Misplaced Pages

#941058

42-708: The Delmatae appear in historical record for the first time in 181 BC, when upon the death of their ruler Pleuratus III of the Illyrian kingdom, they refused to accept the rule of his son, Gentius and seceded. They expanded and came to include coastal Illyrian tribes like the Tariotes , the Hylli and the Nesti and increased their territory to the north against the Liburni . Conflict with Roman expansionism and its local allies in

84-452: A bronze axe found in Letka , was kept at the archaeological collection at the monastery in Široki Brijeg , which was destroyed in a fire by communists at the end of World War II . Only one sickle and one axe survived the blaze. Those findings attest that the population of the area at the time were cattlemen, farmers and warriors. The material remains of Illyrians are much more abundant. On

126-597: A coastal region by the Dinaric Alps. Their capital settlement Delminium was located close to present-day Tomislavgrad . The first Dalmatian war in 156–155 BC finished with the destruction of capital Delminium by consul Scipio Nasica . The second Dalmatian war was fought in 119–118 BC, apparently ending in Roman victory as consul L. Caecilius Metellus celebrated triumph in 117 BC and assumed his surname Delmaticus . The third Dalmatian war 78–76 BC finished with

168-405: A million combatants, auxiliaries and civilians on both side. In the aftermath, some Delmataean communities were relocated in the northern Sandzak region and others were resettled in parts of Carinthia to provide labor for the Roman mines. The defeat of the revolt began the integration of Dalmatia which in turn led to the romanization of the region by the early Middle Ages. The original form of

210-485: A related later development. In Albania, Delvinë represents a toponym linked to the root *dele . The form Dalmatae and the respective regional name Dalmatia are later variants as is already noted by Appian (2nd century AD). His contemporary grammarian Velius Longus highlights in his treatise about orthography that the correct form of Dalmatia is Delmatia , and notes that Marcus Terentius Varro who lived about 2 centuries prior of Appian and Velius Longius, used

252-405: A relief of the goddess Diana was also found and one relief of Diana and Silvanus together. Also, new altars, fragments of sarcophagi, clay pottery, parts of columns, and various other findings from the Roman and early medieval ages were found. This led to the conclusion that in place of the present-day Catholic graveyard "Karaula" (which was previously an Ottoman military border post and guardhouse)

294-420: A toponym linked to the root *dele . The form Dalmatae and the respective regional name Dalmatia are later variants as is already noted by Appian (2nd century AD). His contemporary grammarian Velius Longus highlights in his treatise about orthography that the correct form of Dalmatia is Delmatia , and notes that Marcus Terentius Varro who lived about 2 centuries prior of Appian and Velius Longius, used

336-563: A variant of dele with *-mā , which is ultimately from proto-Albanian *dailā . Toponyms linked to the name are found throughout the territories inhabited by Illyrians including the chief settlement of the Delmatae, Delminium and Dalmana in present-day N. Macedonia. The medieval Slavic toponym Ovče Pole ("plain of sheep" in South Slavic) in the nearby region represents a related later development. In Albania, Delvinë represents

378-632: The Illyrian tribe of Dalmatae and Delminium was a town established by them near present-day Tomislavgrad. The area of Tomislavgrad was populated even before Illyrians arrived, as attested by a few remains of polished stone axes dating from the Neolithic (4000 BC – 2400 BC). Similarly few remains date from the ensuing Bronze Age (1800 BC – 800 BC): 34 bronze sickles, 3 axes and 2 spears found in Stipanjići and Lug near Tomislavgrad, and

420-547: The Lib mountain. Patsch's conclusion was soon accepted by many other notable researchers, including Ferdo Šišić , Vladimir Ćorović , Ćiro Truhelka and others. Based on the position of Delminium and its strength and resistance to the Roman military, Patsch concluded that Delminium served as a centre of the Dalmatae . These observations were based on the writings of Strabo , Appian and Florus . The area has been inhabited by

462-597: The Shkumbin valley and cities in Illyria which had been subdued by Philip. Earlier he had perhaps received some regions formerly controlled by the Ardiaean State and annexed by Philip, although this is not certain. This placed under the control of Pleuratus, the route to attack Macedonia from the west, but the Roman intention was rather to deny control to Macedonia than to signal their regard for Pleuratus. Bato on

