Roman Dalmatia
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Dalmatia was a
Roman province The Roman provinces (, pl. ) were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was ruled by a Roman appointed as Roman g ...
. Its name is derived from the name of an
Illyrian tribe This is a list of ancient tribes in the ancient territory of Illyria (; ). The name ''Illyrians'' seems to be the name of a single Illyrian tribe that was the first to come into contact with the ancient Greeks, causing the name Illyrians to be ap ...
called the
Dalmatae The Dalmatae, alternatively Delmatae, during the Roman period, were a group of Illyrian tribes in Dalmatia, contemporary southern Croatia and western Bosnia and Herzegovina. The region of Dalmatia takes its name from the tribe. The Delmatae ap ...
, which lived in the central area of the eastern coast of 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 ...
. It encompassed the northern part of present-day
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
, much of
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 ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
,
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
, and
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 ...
, thus covering an area significantly larger than the current Croatian and Montenegrin region 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 ...
. Originally this region was called
Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...
(in
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
) or Illyricum (in
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 ...
). The province of Illyricum was dissolved and replaced by two separate provinces: Dalmatia and
Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...
.


Conquest

The region which ran along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and extended inland on the
Dinaric Alps The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern Europe, Southern and Southcentral Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia ...
was called
Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...
by the Greeks. Originally, the Romans also called the area Illyria and later, Illyricum. The
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
fought three
Illyrian Wars The Illyrian Wars were a series of wars fought between the Roman Republic and the Illyrian kingdom under the Ardiaei and Labeatae. In the ''First Illyrian War'', which lasted from 229 BC to 228 BC, Rome's concern was that the trade across the Adr ...
(229 BC, 219/8 BC and 168 BC) mainly against the kingdom of the Ardiaei to the south of the region. In 168 BC, they abolished this kingdom and divided it into three republics. The area became a Roman
protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...
. The central and northern area of the region engaged in piracy and raided north-eastern Italy. In response, Octavian (who later became the emperor
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 ...
) conducted a series of campaigns in Illyricum (35–33 BC). The area became the Roman
senatorial province The Roman provinces (, pl. ) were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was ruled by a Roman appointed as governo ...
of Illyricum probably in 27 BC. Due to troubles in the northern part of the region in 16–10 BC, it became an
imperial province The Roman provinces (, pl. ) were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was ruled by a Roman appointed as governo ...
. The administrative organisation of Illyricum was carried out late in the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD) and early in the reign of
Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...
(14–37 AD).


Part of Illyricum

Due to Octavian having subdued the more inland region of
Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...
(along the mid-course of the River
Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
), the Romans changed the name of the coastal area to Dalmatia. In 6–9 AD, there was a large scale rebellion in the province of Illyricum, the (Batonian War). First-century Roman historian
Velleius Paterculus Marcus Velleius Paterculus (; ) was a Roman historian, soldier and senator. His Roman history, written in a highly rhetorical style, covered the period from the end of the Trojan War to AD 30, but is most useful for the period from the death of ...
describes Gaius Vibius Postumus as the military commander of Dalmatia under Germanicus in 9 AD; this is the earliest extant writing which indicates that the province of Illyricum comprised Dalmatia and Pannonia. The province of Illyricum was eventually dissolved and replaced by two smaller provinces: Dalmatia (the southern area) and Pannonia (the northern and Danubian area). It is unclear when this happened. Kovác noted that an inscription on the base of a statue of
Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
erected between 54 and 68 AD attests that it was erected by the veteran of a legion stationed in Pannonia and argues that this is the first epigraphic evidence that a separate Pannonia existed at least since the reign of Nero. However, Šašel-Kos notes that an inscription attests a governor of Illyricum under the reign of
Claudius Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; ; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54), or Claudius, was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusus and Ant ...
(41–54 AD) and in a military diploma published in the late 1990s, dated July 61 AD, units of auxiliaries from the Pannonian part of the province were mentioned as being stationed in Illyricum. Some other diplomas attest the same. This was during the reign of Nero (54–68 AD). Therefore, Šašel-Kos supports the notion that the province was dissolved during the reign of Vespasian (69–79 AD).


