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Delminium

Coordinates:43°43′N17°14′E/ 43.717°N 17.233°E/43.717; 17.233
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Location of Delminium

Delminiumwas anIllyriancity and the capital ofDalmatiawhich was located somewhere near today'sTomislavgrad,Bosnia and Herzegovina,under which name it also was the seat of a Latinbishopric(also known asDelminium).[1]

Name

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The toponymDelminiumhas the same root as the tribal nameDalmataeand the regional nameDalmatia.[1][2][3]It is considered to be connected to theAlbaniandeleand its variants which include theGhegformdelmë,meaning "sheep", and to the Albanian termdelmer,"shepherd".[4][5][6][7][8][9]According toOrel,the Gheg formdelmehardly has anything in common with the name ofDalmatiabecause it represents a variant ofdelewith*-mā,which is ultimately fromproto-Albanian*dailā.[10]The ancient nameDalmana,derived from the same root, testifies to the advance of the Illyrians into the middleVardar,between the ancient towns ofBylazoraandStobi.[9]The medieval Slavic toponymOvče Pole( "plain of sheep" in South Slavic) in the nearby region represents a related later development.[9]In Albania,Delvinërepresents a toponym linked to the root*dele.[7]

The formDalmataeand the respective regional nameDalmatiaare later variants as is already noted byAppian(2nd century AD). His contemporary grammarianVelius Longushighlights in his treatise about orthography that the correct form ofDalmatiaisDelmatia,and notes thatMarcus Terentius Varrowho lived about 2 centuries prior of Appian and Velius Longius, used the formDelmatiaas it corresponded to the chief settlement of the tribe,Delminium.[11]The toponymDuvnois a derivation fromDelminiumin Croatian via an intermediate form*Delminioin late antiquity.[3]

Historical research

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The location of the ancient Delminium near the present-dayTomislavgradwas first reported byKarl 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 theLibmountain. Patsch's conclusion was soon accepted by many other notable researchers, includingFerdo Šišić,Vladimir Ćorović,Ćiro Truhelkaand others.[12]

Based on the position of Delminium and its strength and resistance to the Roman military, Patsch concluded that Delminium served as a centre of theDalmatae.These observations were based on the writings ofStrabo,AppianandFlorus.[13]

The area has been inhabited by theIllyriantribe ofDalmatae[14]and Delminium was a town established by them near present-day Tomislavgrad.[15]

The area of Tomislavgrad was populated even before Illyrians arrived, as attested by a few remains of polished stone axes dating from theNeolithic(4000 BC – 2400 BC).[16]Similarly few remains date from the ensuingBronze Age(1800 BC – 800 BC): 34 bronze sickles, 3 axes and 2 spears found inStipanjićiandLugnear Tomislavgrad, and a bronze axe found inLetka,was kept at the archaeological collection at themonasteryinŠiroki Brijeg,which was destroyed in a fire by communists at the end ofWorld 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.[17]

The material remains of Illyrians are much more abundant. On the slopes of the mountains which circle Tomislavgrad, Illyrians built a total of 21fortswhich served as watchtowers and defensive works.[18]There are also many Illyrianburialsites dating from the Bronze and theIron Ageto the Roman conquest. Thegrave goodsrecovered includejewelryand other items.[16]Apart from Illyrians, other inhabitants of the area includedCelts,whoseincursions into the Balkansbegan in 4th century BC. They brought higher culture, crafts and better weapons.[19]The Celts were few in number and were soon assimilated into the Illyrians.[19]

As Romans conquered the territory of the Illyrian tribeArdiaeito the south, the Delmatae and their tribal union were among the last bastions of Illyrian autonomy. Dalmataes attacked Roman guard posts near theNeretva,Greek merchant towns, and the Roman-friendly Illyrian tribeDaorsi.They upgraded their settlement into a strong fort and surrounded their capital with a ring of smaller forts.[19]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.[19]

In 167 BC the Illyrian forts were unable to stopRoman legions;after 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 andCornelius Scipio Nasicaconquered, destroyed and burned Delminium, reportedly firing burning arrows at wooden houses.[19]After various revolts led by the Dalmatae and three wars between them and the Romans, their resistance was finally quelled in theGreat Illyrian revoltthat ended in 9 AD.

Roman rule

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The tombstone of the soldier Caius Longinus from Amblada who died in Delminium. The tombstone is now located in a museum inSplit, Croatia

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 inSalona(Solin) andNarona(VidnearMetković) crossed in Delminium (Tomislavgrad). Remains of those and other Roman roads are still in existence. Romans introduced their culture, language, legislation and religion. For the next 400 years, Delminium was in peace.[20]

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 EmperorTiberius.During that time, center of the city was built, a Roman forum. This forum was built on possession of the present-day Nikola Tavelić basilica.[21]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 goddessDiana,one altar dedicated to native Illyrian god Armatus and one votive plate dedicated to goddessLibera.Later, a relief of the goddess Diana was also found and one relief of Diana andSilvanustogether. 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) was Roman and Illyrian sanctuary and graveyard.[22]

In 1969, a tablet, which was part of an altar, was found near the villageLetka.It is dedicated to the Roman god of war,Marsby a soldier of theIX Legion.A year later, in the villagePrisoje,a Christian font was found and part of a tomb, made by father Juvenal to his son Juvenal.[22]

After Roman Empire

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Roman Delminium survived for two centuries during the great migrations. During that time, Delminium 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 GermanicGothsbetween 493 and 537. After Delminium came underByzantine Empirein 573, the city was fully recovered. But, soon it was again highly damaged by new arrivals and deducted from the Byzantine Empire in 600.[22]

In middle of 7th century, Delminium was inhabited bySlavs.[23]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toIllyria and Illyrians.

