Belgrade - Singidunum

Kostolac - Viminacium

Gamzigrad - Felix Romuliana

Niš - Naissus

Brzi Brod - Mediana

KOMPAS tourism&travel

SINGIDUNUMBelgrade

VIMINACIUMKostolac

FELIX ROMULIANAGamzigrad

NAISSUSNiš

MEDIANABrzi Brod

SINGIDUNUMBelgrade

FOUR DayS ExcURSiOn

BELGRADESINGIDUNUM

Day 1.

The Romans first began to conquer lands sur-rounding Singidun during the first centu-ry BC. Singidun was Romanized to Singidunum.Singidunum became an important and strate-gic position along the Via Militaris, an impor-tant Roman road connecting fortresses and set-tlements along the Danubian limes, or border.

Singidunum reached its height with the arrival of Legio iV Flavia Felix in 86 aD. The legion set up as a square-shaped castrum (fort), which occu- pied Upper Town of today’s Kalemegdan. At first, the for- tress was set up as earthen bulwarks, but soon after, it was fortified with stone, the remains of which can be seen today near the northeastern corner of the acropolis.

The grid structure can be seen in today’s Belgrade with the orien-tation of the streets Uzun Mirkova, Dušanova, and Kralja Petra i. Studentski Trg (Students’ Square) was a Roman forum, bordered by thermae and also preserves the orientation the Romans gave Singidunum. Other rem-nants of Roman material culture such as tombs, monuments, sculptures, ce-ramics, and coins have been found vil-lages and towns surrounding Belgrade.

KOSTOLACVIMINACIUM

Day 2.

The largest city of upper Moe- sia, Vimina-cium, was formed on the right bank of the river Mlava, close to its con- fluence with the Danube, near he present- day town of Kostolac. Owing to excellent communica-tions, especially the Danube as well as its tributaries, the Morava, the Mlava and the Pek, Viminacium was of pri- mary strate-gic importance for the Roman Empire.

Viminacium was founded following long wars against the indigenous population which the Romans waged during the 1st century BC. With the arrival of legion VII Claudia from Dalmatia during 60’s and the 70’s, the construction of a stone camp in Viminacium commenced. Viminacium quickly grew into a city, witch was made official by declaring it a municipium during the reign of Hadrian, in the year 117.

A change of the legal status of Viminacium took place during the reign of Gordian III: it became a colony and its inhabitants became full Roman citizens.

In an area south of the Dan-ube, near the present-day city of Zaječar, lies the ancient Roman settlement of Felix Romuliana, where Emperor Gaius Valerius Galerius built a vast palace called Gamzigrad between 297 and 311 A.D.

Several remains have been uncovered here, in-cluding sections of the public space - baths, tem-ples, city gates and squares - as well as portions of Galerius’ magnificent palace with a small temple and altar, and a luxurious residence with four big halls decorated with frescoes and floor mosaics.

GAMZIGRADFELIX ROMULIANA

Day 3.

Gamzigrad’s two most beautiful mosaics (represent-ing the Labyrinth and Dionysus respectively) are to be seen in the Museum of Zajecar, which also has two marble heads (Jupiter and Hercules) and a por-phyry portreit of Galerius.

In the zenith of its growth and flourish-ing, Naissus was one of the most important crossroads of the Moesian, Trachian and Dardanian road-network, because it was the intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople, and Singidunum (Belgrade).

NIŠNAISSUS

Day 4.

In the zenith of its growth and flourishing, Naissus was one of the most important cross-roads of the Moesian, Trachian and Dardanian road-network, because it was the intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople, and Singidunum (Belgrade). In ancient times, Naissus was an important stronghold and an invincible cas-trum. Its extraordinary geographic position made Naissus an important strategic spot, mentioned in many records on military affairs in the Balkans from the 2nd century on.

Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), Diocletianus’ successor to the throne born in Naissus in 274, richly endowed his birthplace. He built majestic edifices here, and made Niš an important economic, mili-tary and administrative centre.

Mediana, located near the city of Niš, was a palace built to honor the late Ro-man Emperor Constantine I the Great, who was born in Niš and who brought Christianity to the empire in the 4th century A.D. Mediana, a suburb of the ancient city of Naissus, was situated in vicinity of the river and thermal springs, on the area of 40 hectares.

BRZI BRODMEDIANA

4. Day

Mediana was built at the beginning of the 4th century B.C, during the time of the Konstantine the Great. It was used as a residency for Roman Emperors during their visits to Naissus.This important archeological site is a concentrated wealth of treasure of the Roman province of Naissus. The palace is luxurious and large and contains a villa with thermal baths, granary and water tower, as well as numerous fres-coes and mosaics.

BELGRADESINGIDUNUM

5. Day