Original scientific paper
Epidaurum — Ragusium — Laus — Dubrovnik
Vladimir Košćak
Abstract
The Roman colony of Epidaurum once existing on the location of today’s Cavtat vanished in an earthquake around 365 a.d. Survivors moved to an Illyro-Roman settlement Ragusium, changing it into civitas and probably establishing bishopric. At the time of Byzantine-Gothic war (535—555) a new cathedral was built and recently discovered in 1981. In the thirties of the seventh century Epidaurum Novum was invaded and destroyed by the Avars and Slavs forcing the remaining Romans to find shelter on the nearest islands and mountain slopes. Thus came the end to the continuous Byzantine rule in Dalmatia and for the coming 160 years no settlement nor organized life is recorded in the remains at the foot of mount Srđ.
It was the arrival of the Francs in 791 that enabled Romans to return to their settlements on shore. On the location of Ragusium-Epidaur the Francs built a castel Lave. This name continued to stand for the medieval settlement built by the descendants of once fled Romans. Later the name Ragusium prevailed and the forms Ragusa, Rausion, Raugia. The Slavs preserved the former name Epidaurum (Novum) in the form Dubrovnik. The Francs reestablished the bishopric and restored the cathedral but it was destroyed with most of the city in an earthquake in 850. It was then that the area of today’s Placa came under water. It was also then that the bishopric was moved to Kotor. The Dubrovnik bishopric regained its independence at the Split sinode in 925. During the eleventh and twelfth century the lower parts of the city were dried out and a unified city area was formed.
Thus the article shows the effect of earthquakes which so often hit Dubrovnik in its history.
Keywords
Epidaurum; Ragusium; Laus; Dubrovnik; urban development
Hrčak ID:
241197
URI
Publication date:
20.6.1989.
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