References

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Citations

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  1. ^abWilkes, John (1996).The Illyrians.Wiley. p. 188.ISBN978-0-631-19807-9.The coast and hinterland of central Dalmatia up to and beyond the Dinaric mountains was inhabited by the Delmatae, after whom the Roman province Dalmatia was named, their own name being derived from their principal settlement Delminium near Duvno.
  2. ^Stipcevic, Aleksandar; Stipčević, Aleksandar (1977).The Illyrians: History and Culture.Noyes Press. p. 197.ISBN978-0-8155-5052-5.
  3. ^abŠimunović, Petar (2013)."Predantički toponimi u današnjoj (i povijesnoj) Hrvatskoj".Folia onomastica Croatica(in Croatian) (22): 164.ISSN1330-0695.
  4. ^Wilkes, John (1996).The Illyrians.Wiley. p. 244.ISBN9780631146711.The name of the Delmatae appears connected with the Albanian word for 'sheep' (delmë)
  5. ^Duridanov, Ivan (2002). "Illyrisch". In Bister, Feliks J.; Gramshammer-Hohl, Dagmar; Heynoldt, Anke (eds.).Lexikon der Sprachen des europäischen Ostens(PDF)(in German). Wieser Verlag. p. 952.ISBN978-3-85129-510-8.Δάλμιον, Δελμίνιον (Ptolemäus) zu alb. delmë
  6. ^Šašel Kos, Marjeta (1993)."Cadmus and Harmonia in Illyria".Arheološki Vestnik.44:113–136.In the prehistoric and classical periods it was not at all unusual for peoples to have names derived from animals, such that the name of the Delmatae is considered to be related to Albanian delme, sheep
  7. ^abSchütz, István (2006).Fehér foltok a Balkánon(PDF)(in Hungarian). Budapest: Balassi Kiadó. p. 127.ISBN9635064721.A dalmata/delmata illír törzs, Dalmatia/Delmatia terület, Delminium/Dalmion illír város neve, továbbá a mai Delvinë és Delvinaqi földrajzi tájegység neve az albán dele (többese delme) 'juh', delmer 'juhpásztor' szavakhoz kapcsolódik. Strabon Delmion illír város nevéhez ezt az éretelmezést fűzi „...πεδιον µελωβοτον... ", azaz „juhokat tápláló síkság"
  8. ^Morić, Ivana (2012)."Običaji Delmata".Rostra: Časopis studenata povijesti Sveučilišta u Zadru(in Croatian).5(5): 63.ISSN1846-7768.danas još uvijek prevladava tumačenje kako korijen njihova imena potječe od riječi koja je srodna albanskom delë, delmë odnosno „ovca "
  9. ^abcDuridanov, Ivan (1975).Die Hydronymie des Vardarsystems als Geschichtsquelle(PDF).Böhlau Verlag.p. 25.ISBN3412839736.
  10. ^Orel, Vladimir (1998).Albanian Etymological Dictionary.Brill Publishers.pp. 58–59.ISBN978-9004110243.delef, pl dele, dhen, dhën 'sheep'. The Geg variant delme represents a formation in *-mā (and hardly has anything in common with the name of Dalmatia pace MEYER Wb. 63 and ÇABEJ St. I 111). The word is based on PAlb *dailā 'sheep' < 'suckling' and related to various l-derivatives from IE *dhē(i)- 'to suckle' (MEYER Wb. 63, Alb. St. Ill 29 operates with *dailjā < IE *dhailiā or *dhoiliā), cf., in particular, Arm dayl 'colostrum' < IE *dhailo-.
  11. ^Kos, Marjeta Šašel (2005).Appian and Illyricum.Narodni muzej Slovenije.ISBN978-961-6169-36-3.
  12. ^Škegro 2000,p. 396.
  13. ^Škegro 2000,p. 398.
  14. ^Wilkes 2000,p. 597.
  15. ^Wilkes 1992,p. 188.
  16. ^ab(in Croatian)Bagarić, Ivo. Duvno: Povijest župa duvanjskog samostana. Sveta baština. 1989
  17. ^Bagarić 1980,p. 9.
  18. ^Bagarić 1980,p. 10.
  19. ^abcdeBagarić, Ivo (1980).Duvno - Short Monograph(in Croatian). Bukovica: Župni ured sv. Franje Asiškog.OCLC255541281.
  20. ^Bagarić 1980,p. 12.
  21. ^Bagarić 1980,p. 13.
  22. ^abcBagarić 1980,p. 14.
  23. ^Dzino, D. (1 January 2010). "5. Written Sources On The Slav Migration In The 6th And 7th Centuries In Western Illyricum And Dalmatia".Becoming Slav, Becoming Croat.Brill. pp. 92–117.ISBN978-90-04-18938-6.Retrieved14 June2024.

Bibliography

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43°43′N17°14′E/ 43.717°N 17.233°E/43.717; 17.233

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