Nesactium

Nesactium was an ancient city on the Istrian peninsula. Its origin goes back to the people of the Istrian. Since the 2nd century BC Nesactium was a Roman city. During the Slavic invasions of the 7th century AD, it was abandoned.

The city is located on a hill in the southeast of Istria near the Budava Bay at the village Vižače 10 km east of Pula. The site can now be seen as an archaeological park.

History

Nesactium was (1200 BC) inhabited in the Bronze Age. The place was one of the typical of the region castellieri, small fortified villages. The oldest fortification, a listed without mortar rubble stone wall had a length of 800 meters. From the native precursors to the Iron Age culture, which is attributed to the Istrians developed about 1000-800 BC.

From the pre-Roman period, the remains of a door and the mounting as well as a necropolis with 250 tombs have been preserved. The grave goods, ceramics and various metal objects, point out that Nesactium had far-reaching trade relations to Greece, to the Etruscans and in the Alpine region.

In the early 2nd century BC Nesactium was the administrative center of the Istrian. Underpass King Epulo they defended 177 BC the city long but ultimately unsuccessful against the Romans. After the fall of this was destroyed by the Romans, but soon settled it again.

The new Nesactium was created as unfortified Roman city. There was a forum, three temples and baths. The city had the status of municipium. As in the 4th century AD fell the power of the Roman Empire, Nesactium was reattached. At the same time, Christianity spread. The ruins of an early Christian church from that period have also been found in the excavations. When the Slavs invaded Istria in the 7th century, Nesactium was destroyed and abandoned.

The exploration of the ruins began excavations in the years 1902 - 1904th Most finds are preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula.