Page 37 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Croatia

THE HIST OR Y OF CRO A TIA  35

road network remained the principal
means of communication in this part of
the Balkans for many centuries.
Two important arteries led from Aquileia:
one towards the Istrian peninsula to Pula, the
other in the direction of Aemona (Ljubljana).
The main communication link in Dalmatia
began in Aenona (Nin), went on to Zadar
and continued, connecting Scardona
(Skradin), Tragurium (Trogir), Salona, Narona,
Epidaurum (Cavtat) and finally Catarum Pula in Roman times, in an engraving from 1819
(Kotor). Other roads branched off inland from
this coastal road: the busiest was that from on the main islands and along the coast were
Salona, which went towards present-day turned into Roman towns. The main towns
Bosnia, through Klis and Sinj, near the town were Senia (Senj), Aenona (Nin), Jadera
of Aequum (Čitluk). Another road followed (Zadar), Delminium (now a village east of
the river Narenta (Neretva) to Sirmium, the Salona with few remains), Promona (a village
present-day Sremska Mitrovica, which would near Makarska, with parts of the Roman
become one of the capitals of walls), Burnum (the remains of the
the Roman Empire. ancient town are near Kistanje
The inland roads were no along the road between Knin
less important: these followed and Benkovac), Blandona
the rivers Sava, Drava and the (which no longer exists, near
Danube. In the centre of the lake of Vrana), Scardona
Pannonia, one town which (today Skradin), Narona (at the
grew in importance was Relief in the Baths in mouth of the Neretva near Vid),
Siscia (Sisak), from which Varaždinske Toplice Tragurium (Trogir) and, lastly,
roads led towards Andautonia Salona (near Split). The towns
(Šćitarjevo), Mursa (Osijek), Cuccium (Ilok), had walls, forums, triumphal arches and
Marsonia (Vinkovci) and the thermal spas aqueducts, the remains of which can often
of Aquae Salissae (Daruvar), Aquae Valissae still be seen. The best-preserved aqueduct,
(Lipik) and Aquae Iasae (Varaždinske built to serve Salona, was extended by
Toplice), which were used by the emperors. Diocletian as far as Split and is, for the
most part, still in use.
Founding of Towns The principal Roman monuments
The Romans initially founded the Istrian remaining today in Croatia are in Pula,
towns of Poreč, Rovinj and Pula, which with its magnificent Roman amphitheatre
became a place of great importance in the (see pp64–5), and in Split, site of the extra-
2nd century. Later the existing Illyrian towns ordinary Palace of Diocletian (see pp122–3).

AD 6–9 Augustus conquers all of
Pannonia and begins construction of 271 Aurelian defines the border of
forts along the rivers; later the region A statue of the Empire as the Danube, unable
becomes part of the Roman Empire Emperor to defeat the Dacians who live
with the name Provincia Pannoniae Augustus along the river
AD 1 100 200
AD 12 Final defeat of the Illyrians. 284 Diocletian becomes emperor;
In Rome Tiberius celebrates his triumph some years later work begins
with a solemn procession, at the front on the palace in Split, to which
of which is Batone, chief of the rebels, he retires in 304
now a prisoner

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