SECTION 10

#1732772093942

504-588: The Balkans began in 4th century BC. They brought higher culture, crafts and better weapons. The Celts were few in number and were soon assimilated into the Illyrians. As Romans conquered the territory of the Illyrian tribe Ardiaei to the south, the Delmatae and their tribal union were among the last bastions of Illyrian autonomy. Dalmataes attacked Roman guard posts near the Neretva , Greek merchant towns, and

546-865: The Dalmatae and three wars between them and the Romans, their resistance was finally quelled in the Great Illyrian revolt that ended in 9 AD. After the Roman conquest of Delminium, Romans started building roads and bridges. Roads that led to the mainland of the Balkans from the Adriatic coast in Salona (Solin) and Narona ( Vid near Metković ) crossed in Delminium (Tomislavgrad). Remains of those and other Roman roads are still in existence. Romans introduced their culture, language, legislation and religion. For

588-604: The Delmatae were akin to eastern Illyrians and northern Pannonii . The tribe was subject to Celtic influences. One of the Dalmatian tribes was called Baridustae that later was settled in Roman Dacia. Pliny the Elder also mentioned the Tariotes , and their territory Tariota, which was described as an ancient region. The Tariotes are considered part of the Delmatae. The archeological remnants suggest their material culture

630-486: The Roman-friendly Illyrian tribe Daorsi . They upgraded their settlement into a strong fort and surrounded their capital with a ring of smaller forts. The reports of writers from that time say that Delminium was a "large city", almost inaccessible and impregnable. It is assumed that at this time 5,000 Dalmataes lived in Delminium. In 167 BC the Illyrian forts were unable to stop Roman legions ; after

672-593: The Romans conquered the whole Adriatic coast south of the Neretva and after the state of the Ardieaei was destroyed, the Dalmatae were unable to avoid conflict with Romans. In 156 BC, the first conflict between the Dalmatae and the Romans took place, ending the following year in defeat for the Delmatae. Roman generals Figulus and Cornelius Scipio Nasica conquered, destroyed and burned Delminium, reportedly firing burning arrows at wooden houses. After various revolts led by

714-472: The Romans, his only merit lay in the fact that he did not cause them any damage. Be this as it may, Pleuratus became famous for what he had gained from loyalty to the Romans, and Polybius reports that in return for doing nothing he was made the greatest of the rulers of Illyria. Pleuratus also had the Dalmatians in northern Illyria under his control which later got their independence when Gentius came to

756-713: The capture of Salona (port Solin near modern city Split ) by the proconsul C. Cosconius . During the Roman Civil War of 49–44 BC, the Delmatae supported Pompey against the coastal Roman colonies which supported Caesar and continuously fought against the Caesarian generals Gabinius and Vatinius . After Pompey's defeat they continued to fight against Roman legions in Dalmatia. The fourth and final conflict occurred 34–33 BC during Octavian's expedition to Illyricum because of their iterative revolts, and finished with

798-471: The capture of the new Delmatian capital- Soetovio (now Klis ). The last revolts of Delmatae under their federal leader Bato , against Romans were in 12 BC and the Great Illyrian Revolt in 6–9 AD; both also failed and finished by a terminal pacification of bellicose Delmatae. In Roman Imperial times the Dalmatae formed numerous Roman auxiliaries : Archaeology and onomastic shows that

840-410: The eastern Adriatic began in 156–55 BC. The Roman–Dalmatae Wars lasted until 33 BC when Octavian (the later Emperor Augustus) installed Roman hegemony in Dalmatia. Local instability and minor rebellions continued in the province of Dalmatia and culminated in the Great Illyrian Revolt in Dalmatia and closely linked Pannonia in 6 AD. The revolt, which lasted for three years, involved more than half

882-628: The extensive cattle breeding, and the iterative plundering of other surrounding tribes and of coastal towns on the Adriatic. The major collective deity of the Delmatic federation was their pastoral god 'Sylvanus' they called Vidasus. His divine wife was 'Thana', a Delmatic goddess mostly comparable with Roman Diana and Greek Artemis. Their frequent reliefs often accompanied by nymphs, are partly conserved up today in some cliffs of Dalmatia; in Imotski valley also their temple used from 4th to 1st century BC,

