Nesactium ( Istrian dialect: ''Vizače'', , ) was the capital of the

Histri The Histri or Istri () were an ancient people inhabiting the Istrian Peninsula, to which they gave the name ''Histria''. Their territory stretched to the neighbouring Gulf of Trieste and bordered the Iapodes in the hinterland of '' Tarsatica'' ...

tribe and later a Roman city. Its remains are located in southern

Istria Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...

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 ...

, between the villages of

Muntić Muntić (Italian language, Italian: Monticchio; Monticchio Polesano; Latin ''Rumeianum)'' is a village in Southeastern Istria, Croatia.

and Valtura.

History

In pre-Roman times the

inhabited the Istrian peninsula. They were connected to the prehistoric

Castellieri culture The Castellieri culture developed in Istria during the Early and Middle Bronze Age, and later expanded into Friuli, Dalmatia and the neighbouring areas. It lasted for more than a millennium, from the 18th century BC until the Roman conquest in th ...

and some theories state a later

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

influence. It is believed that their main economic activities were trade and piracy all over the ancient Mediterranean Sea. At one time the Histri were ruled by their legendary king Epulon. In 177 BC the town was conquered by the Romans and destroyed. Rebuilt upon the original Histrian pattern, it was a Roman town until 46–45 BC, when the Ancient Greek colony Polai was elevated to Pietas Iulia, today

Pula Pula, also known as Pola, is the largest city in Istria County, west Croatia, and the List of cities and towns in Croatia, seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istria, Istrian peninsula in western Croatia, wi ...

. The town was located on the ancient road Via Flavia, which connected

Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...

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 ...

. The area was abandoned by the Romans in the 6th century, following the Avaro-Slav invasions. Its Histro-Roman walls still remain.

History of research

Kristina Mihovilić, who for many years was curator at the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula and excavator of the Bronze Age settlement of Monkodonja, is particularly linked to the research of Nesactium and the Histrians.

Literature

Kristina Mihovilić, ''Histri u Istri: Željezno doba Istre/ Gli Istri in Istria: L‘età del ferro in Istria/ The Histri in Istria: The Iron Age in Istria.'' Monografije i katalozi 23/2, Arheološki muzej Istre, Pula 2013. Kristina Mihovilić, ''Nezakcij: prapovijesni nalazi 1900. - 1953./ Nesactium: Prehistoric Finds 1900-1953.'' Monografije i katalozi 11, Arheološki muzej Istre, Pula 2001. Kristina Mihovilić, ''Nezakcij: nalaz grobnice 1981. godine/ Nesactium: the Discovery of a Grave Vault in 1981.'' Monografije i katalozi 6, Arheološki muzej Istre, Pula 1996.

References

External links

Nesactium on Istrianet.org
*

Neolithic Nesactium Hillfort
Iron Age sites in Europe Megalithic monuments in Europe Illyrian Croatia Archaeology of Illyria Former populated places in the Balkans Cities in ancient Illyria Oppida Roman fortifications in Croatia {{Istria-geo-stub Hill forts in Croatia