The Sardiatae or Sardiates (alternatively: ''Sardeatae'', ''Sardeates'' or ''Sardiotai'') were an
Illyrian tribe that lived in
Dalmatia
Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
, in the
Pliva valley around the area of
Jajce
Jajce (Јајце) is a town and municipality located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the 2013 census, the town has a population of 7,172 inhabitants, with ...
and
Å ipovo, in present-day
Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are mentioned by
Pliny the Elder, who locates them in the ''
conventus iuridicus
In Ancient Rome territorial organization, a ''conventus iuridicus'' was the capital city of a subdivision of some provinces (Dalmatia, Hispania, Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either cons ...
'' of
Salonae, and reports that they had 52 ''
decuriae''. They are also mentioned by
Ptolemy, and in the ''Libri Coloniarum'' ("Book of Colonies") of the ''
Gromatici Veteres
''Gromatici'' (from Latin '' groma'' or ''gruma'', a surveyor's pole) or ''agrimensores'' was the name for land surveyors amongst the ancient Romans. The "gromatic writers" were technical writers who codified their techniques of surveying, most ...
'' (c. 5th century AD) along with the
Tariotes
The Tariotes or Tariotae were an Illyrian tribe that lived on the Adriatic coast of Dalmatia, in modern-day Croatia. They are considered part of the Dalmatae. The Tariotes are mentioned in the Classical literature by Roman author Pliny the ...
.
The Sardiates are documented, along with other Illyrian tribes like the
Pirustae and
Baridustae, in the epigraphic material of
Alburnus Maior in
Roman Dacia
Roman Dacia ( ; also known as Dacia Traiana, ; or Dacia Felix, 'Fertile/Happy Dacia') was a province of the Roman Empire from 106 to 271–275 AD. Its territory consisted of what are now the regions of Oltenia, Transylvania and Banat (today ...
, a mining town where several Illyrian peoples moved by the time of
Roman emperor Trajan. A great number of inscriptions were recently found reporting the tribal name of the Sardiatae, which were produced after they moved to the new town in Dacia from their ancient tribal areas in Dalmatia. A ''
collegium Sardiatensium/Sardiatarum'' is also attested in Alburnus Maior. The existence of ''collegia'' of the Sardiatae and of the
Baridustae certainly suggests a location of those communities within or near the mining district.
[.]
References
Citations
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Illyrian tribes
Illyrian Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ancient tribes in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ancient tribes in Dacia
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