KOMPAS

tourism&travel

Belgrade - Singidunum SINGIDUNUM

Belgrade
Kostolac - Viminacium
VIMINACIUM
Kostolac

Gamzigrad - Felix Romuliana FELIX ROMULIANA

Gamzigrad

NAISSUS
Niš - Naissus
Niš

Brzi Brod - Mediana MEDIANA

Brzi Brod

SINGIDUNUM
Belgrade

FOUR DayS Excursion

BELGRADE Day 1.
SINGIDUNUM
The Romans first began to conquer lands sur-
rounding Singidun during the first centu-
ry BC. Singidun was Romanized to Singidunum.
Singidunum became an important and strate-
gic position along the Via Militaris, an impor-
tant Roman road connecting fortresses and set-
tlements along the Danubian limes, or border.

Singidunum reached its height with the arrival of Legio IV

Flavia Felix in 86 AD. The legion set up as a square-shaped
castrum (fort), which occu- pied Upper Town of today’s
Kalemegdan. At first, the for- tress was set up as earthen
bulwarks, but soon after, it was fortified with stone, the
remains of which can be seen today near the northeastern
corner of the acropolis.
The grid structure can be seen in today’s Belgrade with the orien-
tation of the streets Uzun Mirkova, Dušanova, and Kralja Petra I.
Studentski Trg (Students’ Square) was
a Roman forum, bordered by thermae
and also preserves the orientation the
Romans gave Singidunum. Other rem-
nants of Roman material culture such
as tombs, monuments, sculptures, ce-
ramics, and coins have been found vil-
lages and towns surrounding Belgrade.
KOSTOLAC Day 2.
VIMINACIUM

The largest city of upper Moe- sia, Vimina-

cium, was formed on the right bank of the
river Mlava, close to its con- fluence with
the Danube, near he present- day town of
Kostolac. Owing to excellent communica-
tions, especially the Danube as well as its
tributaries, the Morava, the Mlava and the
Pek, Viminacium was of pri- mary strate-
gic importance for the Roman Empire.
Viminacium was founded following long wars against
the indigenous population which the Romans waged
during the 1st century BC. With the arrival of legion
VII Claudia from Dalmatia during 60’s and the 70’s,
the construction of a stone camp in Viminacium
commenced. Viminacium quickly grew into a city,
witch was made official by declaring it a municipium
during the reign of Hadrian, in the year 117.
A change of the legal
status of Viminacium
took place during the
reign of Gordian III: it
became a colony and
its inhabitants became
full Roman citizens.
GAMZIGRAD Day 3.
FELIX ROMULIANA

In an area south of the Dan-

ube, near the present-day city
of Zaječar, lies the ancient
Roman settlement of Felix
Romuliana, where Emperor
Gaius Valerius Galerius built a
vast palace called Gamzigrad
between 297 and 311 A.D.

Several remains have been uncovered here, in-

cluding sections of the public space - baths, tem-
ples, city gates and squares - as well as portions
of Galerius’ magnificent palace with a small temple
and altar, and a luxurious residence with four big
halls decorated with frescoes and floor mosaics.

Gamzigrad’s two most beautiful mosaics (represent-

ing the Labyrinth and Dionysus respectively) are to
be seen in the Museum of Zajecar, which also has
two marble heads (Jupiter and Hercules) and a por-
phyry portreit of Galerius.
NIŠ Day 4.
NAISSUS

In the zenith of its growth and flourish-

ing, Naissus was one of the most important
crossroads of the Moesian, Trachian and
Dardanian road-network, because it was the
intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the
Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople,
and Singidunum (Belgrade).

In the zenith of its growth and flourishing,

Naissus was one of the most important cross-
roads of the Moesian, Trachian and Dardanian
road-network, because it was the intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the
Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople, and Singidunum (Belgrade).
In ancient times, Naissus was an important stronghold and an invincible cas-
trum. Its extraordinary geographic position
made Naissus an important strategic spot,
mentioned in many records on military affairs
in the Balkans from the 2nd century on.

Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-

337), Diocletianus’ successor to the throne
born in Naissus in 274, richly endowed his
birthplace. He built majestic edifices here,
and made Niš an important economic, mili-
tary and administrative centre.
BRZI BROD 4. Day
MEDIANA
Mediana, located near the city of Niš, was a palace built to honor the late Ro-
man Emperor Constantine I the Great, who was born in Niš and who brought
Christianity to the empire in the 4th century A.D.
Mediana, a suburb of the ancient city of Naissus, was situated in vicinity of the
river and thermal springs, on the area of 40 hectares.

Mediana was built at the beginning of the 4th century B.C, during the time of
the Konstantine the Great. It was used as a residency for Roman Emperors
during their visits to Naissus.
This important archeological site is a concentrated wealth of treasure of the
Roman province of Naissus. The palace is luxurious and large and contains a
villa with thermal baths, granary and water tower, as well as numerous fres-
coes and mosaics.
BELGRADE 5. Day
SINGIDUNUM