Administrative changes

In 337, when
Constantine the Great 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 ...
died, the Roman Empire was partitioned among his sons. The empire was divided into three
praetorian prefectures The praetorian prefecture (; in Greek variously named ) was the largest administrative division of the late Roman Empire, above the mid-level dioceses and the low-level provinces. Praetorian prefectures originated in the reign of Constantine I (r. ...
: the Galliae; Italia, Africa et Illyricum; and Oriens. The size of the provinces had been decreased and their number doubled by
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 ...
. The provinces were also grouped in
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
s. Dalmatia became one of the seven provinces of the
diocese of Pannonia In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
. Initially, it was under the praetorian prefecture of Italy, Africa and Illyricum. It seems that the three dioceses of
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
,
Dacia Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus ro ...
and
Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...
were first grouped together in a separate
praetorian prefecture The praetorian prefecture (; in Ancient Greek, Greek variously named ) was the largest administrative division of the Late Antiquity, late Roman Empire, above the mid-level Roman diocese, dioceses and the low-level Roman province, provinces. Praeto ...
in 347 by
Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), also called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ''a ...
by removing them from the praetorian prefecture of Italy, Africa and Illyricum (which then became the praetorian prefecture of Italy and Africa) or that this praetorian prefecture was formed in 343 when Constans appointed a prefect for Italy.


Romanization

German historian
Theodor Mommsen Christian Matthias Theodor Mommsen (; ; 30 November 1817 – 1 November 1903) was a German classical scholar, historian, jurist, journalist, politician and archaeologist. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest classicists of the 19th ce ...
wrote (in his ''The Provinces of the Roman Empire'') that coastal Dalmatia and its islands were fully romanized and
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 ...
-speaking by the 4th century. The Croatian historian
Aleksandar Stipčević Aleksandar Stipčević (October 10, 1930 – September 1, 2015) was an Arbanas Croatian archeologist, bibliographer, librarian and historian of Albanian origin who specialized in the study of the Illyrians. He was born in the village of Arbanas ...
writes that analysis of archaeological material from that period has shown that the process of
romanization In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and tra ...
was rather selective. While urban centers, both coastal and inland, were almost completely romanized, the situation in the countryside was completely different. Despite the Illyrians being subject to a strong process of
acculturation Acculturation refers to the psychological, social, and cultural transformation that takes place through direct contact between two cultures, wherein one or both engage in adapting to dominant cultural influences without compromising their essent ...
, they continued to speak their native language (
Illyrian language The Illyrian language () was an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language or group of languages spoken by the Illyrians in Southeast Europe during antiquity. The language is unattested with the exception of personal names and placenames. ...
), follow their own gods and traditions, and maintain their own social-political organization, which was adapted to Roman administration and political structure only in some necessities.


