Epidaurus (, ) or Epidauros was an ancient
Greek colony founded sometime in the 6th century BC and renamed to Epidaurum during Roman rule in 228 BC, when it was part of the province of
Illyricum and later of
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...
.
[Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992, , page 216, "... hand, the Deraemestae (30) were formed from several smaller groups in the vicinity of the new Roman colony established at Epidaurum (Cavtat near Dubrovnik). ..."] It is located at present-day
Cavtat
Cavtat (, ) is a village in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. It is on the Adriatic Sea coast south of Dubrovnik and is the centre and the main settlement of Konavle municipality.
History
Antiquity
The original city was founded by the ...
in
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
, 15 km (9 mi) south of
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
.
History
During the civil war between
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
and
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey ( ) or Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and statesman who was prominent in the last decades of the Roman Republic. ...
the city was besieged by M. Octavius but saved by the arrival of the consul
Publius Vatinius.
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...
mentions Epidaurum in section 3.26.1 of ''
Natural History
Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...
'' while describing Dalmatian cities and settlements, "The colony of Epidaurum is distant from the river Naron 100 miles."
According to the ''Life of Hilarion'', a hagiography, the
eponymous Gazan saint saved the town from the waves of the tsunami caused by the
365 Crete earthquake by raising his hands in the sign of the cross. However, it remains uncertain whether the tsunami actually affected the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
.
The city was destroyed by
Avars and
Slavic invaders in the 7th century. Refugees from Epidaurus fled to the nearby island Laas or Laus (meaning "stone" in Greek), from which ''Ragusa'' (through
rhotacism) was founded, which over time evolved into
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean, a Port, seaport and the centre of the Dubrovni ...
.
Several Roman inscriptions are found amongst its ruins: the
sepulchre of P. Cornelius Dolabella, who was the consul under
Augustus
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
and governor of
Illyricum, and the remains of an
aqueduct.
[Notizie Istorico-Critiche Sulla Antichita, Storia, e Letteratura de' Ragusei (published in two vols) by Francesco Maria Appendini.]
In the Middle Ages, the town of
Cavtat
Cavtat (, ) is a village in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. It is on the Adriatic Sea coast south of Dubrovnik and is the centre and the main settlement of Konavle municipality.
History
Antiquity
The original city was founded by the ...
(Ragusa Vecchia) was established in the same area.
See also
*
List of ancient cities in Illyria
This is a list of settlements in Illyria founded by Illyrians (southern Illyrians, Dardanians, Pannonians), Liburni, Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire. A number of cities in Illyria and later Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, Illyricum were b ...
*
Illyricum (Roman province)
Illyricum was a Roman province that existed from 27 BC to sometime during the reign of Vespasian (69–79 AD). The province comprised the regions of Illyria/Dalmatia in the south and Pannonia in the north. Illyria included the area along the ...
*
Dalmatia (Roman province)
Dalmatia was a Roman province. Its name is derived from the name of an Illyrian tribe called the Dalmatae, which lived in the central area of the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It encompassed the northern part of present-day Albania, much o ...
References
Bibliography
*Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,
{{Coord, 42.5822, 18.2175, display=title
Dalmatia
Illyrian Croatia
Cities in ancient Illyria
Greek colonies in Illyria
Roman towns and cities in Croatia
Former populated places in the Balkans