SECTION 20

#1732772093942

924-710: The form Delmatia as it corresponded to the chief settlement of the tribe, Delminium . The toponym Duvno is a derivation from Delminium in Croatian via an intermediate form *Delminio in late antiquity. The location of the ancient Delminium near the present-day Tomislavgrad was first reported by Karl Patsch . He based his conclusion on archeological research between 1896 and 1898, which located ancient settlements in Crkvina and Karaula in Tomislavgrad. Patsch located Delminium 9 km southeast from Tomislavgrad at

966-448: The form Delmatia as it corresponded to the chief settlement of the tribe, Delminium . The toponym Duvno is a derivation from Delminium in Croatian via an intermediate form *Delminio in late antiquity. The Delmatae appear in historical record in 181 BC. The death of Pleuratus III of the Illyrian kingdom and the succession by his son Gentius led the Delmatae to not recognize his rule and secede altogether. The Daorsi , who lived to

1008-418: The name of Dalmatia because it represents a variant of dele with *-mā , which is ultimately from proto-Albanian *dailā . The ancient name Dalmana , derived from the same root, testifies to the advance of the Illyrians into the middle Vardar , between the ancient towns of Bylazora and Stobi . The medieval Slavic toponym Ovče Pole ("plain of sheep" in South Slavic) in the nearby region represents

1050-641: The name of the tribe is Delmatae , and shares the same root with the regional name Dalmatia and the toponym Delminium . It is considered to be connected to the Albanian dele and its variants which include the Gheg form delmë , meaning "sheep", and to the Albanian term delmer , "shepherd". According to Orel , the Gheg form delme hardly has anything in common with the name of Dalmatia because it represents

1092-399: The next 400 years, Delminium was in peace. After the Romans finally defeated Dalmataes, Tomislavgrad was almost abandoned. There was also, for some period, a military crew of Romans stationed there to keep Illyrians under control. Romans started to rebuild Delminium in 18 and 19 AD during the time of Emperor Tiberius . During that time, center of the city was built, a Roman forum. This forum

1134-612: The other hand was given no territorial gains, such as Paeonia which the Dardanians had long longed for. By 189 BC he was regarded as one of the most ideal client kings of the Romans. in the same year the king of Pergamum and a long-standing ally of the Romans, Eumenes , complained in the Senate that Pleuratus had not deserved so much increase of his power in Illyria . Euemenes insisted that Pleuratus did not actually do anything for

1176-517: The slopes of the mountains which circle Tomislavgrad, Illyrians built a total of 21 forts which served as watchtowers and defensive works. There are also many Illyrian burial sites dating from the Bronze and the Iron Age to the Roman conquest. The grave goods recovered include jewelry and other items. Apart from Illyrians, other inhabitants of the area included Celts , whose incursions into

1218-467: The south of the Delmatae did the same. Over the centuries, the Delmatae and Ardiaei were among the Illyrian groups which expanded their territory northwards at the expense of the Liburni . They Delmatae may have been originally pushed towards the coast because of Celtic migrations in Pannonia Strabo writes that the territory of the Delmatae was divided into an inland (present-day Tropolje ) and

1260-535: The stone tumuli of kurgan type. After the classic Roman reports (Muzic 1998), nomadic Delmatae were extremely superstitious, and they had a primitive panic dread from all celestial phenomena: any view on the night stars was for them forbidden in the fear of a sure death, and in the case of solar or lunar eclipses they repeated tremendous collective howling because of the immediate world ending, made hysterical suicides etc. Pleuratus III Pleuratus III ( Ancient Greek : Πλευρᾶτος; ruled c. 205 – 181 BC )

1302-430: The throne. Some of Pleuratus' authority, or indeed most of it, was based on a relatively strong fleet of lembi. Pleuratus was permitted to plunder and devastate the coast of Aetloia with sixty lembi during the next round of warfare in 189 BC, but received no gains of territory at the conclusion of hostilities. This was with no doubt done with the knowledge of the Romans or even on their behalf. In 181 BC Pleuratus died and

Dalmatae - Misplaced Pages Continue

1344-457: The time all because of his loyalty to the Romans. Pleuratus was succeeded by his son Gentius , who was the last Illyrian king. Pleuratus is listed among the parties to the Treaty of Phoenice in 205 BC. There is evidence that Pleuratus may have reigned with his father as co-regents prior to 205 BC. He may have been preparing for his future as sole king of the Ardiaean State. By 200 BC Pleuratus

