithic till to the Middle Ages. Besides studies the journal lodged also information on the scientific life of the Institute, reviews and evocations.

Starting with 2006 (a new editorial board, editor-in-chief Coriolan H. Oprean) the journal got a new format, a new cover design and a higher graphic quality (hardback, good quality paper, colored illustration), being published more studies in foreign languages, besides ones in Romanian language. The twentieth issue (2010) marked the imposing of the rule of publishing only in foreign languages, abstracts in the same languages, keywords, and the correspondence addresses of the authors.

The journal organized an Advisory Board composed by well-known academics from Romania and abroad: Alexandru Avram (Le Mans, France); Mihai Bărbulescu (Cluj-Napoca, Romania); Alexander Bursche (Warsaw,Poland); FalkoDaim (Mainz, Germany);Andreas Lippert (Vienna, Austria); Bernd Päffgen (Munich,Germany); Marius Porumb (Cluj‑Napoca, Romania); Alexander Rubel (Iași,Romania); Peter Scherrer (Graz, Austria). The peer review system of selection of papers was also adopted.

All journal’s issues are accessible online, without any tax, in open access. The journal was indexed CNCS, B category. It is included in international databases as SCOPUS, ERIH Plus, Copernicus. Along the years, several numbers of the journal published results of archaeological excavations which brought new knowledge, or results of the national research projects, by international cooperation.

The Editorial Board sends every year a written invitation to provide papers for the next issue. The journal is sent in the country and abroad by the services of the Romanian Academy Publishing House, but also by the Institute in the programme of book-exchanges (around 40 international excange agreements). The Editorial Board supports critical reviews, being aware thet scientific critics is the best method for growing knowledge and keeping high quality standards of the publications International data bases: SCOPUS, ERIH Plus, Copernicus.