Collapse

In 454 Marcellinus, a military commander in Dalmatia, rebelled against
Valentinian III Valentinian III (; 2 July 41916 March 455) was Roman emperor in the Western Roman Empire, West from 425 to 455. Starting in childhood, his reign over the Roman Empire was one of the longest, but was dominated by civil wars among powerful general ...
, the Roman emperor in the West. He seized control of Dalmatia and governed it independently until his death in 468.
Julius Nepos Julius Nepos (died 9 May 480), or simply Nepos, ruled as Roman emperor of the West from 24 June 474 to 28 August 475. After losing power in Italy, Nepos retreated to his home province of Dalmatia, from which he continued to claim the western i ...
became the governor of Dalmatia even though he was a relative of the emperor of the East,
Leo I the Thracian Leo I (; 401 – 18 January 474), also known as "the Thracian" (; ), was Eastern Roman emperor from 457 to 474. He was a native of Dacia Aureliana near historic Thrace. He is sometimes surnamed with the epithet "the Great" (; ), probably to ...
, and Dalmatia was under the western part of the Roman empire. Dalmatia remained an autonomous area. In 474, Leo I elevated Nepos as emperor of the western part of the empire in order to depose
Glycerius Glycerius (died after 474) was Roman emperor of the West from 473 to 474. He served as (commander of the palace guard) during the reign of Olybrius (), until Olybrius died in November 472. After a four-month interregnum, Glycerius was procl ...
, a usurper emperor. Nepos deposed the usurper, but was in turn deposed in 475 by Orestes, who made his son
Romulus Augustus Romulus Augustus (after 511), nicknamed Augustulus, was Roman emperor of the West from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. Romulus was placed on the imperial throne while still a minor by his father Orestes, the , for whom he served as littl ...
emperor in the west. Leo I refused to recognize him and still held Julius Nepos as the emperor of the west. Romulus Augustus was deposed in 476 by
Odoacer Odoacer ( – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a barbarian soldier and statesman from the Middle Danube who deposed the Western Roman child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became the ruler of Italy (476–493). Odoacer' ...
, who proclaimed himself king of Italy. Nepos remained in Dalmatia and continued to govern it until he was assassinated in 480. Ovida, a military commander, was in charge of Dalmatia thereafter. However, Odoacer used Nepos' murder as a pretext to invade Dalmatia, defeated Ovida and annexed Dalmatia to his
kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
. In 488
Zeno Zeno may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Zeno (surname) Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 B ...
, the new emperor of the east, sent
Theodoric the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal, was king of the Ostrogoths (475–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy between 493 and 526, regent of the Visigoths (511–526 ...
, the king of the
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 ...
, to Italy so as to depose Odoacer. Zeno also wanted to get rid of the Ostrogoths, who were Roman allies and were settled in the eastern part of the empire, but were becoming restless and difficult to manage. Theodoric fought a four-year war in Italy, killed Odoacer, settled his people in Italy and established the
Ostrogothic Kingdom The Ostrogothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of Italy (), was a barbarian kingdom established by the Germanic Ostrogoths that controlled Italian peninsula, Italy and neighbouring areas between 493 and 553. Led by Theodoric the Great, the Ost ...
there. Dalmatia and the rest of the former diocese of Pannonia came under the Ostrogothic Kingdom.


