Northwestern Croatia in the Late Roman Period

Abstract

This article surveys various archaeological problems in an area which was for the most part encompassed within the Roman province of Savia. The period of the major crisis beginning after the death of the Emperors Valentinian and Valens is analyzed. Irreversible processes of decline then began in this region, in contrast to earlier times when the Empire had always found strength for renewal. The results of the study of the given area, and particularly its major urbanized entities, confirm data in historical sources, such as St Jerome's famous letter about the suffering throughout Pannonia as well as later texts. Such circumstances were reflected in the rural architecture of villae rusticae. Elevated fortifications or castra were either renovated or newly erected in this period as several sites. Finds from the fortification at the hill of Kuzelin are particularly important in this context. Several prehistoric and classical strata were discovered at this site, the one with most abundant finds being the stratum dated to ca. 400 AD. The article also contains a survey of the basic communication routes, some of which are cited itinerary routes, as well as related geographical features that contain sites of important settlements, cemeteries, production centers of "artes minores", etc. The current knowledge of Christianity in this period is limited to rare early Christian finds, and the two (?) bishoprics known from historical sources.