Asseria, Vol. 8 No. 8, 2010.
Original scientific paper
CONTRIBUTION OF ASSERIA TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORGANIZATION OF DALMATIA IN THE EMPEROR JUSTINIAN’S ERA
Željko Tomičić
orcid.org/0000-0002-6780-1887
; Institute of archaeology, Zagreb
Abstract
The author presents considerations incited by an overview of a late antique fortification discovered due to efforts of archaeologists from Zadar at the position of ancient Asseria. A statue which was incorporated into the wall of the western late antique tower as well as many votive, sepulchral and profane finds from ancient Asseria in the western and northern late antique outer wall are evidence from the period of Byzantine-Gothic wars during the reconquista of the Emperor Justinian I. Northern and western late antique outer wall – proteichisma with a tower and counterforts, alongside fragments of the sacral architecture at the position of the forum of Asseria, testify to transformation of an ancient city into a fortress which probably lasted from 538 AD, during the sixth century and saw the arrival of Slavs and Croats, as a part of defensive system of Dalmatia. Position of Asseria is logically related to naval and land communications. Some microtopographic elements of spatial organization are implied. The eastern Adriatic archipelago, littoral and coastal hinterland of northern Dalmatia are compared with the neighbouring western coast of the Adriatic during Late Antiquity.
In the continuity of oikonym Asseria – Seriem – Podgrađe, i.e. in the early Byzantine layer of profane and sacral architecture and certain individual jewelry finds from the sixth and probably early seventh centuries, the author recognizes uninterrupted thread of long continuity of life on a naturally protected position near the prehistoric, ancient, medieval and modern road which connects deep coastal hinterland with the eastern front of the Adriatic and millennia-old Zadar, Nin and Skradin.
Diligent systematic research of Asseria resulted in insights which impose well planned continuation of the excavations.
Keywords
Asseria; Late Antiquity; proteichisma; Emperor Justinian I era; life continuity; castra system; naval route; Dalmatia; Slavs; Croats
Hrčak ID:
75004
URI
Publication date:
8.4.2010.
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