Destinikon (), rendered in Serbian as Dostinik ( sr-cyr, Достиник) or Dostinika (Достиника), was one of eight inhabited cities (καστρα/kastra) of "baptized Serbia" (the hinterland of the Serbian Principality), mentioned in ''

De Administrando Imperio ''De Administrando Imperio'' ("On the Governance of the Empire") is the Latin title of a Greek-language work written by the 10th-century Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine VII. The Greek title of the work is ("To yown son Romanos"). It is a domes ...

'' (950s, abbr. DAI). The exact location is undetermined, although modern studies point to locations in Raška and

Metohija Metohija ( sr-Cyrl, Метохија, ) or Dukagjin ( sq, Rrafshi i Dukagjinit, ) is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo. The region covers 35% (3,891 km2) of Kosovo's total area. According ...

. The DAI mentions Destinikon as the first among the enumerated cities ("Destinikon, Tzernabouskeï, Megyretous, Dresneïk, Lesnik, Salines, Katera, Desnik") of "baptized Serbia". In chapter 32, the DAI tells of

Klonimir Klonimir ( gr, Κλονίμηρος, sr-cyr, Клонимир; fl. 896) was a Serbs, Serbian prince of the Vlastimirović dynasty, and pretender to the throne of the Principality of Serbia (early medieval), Serbian Principality. His father and u ...

, an exiled dynastical member in Bulgaria, who marched an army into Serbia, entering the city of Destinikon with the intent of seizing the throne, but was defeated by Prince Petar, in ca. 896.

Studies

*P. Petrović and P. Vlahović (1984) concluded that it was most likely southeast of

Ras Ras or RAS may refer to: Arts and media * RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label * Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service * Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station * Rás 2, an Icelandic radio stati ...

. This presumption is confirmed by the fact that the DAI mentions Klonimir attacking Petar, coming from Bulgaria. * R. Novaković (1981), studying fort ruins in the area of the early medieval Serbian state believed Ždrelo or Gradište Gedže, in

Orahovac Rahovec ( sq-definite, Rahoveci) or Orahovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Ораховац) is a town and municipality located in the District of Prizren in western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Rahovec has 15,892 inhabitants, while the ...

, to have been the site. The site, ruins of a fortified city with towers, is located at a hill called Gradiš or Gradeš, dated to the 9th–10th centuries. *Metohija *

Aleksandar Deroko Aleksandar Deroko ( sr-cyr, Александар Дероко; 4 September 1894 – 30 November 1988) was a Serbian architect, artist, and author. He was a professor of the Belgrade University and a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Ar ...

noted that it may have been early Sjenica. *Croatian linguist P. Skok (1881–1956) and Serbian historian V. Korać (1924–2010) believed it to be Drsnik, in

. *Serbian historian S. Novaković (1842–1915) and K. Grot believed it to be

Deževa Deževa is a village situated in Novi Pazar municipality in Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeaster ...

, in Raška. *Slovak historian P. J. Šafárik (1795–1861) believed it to be on the Lower Drina, near the villages of Disit and Desna. *Czech historian K. J. Jireček (1854–1918) believed it to have been located west of Ras. This view was supported by Serbian historian S. Stanojević (1874–1937). *Serbian historian

M. Blagojević ( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of resp ...

(1930–2012) believed it to have been in the '' župa'' (county) of

Hvosno Hvosno ( sr-Cyrl, Хвосно, "thick wood") was a medieval Serbian county ( sr, / ) located in the northern part of the Metohija region, in what is today Kosovo. It roughly encompassed the areas of the modern Istog and Peja municipalities. It ...

. *Serbian historian

S. Ćirković S is the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet. S may also refer to: History * an Anglo-Saxon charter's number in Peter Sawyer's, catalogue Language and linguistics * Long s (ſ), a form of the lower-case letter s formerly used where "s ...

(1929–2009) presumed it was on the road "from Ras towards the Lim valley". *Serbian historian Vladimir Ćorović deemed the location unknown. *Remains of a fortification thought to be that of Destinikon have been found in the Archaeological site of Vrsjenice, near Sjenica. The findings date from late antiquity and early Byzantine.

References

Sources

* * ** * {{Historical capitals of Serbia Former populated places in the Balkans Lost cities and towns 9th century in Serbia 10th century in Serbia Principality of Serbia (early medieval)