List of governors of Dalmatia

* Publius Silius, son of Publius: between 19 and 16 BC * Gaius Vibius Postumus: c.9 or 10 AD, first governor * Marcus Servilius, son of Gaius, probably before 14 AD * Publius Cornelius Dolabella: 14–20 * Lucius Volusius Saturninus: 20–37 * Lucius Arruntius Camillus Scribonianus: c. AD 41 *
Gaius Calpetanus Rantius Sedatus Gaius Calpetanus Rantius Sedatus was a Roman senator, who held a number of offices in the imperial service. He was suffect consul in the '' nundinium'' of March to April 47 with Hordeonius Flaccus as his colleague. He is known primarily from inscr ...
: c. AD 48 *
Aulus Ducenius Geminus Aulus Ducenius Geminus was a Roman senator active in the first century AD. Geminus is best known as Galba's appointment as Urban prefect of Rome during the Year of Four Emperors.Tacitus, '' Histories'', i.14 Geminus had family connections with ...
: AD 67/68 or before * Marcus Pompeius Silvanus Staberius Flavinus: 67/68—70 *
Lucius Plotius Pegasus (Lucius?) Plotius Pegasus was a Roman senator and jurisconsult active under the Flavian dynasty. He was suffect consul in an uncertain year, most likely 72 or 73, as the colleague of Lucius Cornelius Pusio Annius Messalla. Shortly after his asce ...
: 70/71–72/73 * Lucius Funisulanus Vettonianus: 79/80–81/82 *
Gaius Cilnius Proculus Gaius Cilnius Proculus was a Roman Empire, Roman Roman senate, senator active during the reign of Domitian. He was Roman consul, suffect consul for the ''nundinium'' September–December AD 87 with Lucius Neratius Priscus (consul 87), Lucius Nerati ...
: between 87 and 97 * Quintus Pomponius Rufus: 92/93–94/95 * Macer: 98/99–99/100 * Gaius Minicius Fundanus: after 107, probably 108/109–111/112 *
Publius Coelius Balbinus Vibullius Pius Publius Coelius Balbinus Vibullius Pius was a Roman senator active during the first half of the second century AD. He was consul for 137 as the colleague of Lucius Aelius. Balbinus is known only from non-literary sources, where he is usually referr ...
: after 137 *
Marcus Aemilius Papus Marcus Cutius Priscus Messius Rusticus Aemilius Papus Arrius Proculus Julius Celsus (known by the short name Marcus Aemilius Papus) was a Roman senator who held a series of offices in the emperor's service. He was suffect consul for the '' nundiniu ...
: 147—150 * Titus Prifernius Paetus Rosianus Geminus: 153–156 * Sextus Aemilius Equester: 159–162 * Publius Julius Scapula Tertullus: 164–169 * Pollienus Auspex: c. 173–175 * Marcus Didius Iulianus: c. 175–177 *
Gaius Vettius Sabinianus Julius Hospes Gaius Vettius Sabinianus Julius Hospes (fl. 2nd century) was a Roman military officer and senator. He was born into the equestrian order, possibly in North Africa. He held the traditional series of military, administrative and judicial positio ...
: c. 177–178 *
Gaius Arrius Antoninus Gaius Arrius Antoninus was a Roman senator and jurist active in the last half of the second century AD, who held a number of offices in the emperor's service. The date when he was suffect consul is not attested, but has been estimated to be around ...
: c. 178–179 * Lucius Aurelius Gallus: c. 179–182 *
Lucius Junius Rufinus Proculianus Lucius is a masculine given name derived from Lucius (Latin ; ), abbreviated L., one of the small group of common Latin forenames () found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius probably derives from Latin word ( gen. ), meaning "light" (<
: c. 182–184Unless otherwise stated, the names of the proconsular governors from 182 to 235 are taken from Paul Leunissen, ''Konsuln und Konsulare in der Zeit von Commodus bis Severus Alexander'' (Amsterdam: J.C. Gieben, 1989), pp. 240f * Marcus Cassius Apronianus: after 185 *
Marcus Nummius Umbrius Primus Senecio Albinus Marcus Nummius Umbrius Primus Senecio Albinus (fl. late 2nd century to early 3rd century AD) was a Roman senator who was appointed consul in AD 206 with Lucius Fulvius Gavius Numisius Petronius Aemilianus as his colleague. Biography Senecio Albin ...
: 212–214 * Gaius Avitus Alexianus: c. 214–216 * Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus: c. 223–225 * Gaius Fulvius Maximus: between 222 and 235 * Lucius Domitius Gallicanus Papinianus: c. 238


Independent rulers in the 5th century

* Marcellinus: 454–468 *
Julius Nepos Julius Nepos (died 9 May 480), or simply Nepos, ruled as Roman emperor of the West from 24 June 474 to 28 August 475. After losing power in Italy, Nepos retreated to his home province of Dalmatia, from which he continued to claim the western i ...
: 468–480 * Ovida: 480–481/482


Notes


Bibliography

* Appian, the Foreign Wars, The Illyrian wars, Book 10, The Illyrian Wars; Loeb Classical Library, Vol II, Books 8.2-12, Harvard University Press, 1912;

* Barnes, T., The New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine, Harvard University Press, 1982; * Barnes, T., Constantine: Dynasty, Religion and Power in the Later Roman Empire (Blackwell Ancient Lives), Wiley-Blackwell, reprint edition, 2013; * Cassius Dio, Roman History, Vol 6, Books 51-65 (Loeb Classical Library), Loeb, 1989;

* MacGeorge, P., Late Roman Warlords. Oxford University Press, 2002; . * * * Notitia Dignitarum, BiblioLife, 2009; * *


Sources and external links


Map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalmatia (Roman Province) 480 disestablishments States and territories disestablished in the 5th century Roman Balkans Romanization of Southeastern Europe Croatia in the Roman era Serbia in the Roman era States and territories established in the 1st century BC 20s BC establishments in the Roman Empire 480s disestablishments in the Roman Empire History of Dalmatia