Nesactium
Encyclopedia
Nesactium was an ancient fortified town of the Histrii tribe. Its ruins are located in southern Istria
, Croatia
, between the village of Muntić and Valtura.
, was the capital of the tribal population of the peninsula called Histri
, connected also to the prehistoric Castellieri culture
. There are some theories stating their later Celt
ic influence, but who they were and where they came from has never been discovered for certain. Supposedly their main economic activities were trade and piracy all over the ancient Mediterranean Sea. All indicates they were a particular ethnical group, such as Etruscans in nearest Italy. Still today they was wrongly mentioned as a part of illyrians
.
In 177 BC the town was conquered by the Romans
and destroyed. Rebuilt upon the original Histrian pattern, it was a Roman town until the 46-45 BC, when the ancient Greek colonies Polai was elevated to Pietas Iulia, today Pula
. The town was crossed by the ancient Via Flavia
, which connected Triest to Dalmatia
. Its Histro-Roman walls still remain.
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, between the village of Muntić and Valtura.
History
In pre-Roman times Nesactium with his legendary king EpulonEpulon
Epulon was an Illyrian king of Histria in northern Illyria. Livy who described the Roman wars against the Histrians call him a king. However Epulon wasn't truly a king in the sense that Livy thought, but the leader of the Histrian tribe, selected by the tribal council...
, was the capital of the tribal population of the peninsula called Histri
Histri
Histri were an ancient tribe, which Strabo refers to as living in Istria, to which they gave the name.The Histri are classified in some sources as a "Venetic" Illyrian tribe, with certain linguistic differences from other Illyrians. The Romans described the Histri as a fierce tribe of pirates,...
, connected also to the prehistoric Castellieri culture
Castellieri culture
The Castellieri culture developed in Istria during the Mid-Bronze Age, and later expanded into the modern Venezia Giulia, Dalmatia and the neighbouring areas. It lasted for more than a millennium, from the 15th century BC until the Roman conquest in the 3rd century BC...
. There are some theories stating their later Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic influence, but who they were and where they came from has never been discovered for certain. Supposedly their main economic activities were trade and piracy all over the ancient Mediterranean Sea. All indicates they were a particular ethnical group, such as Etruscans in nearest Italy. Still today they was wrongly mentioned as a part of illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
.
In 177 BC the town was conquered by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
and destroyed. Rebuilt upon the original Histrian pattern, it was a Roman town until the 46-45 BC, when the ancient Greek colonies Polai was elevated to Pietas Iulia, today Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
. The town was crossed by the ancient Via Flavia
Via Flavia
The Via Flavia was an ancient Roman road which connected Trieste to Dalmatia, running across the Istrian coast. It was built during the reign of emperor Vespasian, in 78/79 AD....
, which connected Triest to Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
. Its Histro-Roman walls still remain.