Viminacium

Viminacium (also Viminacium ) in ancient times was an important border town of the province of Moesia and the headquarters of the Roman Legio VII Claudia. In the former city area also houses the mausoleum of the Roman emperor Hostilian.

Location

Viminacium was a pillar of the Roman defense against the invading barbarians from the north. It lay near the present-day Kostolac at Požarevac in eastern Serbia. In the Via Militaris met the Danube route, which linked Sirmium on Viminacium along the Danube with Dorostorum and Troesmis.

History

In the third century the city experienced a decline due to the plague. Following the murders after the death of Constantine the Great met here the Emperor sons Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans to divide the kingdom among themselves ( Conference Viminacium ). To 440 Viminacium was destroyed by the Huns. Whether the city was rebuilt by Justinian I. Anastasius I or back and included in the fortifications on the Danube, is not known.

584 the city was destroyed by the Avars, but succeeded in the Eastern Roman commander Priscus during the Balkan campaigns of Maurikios calculated on the northern bank of the Danube opposite Viminacium 599 for the first time a victory over the Avars in their own country. So he created the basis for the (initially not visible ) decline of Avar hegemony in Eastern Europe.

On a late Roman diocese of the city Titularerzbistum Viminacium the Roman Catholic Church is declining.

Excavations

For 25 years researching and archaeologists excavate in the archaeological site. At the 10,000 graves were uncovered there and recovered over 30,000 objects. It is therefore sometimes called the Pompeii of the Balkans.

Among other things, the tomb of the Roman emperor's soldiers Hostilian was identified. It was 251, after the death of his father Decius was proclaimed together with Trebonianus Gallus the Roman emperor, reigned only a few months and died of the plague in 251. His body was burned before the town and buried on the spot, also with burnt offerings.

In the city, a significant mint of the third century after Christ was who coined especially copper coins for the important military northern Balkans.

Current Events

According Prospector Miomir Korac destroy completely unknown perpetrators with excavators and large machinery part of the ancient theater in search of gold and other treasures. The perpetrators have destroyed many well-preserved columns and previously undiscovered tombs and houses remains. Since the large-scale facility is located in a remote area and will not guarded, the grave robbers were apparently strike several times.