Justiniana Prima

Coordinates: 42°57′11.69″N 21°40′11.90″E / 42.9532472°N 21.6699722°E / 42.9532472; 21.6699722
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Justiniana.
Justiniana Prima
Native name
Јустинијана Прима/Justinijana Prima or Царичин Град/Caričin Grad
Founded535 AD
Built forArchbishopric, Imperial estate
Demolished17th century
RestoredPartially in the 1930s
Archeological Site of Exceptional Importance
Designated12 February 1949
Reference no.AN 24[1]

Justiniana Prima (

Latin: Iustiniana Prima; Serbian: Јустинијана Прима, romanized: Justinijana Prima) was an Eastern Roman city that existed from 535 to 615 CE, near modern Lebane in the Leskovac region, Serbia. It is currently an archaeological site. Founded by Emperor Justinian I (527-565), it was the metropolitan seat of the newly founded Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima, which became the main church administrative body of the central Dardania with jurisdiction from Praevalitana to Dacia Ripensis.[2][3] Justinian Prima was originally designed to become the capital of the prefecture of Illyricum, but for reasons likely related with its status near the Roman frontiers of the 6th century CE, Thessaloniki
was preferred. It was abandoned less than 100 years after its foundation.

In 1979, the archaeological site of Justiniana Prima, identified with Caričin Grad, was added to the

Republic of Serbia
.

History

Aeroimage in 1937. Photo archive of the Military Geographical Institute of Serbia[4]

Justiniana Prima was founded by Emperor

Macedonia Salutaris, Praevalitana and the territory of Bassianae in Pannonia Secunda.[6]

The establishment of the Archbishopric is mentioned in Justinian's own Novel XI from 535, when he promotes the

Eastern Illyricum, who was a papal vicar.[7]

The city was to become capital of Illyricum, but Thessaloniki was preferred and Justinian Prima received jurisdiction over the territories of the Diocese of Dacia. Still, the new foundation was not without importance and Justinian made sure that this city, which was one of his favourite projects, received all the necessary support. In 545 Justinian issued another law underlining the episcopal rights and status of Justiniana Prima, which is also confirmed by letters that were exchanged between Justinian and Pope Gregory I at the end of the 6th century.

The city planning combined classical and Christian elements:

The Buildings
, describes the city as follows:

He therefore built a wall of small compass about this place in the form of a square, placing a tower at each corner, and caused it to be called, as it actually is, Tetrapyrgia. And close by this place he built a very notable city which he named Justiniana Prima, thus paying a debt of gratitude to the home that fostered him. In that place also he constructed an aqueduct and so caused the city to be abundantly supplied with ever-running water. And many other enterprises were carried out by the founder of this city - works of great size and worthy of especial note. For to enumerate the churches is not easy, and it is impossible to tell in words of the lodgings for magistrates, the great stoas, the fine marketplaces, the fountains, the streets, the baths, the shops. In brief, the city is both great and populous and blessed in every way.

The town was abandoned at around 615. Invading Avars coming from north of the Danube may be one factor, missing political interest in the town after the time of Justinian may be another. Among many other imported finds the presence of 2 pieces of a specific type of fibulae and handmade pottery have been understood as an indication of the presence of Slavs already before the Avar incursion (584).[8]

Archaeological site

The huge correlation between the archaeological site and the description by Procopius as well as finds of seals of the archbishop of Iustiniana Prima have determined the identification of Justiniana Prima with Caričin Grad.[9] There have been archaeological excavations for nearly 100 years with the participation of French and more recently also German researchers. There is a permanent exhibition in the national museum in Leskovac. At the site itself monuments there are impressive remains of the fortification, the acropolis as well as of several churches and many other buildings.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Информациони систем непокретних културних добара".
  2. ^ Meyendorff 1989, pp. 56–57.
  3. ^ Turlej 2016, p. 135-192.
  4. ^ The Military Geographical Institute of Serbia
  5. ISBN 90 04 12567 1
    .
  6. ^ Ivanišević & Stamenković 2014, p. 223.
  7. ^ Turlej 2016, p. 47-86.
  8. ^ Janković 2004, p. 39-61.
  9. ^ Ivanišević 2016, p. 107-126.

Sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Justiniana Prima.

42°57′11.69″N 21°40′11.90″E / 42.9532472°N 21.6699722°E / 42.9532472; 21.6699722

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