1386-503: Was Roman and Illyrian sanctuary and graveyard. In 1969, a tablet, which was part of an altar, was found near the village Letka . It is dedicated to the Roman god of war, Mars by a soldier of the IX Legion . A year later, in the village Prisoje , a Christian font was found and part of a tomb, made by father Juvenal to his son Juvenal. Roman Delminium survived for two centuries during the great migrations. During that time, Delminium

1428-553: Was a ruler of the Illyrian kingdom under the Labeatan dynasty . He was the son of Scerdilaidas . Pleuratus continued his father's pro- Roman policy even more decidedly, so much that his loyalty to Rome was well known, even to other dynasts. He managed to extend the boundaries of the Illyrian State in the south when he was rewarded land annexed by Philip V of Macedon . He became one of the most prominent Illyrian kings of

1470-447: Was built on possession of the present-day Nikola Tavelić basilica. In 1896 Fra Anđeo Nunić discovered various sculptures of Roman deities, fragments of sarcophagi, and fragments of columns of the medieval Christian church. From all those discoveries, the most prominent are two votive monuments and altars dedicated to goddess Diana , one altar dedicated to native Illyrian god Armatus and one votive plate dedicated to goddess Libera . Later,

1512-492: Was more primitive than those of the surrounding ancient tribes, especially in comparison with the oldest Liburnians . Only their production of weapons was rather advanced. Their elite had stone built houses only, but numerous Delmatic herdmen yet settled in natural caves, and a characteristic detail in their usual clothing was the fur cap. Their nomadic society had a strong patriarchal structure, consisting chiefly of shepherds, warriors and their chieftains. Their main jobs had been

1554-588: Was mostly Bato who caused the Macedonians damage and became a greater threat to its northern borders. Nonetheless in 196 BC Pleuratus was rewarded with possession of the strategic region of Lynkestis , which had been in Macedonian hands for nearly two centuries after the defeat of Bardyllis in 358 BC. The Ardiaean State was also given control over the Illyrian Parthini, former Roman allies in

1596-680: Was partly damaged and somewhere in the middle 5th century, the Roman Forum was destroyed. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476, Delminium was ruled by the Germanic Goths between 493 and 537. After Delminium came under Byzantine Empire in 573, the city was fully recovered. But, soon it was again highly damaged by new arrivals and deducted from the Byzantine Empire in 600. In middle of 7th century, Delminium

1638-605: Was ruling alone when he appeared at the Roman headquarters in Dassaretia offering to assist the expedition against Macedonia . The Roman consul P. Sulpicius Galba declined the offer but promised to seek Pleuratus' help when his army was in Macedonia. Pleuratus was allied with Bato of Dardania , and they both invaded Macedonia in 199 BC. Although Pleuratus invaded the territories of Philip V at least once, his contribution to Roman victory in 197 BC would appear to be minimal. It

1680-526: Was succeeded by his son, Gentius . Unlike Pleuratus, Gentius developed bad relations with Rome and finally fought against them in the Third Illyrian War . Pleuratus had three sons, Gentius and Plator, while Caravantius was only the son of his wife Eurydice. Delminium Delminium was an Illyrian city and the capital of Dalmatia which was located somewhere near today's Tomislavgrad , Bosnia and Herzegovina , under which name it also

1722-442: Was the seat of a Latin bishopric (also known as Delminium ). The toponym Delminium has the same root as the tribal name Dalmatae and the regional name Dalmatia . It is considered to be connected to the Albanian dele and its variants which include the Gheg form delmë , meaning "sheep", and to the Albanian term delmer , "shepherd". According to Orel , the Gheg form delme hardly has anything in common with

Dalmatae - Misplaced Pages Continue

1764-438: Was unearthed. The third important one of Delmatae was a war god ' Armatus ' comparable with Roman Mars and Greek Ares. Their bad deity was the celestial Dragon devouring the sun or moon in the eclipses. A strong weapons cult was very specific for the patriarchal Delmatae, and in their masculine tombs different weapons are widely present (that is rare in neighbouring peoples e.g. Liburni, Iapydes, etc.). Their usual tombs were under

#941058