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The Landscape Changes in Classical Antiquity in Roman Dalmatia (Territory of Today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia)

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The Landscape Changes in Classical Antiquity in Roman Dalmatia (Territory of Today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia) Begović V., Schrunk I., Kereković D. (2012). The landscape changes in Classical Antiquity in Roman Dalmatia (territory of today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia). In: D. Kereković, R. Źróbek (ed.). GIS for Geoscientists. Croatian Information Technology Association – GIS Forum, University of Silesia, Zagreb, 143-158. THE LANDSCAPE CHANGES IN CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY IN ROMAN DALMATIA (territory of today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia) Vlasta Begović Institut za arheologiju Gajeva 32, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia Ivančica Schrunk University of St. Thomas St. Paul, Minnesota 55105, USA Davorin Kereković, GIS Forum Ilica 191 e, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia Abstract In the course of the ongoing research project “Archaeological Topography of Croatia in Classical Antiquity” the application of a new GIS procedure made it possible to make reconstructions of some Roman sites and past landscapes (landscape in classical antiquity) on the territory of today Dubrovnik- Neretva County (Croatia). The GIS approach to the study of changes in historical landscapes indicated that the greatest transformation of the landscape occurred in the Roman period. The Roman beginning of the new settlements has the roots in commercial and strategic needs of the expanding power in the eastern Adriatic territory such as in the exploitation of the local resources. The procese of Romanization divided that territory into the colonies of Narona and Epidaur two great centres with their ager. The most significant legacy was the division of fertile lands in Konavle, Ston field, Pelješac peninsula, Neretva and Korčula field between colonies and villa’s propertes. Building of the roads and naval bases was the part of the plan of Roman domination and pacification of the territory. Territorial creativity was high in the Roman time, when a completely new landscape identity appeared after the 2nd/1st century BC in Dalmatia. The exploitation of the land and the intensive planting of new cash crops – vineyards and olives tree occurred. Roman villas as the centres of the agriculturally productive landscape were settled on the mainland and the islands. The scientific project “Archaeological Topography of Croatia in Classical Antiquity” and the application of new GIS procedure made the reconstruction of the landscape in classical Antiquity on the territory of today Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Roman architecture features are the markers in the landscape. Key words: GIS, archaeological topography, historical landscape in classical antiquity, Dubrovnik- Neretva County, 4th century BC to 6th century AD Introduction The Dubrovnik –Neretva county covers the coastal area, hilly terrain and mountain area with the lower course of the Neretva River (Neretva delta with coastal swamps), and Pelješac peninsula, islands of Korčula, Mljet, Lastovo, Šipan, Lopud and Lokrum and lot of small islands and rocks as well. The territory consist of a relatively narrow elongated coastal area with two parts Konavle field and hilly terrain south of Dubrovnik (the highest top is on the mountain Snježnica, Ilijin vrh 1234 m ) and Dubrovačko primorje north of Dubrovnik (the highest top is Nepropić 965 m) , Ston field, Pelješac peninsula and river Neretva delta. There are five deep bays - Cavtat port, Gruž port, Rijeka Dubrovačka bay, Ston port and Ploče bay. On the both side of Neretva delta are coastal swamps and on the side of them hilly terrain with highest top on Babina gm. 736 m on the right bank of the river (north of Neretva) and the hill Mala Žaba on the left bank of the river (south of Neretva) with the 143 Begović V., Schrunk I., Kereković D. (2012). The landscape changes in Classical Antiquity in Roman Dalmatia (territory of today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia). In: D. Kereković, R. Źróbek (ed.). GIS for Geoscientists. Croatian Information Technology Association – GIS Forum, University of Silesia, Zagreb, 143-158. highest top on Matica peak 681 m above the sea level. The area is reach with the drinking water and coastal swamps (as Vitruvius wrote the healthy swamps because of mixing salt and drinking water) and on the north of river Neretva there is the lake Bačinska. The fertile fields are on Pelješac peninsula and hilly terrain as well (the highest point is St. Ilija above Orebić 960 m ) and fertile land on Korčula island (the highest point is Veli Vrh 473 m). The great forests rich with pine trees are on Mljet island (the highest point is Veli Grad 512 m) and Lastovo island (the highest top is Hum 415 m above the sea level). The landscape was quite different in classical antiquity because of the sinking of the Eastern Adriatic coast from the Antiquity approximatelly 2 m - about 1 mm a year (Begović, Schrunk 2008, 289-300) and the change of the river banks of the Neretva and Norin. Fig 1 Dubrovnik Neretva County as the part of Roman