Moesia Prima
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Moesia Prima (;
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
: ''Moesia''; ) was a frontier
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of the Late Roman Empire, situated in the central parts of present-day
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
, along the south bank of the Danube River. Provincial capital was Viminacium, near modern Kostolac in
Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
).


History

Province of Moesia Prima was created at the end of the 3rd century during administrative reforms of Roman emperor
Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
(284–305) who divided the Province of Moesia Superior in two separate provinces: Moesia Prima to the north and Dardania to the south. Sometime in 293–294, emperor
Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
traveled through Moesia Superior and came to its capital Viminacium. During that visit he created new province under the name ''Moesia Superior Margensis'' or ''Moesia Prima''. The term ''Margensis'' was used in reference to the name of Margus River that runs through the province. Emperor also registered that the inhabitants of province wrote in Latin, as opposed to Greek in the southern regions. At first, Province of Moesia Prima belonged to the Diocese of Moesia. Probably under emperor
Constantine I Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
(306–337), the Diocese of Moesia was split in two, forming the Diocese of Dacia in the north and Diocese of Macedonia in the south. Province of Moesia Prima became part of Diocese of Dacia, that belonged to the
Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (; , also termed simply the prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four praetorian prefectures into which the Later Roman Empire, Late Roman Empire was divided. The administrative centre of the prefecture wa ...
. The emperor Jovian (363-364) who reestablished
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
as the official religion of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
was born in Moesia Prima, in Singidunum. In his early career, later Roman emperor
Theodosius I Theodosius I ( ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene C ...
served as military commander of Moesia Prima in 373. In 382 Roman emperors
Theodosius I Theodosius I ( ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene C ...
and Gratian met in Viminacium, the capital of Moesia Prima, during the Gothic Wars. Danubian border of Moesia Prima was protected by fortifications of the limes. Two Roman legions were stationed in the province: Legio IV Flavia Felix in Singidunum and Legio VII Claudia in Viminacium. The seat of ''Praefectus legionis septimae Claudiae'' was in the frontier fortress of ''Cuppae'' ( Golubac, Serbia). As a frontier province, Moesia Prima was under constant threat of barbaric invasions. In the middle of the 5th century the province was devastated by the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
of
Attila Attila ( or ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns from 434 until his death in early 453. He was also the leader of an empire consisting of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, and Gepids, among others, in Central Europe, C ...
who took Singidunum and Viminacium in 441. The province was later invaded by various Germanic tribes like
Ostrogoths The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...
,
Gepids The Gepids (; ) were an East Germanic tribes, East Germanic tribe who lived in the area of modern Romania, Hungary, and Serbia, roughly between the Tisza, Sava, and Carpathian Mountains. They were said to share the religion and language of the G ...
, Heruli and others. Major efforts to secure the province were undertaken in the time of
Justinian I Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
(527–565) who rebuilt Viminacium and Singidunum around 535, restoring the frontier fortresses to their former military importance. In 535, emperor
Justinian I Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
(527-565) created the Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima as a regional primacy with ecclesiastical jurisdiction over all provinces of the Diocese of Dacia, including the province of ''Moesia Prima'. Throughout the 6th century, Moesia Prima was often invaded by
Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
. The province was also invaded but the Avars who took Singidunum and Viminacium during the war of 582-584. During emperor Maurice's military campaigns against Avars and
Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
, Moesia Prima served as a base of military operations. After the fall of emperor Maurice in 602, Byzantine defenses in Moesia Prima finally collapsed. At the very beginning of the 7th century, Avars and
Slavs The Slavs or Slavic people are groups of people who speak Slavic languages. Slavs are geographically distributed throughout the northern parts of Eurasia; they predominantly inhabit Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, and ...
sacked and burned Singidunum and Viminacium to the ground and the interior of the fallen province Moesia Prima was finally settled by the Slavic
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
.Curta (2001), Compare also ''Byzanz'' in ''Fischer Weltgeschichte.''


Cities and towns

The chief towns of Moesia Prima were: Viminacium (sometimes called municipium Aelium; modern Kostolac) and Singidunum (
Belgrade Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
).


See also

* Province of Moesia * Province of Moesia Superior * Inscriptions of Upper Moesia *
Battles of Viminacium The Battles of Viminacium were a series of three battles fought against the Avars by the Eastern Roman Empire. They were decisive Roman successes, which were followed by an invasion of Pannonia. In summer 599, the East Roman Emperor Maurice ...
* Diocese of Moesia * Diocese of Dacia * Margus (city)


References


Sources

* Procopius. Edited by H. B. Dewing. 7 vols. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press and London, Hutchinson, 1914–40. Greek text and English translation. * ''Maurice's Strategikon: Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy''. translated by George T. Dennis. Philadelphia 1984, Reprint 2001. * ''Fischer Weltgeschichte'', Band 13, "''Byzanz''" (pp. 139ff.). Franz Georg Maier, Frankfurt a. M. (1973) * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

*
Inscriptions of Moesia Superior
University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...

CITIES IN THE PROVINCES MOESIA SUPERIOR AND MOESIA INFERIOR
{{Late Roman Provinces, state=collapsed Moesia Late Roman provinces Serbia in the Roman era Historical regions in Serbia Ancient history of the Balkans States and territories established in the 290s