province Dalmatia In the 4th century BC historical sources mention the emporium Naron on the later site of the Roman colony Narona (Vid near Metković). The remains of the forum in Narona with the imperial shrine (the Augusteum) are famous. Another roman colony was Epidaurum (Cavtat). The line of the city aqueduct was documented in traces near Epidaurum. Roman maritime villas were found in Tiha Bay and on Sustjepan promontory near Cavtat, at Polače on the island of Mljet, Sreser, Lumbarda on the island of Korčula, Ubli on the island of Lastovo. Early Christian churches at Ston, Slano, Pelješac and Vid near Metković add to the rich archaeological corpus in this area (Faber 1966; Marin 2004). At the beginning of the Roman domination, the legatus (governor) of the province of Dalmatia Publius Cornelius Dolabella (14 – 20 AD) with the legionnaires of the VII and XI legions built five roads, which began in the main city of the province, in Salona, and led to the borders of the province. The two longer roads led north to Servitium and east to Sirmium. Three of them (the shorter ones) were entirely within the territory of Dalmatia. There are the inscriptions carved in the rock near Epidaurus (today Cavtat) telling about the building of these roads (Zaninović 2008). The major south- north road went connected Salona - Siscia – Poetovio. The graphical database in the project “Archaeological Topography of Croatia in Classical Antiquity” The objectives of the GIS project are: 1) Building a geocoded database of the archaeological sites in the Republic of Croatia. The first stage is to build a geocoded database of the sites in classical antiquity (4th century BC-6th century AD), then of the prehistoric and medieval sites. 2) Facilitating the use of the graphics data (of different precise value) for different spatial and expertise analyses. 3) Preparing a database of the archaeological sites for the wider circle of data and analysis users. 4) Designing the database to accept the installation of various new graphical data. The graphical database in the project “Archaeological Topography of Croatia in Classical Antiquity” are digital maps in 1:3000 000, 1:25 000, 1:1 000 (and even more detailed maps), satellite images, electromagnetic surveys, aerial photographs, 3-D models of the terrain, photographs, drawings, and other types of graphical documentation. For each archaeological site a series of 20 data entries are given – number, county, municipality, region, geocode (geographical width from Greenwich, England, geographical length from the equator), site (by spatial data and abc), name, part of the site, neighbouring settlement, archaeological museum with the jurisdiction over the site, toponyme, identification data, historical dating, and conducted archaeological excavations and investigations. The professional classification of the archaeological sites and features are: settlement, road, castrum, bridge, villa, architecture, grave, church, monastery, city, forum, temple, theatre, amphitheatre, aqueduct, individual finding, etc. The study of archaeological topography is the basis for knowing the total number of sites, their type, degree of preservation and value, as well as their spatial setting and precise position. The data refer to the entire Republic of Croatia (land, underground, and underwater), with a special emphasis on the architectural heritage of both urban and rural character, as well as archaeological finds and documented historical road network. The data also include historical sources and toponomy. To supplement the data from the existing literature and reports on archaeological excavations, we use data from non-aggressive archaeological methods, such as the interpreting satellite images and aerial photographs, as well as the results of electromagnetic survey - following the recommendations of the European convention on protection of the archaeological heritage. A database is formed and mapping is performed on a topographic map and on a digital map of Croatia. Determination of geographic 144 Begović V., Schrunk I., Kereković D. (2012). The landscape changes in Classical Antiquity in Roman Dalmatia (territory of today Dubrovnik-Neretva County - Croatia). In: D. Kereković, R. Źróbek (ed.). GIS for Geoscientists. Croatian Information Technology Association – GIS Forum, University of Silesia, Zagreb, 143-158. coordinates (geocode) is done on the basis of topographic maps in the scale of 1:100 000 and town plans (VAH 2002) and by Global Positioning System by reading on the archaeological sites. For the requirement of mapping topographic data a printout was acquired from the graphic base of the registry of spatial units in the digital record in the DWG format. Each attribute card received its datum on the digital map. Fig 2 The Archaeological Sites – Roman architecture features as the markers in the landscape Roman colonies The Roman provinces of Dalmatia (Roman administrative division of the imperial territory) are today situated on the south of the Republic of Croatia. The procese of Romanization divided that territory into the colonies of Narona and Epidaur two great centres with their ager. Narona is first mentioned in the historical sources in 4 th century BC the emporium Naron. At the present village of Vid visible are the remains of the ancient architecture of Narona.
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