Scupi (''Σκούποι'' in
ancient greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
) is an archaeological site located between Zajčev Rid (''Зајчев Рид'' 'Rabbit Hill') and the
Vardar River
The Vardar (; mk, , , ) or Axios () is the longest river in North Macedonia and the second longest river in Greece, in which it reaches the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki. It is long, out of which are in Greece, and drains an area of around . Th ...
, several kilometers from the center of
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
in
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
. A Roman military camp was founded here in the second century BC on the site of an older
Dardani
The Dardani (; grc, Δαρδάνιοι, Δάρδανοι; la, Dardani) or Dardanians were a Paleo-Balkan people, who lived in a region that was named Dardania after their settlement there. They were among the oldest Balkan peoples, and their ...
an settlement. It became later ''Colonia Flavia Aelia Scupi'' and many veteran legionnaires were settled there. A Roman town was founded in the time of
Domitian
Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavi ...
(AD 81–96) and Scupi became the chief center for romanizing Dardania. It was abandoned in AD 518 after an earthquake destroyed the city.
History
![Tombstone - Skupi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Tombstone_-_Skupi.jpg)
Scupi became the capital of
Dardania, which extended from
Naissus to
Bylazora
Bylazora or Vilazora ( grc, Βυλάζωρα) was a Paeonian city from the period of early classic antiquity. It is located near the village of Knezhje, which is part of the municipality of Sveti Nikole in North Macedonia.
History
Polybius te ...
, in the second century BC. The Dardanians had remained independent after the Roman conquest of Macedonia, because they had supported the Romans, hoping to enlarge their territory in this way. It is not clear when the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
finally annexed Dardania and it seems most likely that the Dardani actually lost independence in 28 BC. Scupi grew up as a colony of legionnaires, mainly veterans of the Legio VII Claudia in the time of
Domitian
Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavi ...
(AD 81–96), even though several legions of
Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus (; 115 – 53 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He is often called "the richest man in Rome." Wallechinsky, David & Wallace, I ...
' army of 29-28 BC, may already have been stationed there, before the official imperial command in this area was instituted. Scupi was included in
Moesia Superior
Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; el, Μοισία, Moisía) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River, which included most of the territory of modern eastern Serbia, Kosovo, north-eastern Alban ...
after the province was formed in AD 6. From 272 AD, it was a colony inside the Roman province of
Dardania after Dardania was established. Scupi was ravaged several times by barbarians, in AD 269 by the Goths, in 5th century by the Huns and finally in the year 518 was completely destroyed by an earthquake. Life in Scupi stopped after the earthquake and it is assumed that the people from Scupi moved to live on Kale, a hill in the center of Skopje.
The moving of the city is often connected with the founding of
Justiniana Prima
Justiniana Prima (Latin: , sr, Јустинијана Прима, Justinijana Prima) was an Eastern Roman city that existed from 535 to 615, and currently an archaeological site, known as or ''Caričin Grad'' ( sr, Царичин Град), nea ...
. Justiniana Prima was a legendary city founded by
Justinian I
Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565.
His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...
, who reigned over the Eastern Roman Empire in 527–565. The connection is based on the assumption that the village Taor which is located near Skopje is
Tauresium
Tauresium (Latin; mk, Тауресиум), today as Gradište ( mk, Градиште), is an archaeological site in North Macedonia, approximately southeast of the capital Skopje. Tauresium is the birthplace of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (ca. ...
, Justinian I's birthplace, and by the description of Justininiana Prima by Procopius that suits Skopje's fortress (Kale), the
Old Bazaar
The Old Bazaar ( mk, Стара чаршија, ''Stara čaršija''; ; tr, Eski Çarşı or Üsküp Türk Çarşısı) is a bazaar located in Skopje, North Macedonia, situated on the eastern bank of the Vardar River, stretching from the Stone Br ...
and the aqueduct which are still landmarks of Skopje.
Excavations
![Skupi sarcophagus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Skupi_sarcophagus.jpg)
The excavations on the archaeological site started in the period between the two World Wars.
Radoslav Gruić discovered the early Christian basilica in 1925 and the most important discovery was made by
Nikola Vulić Nikola Vulić ( sr-cyr, Никола Вулић); (Shkodër, Ottoman Empire, 27 November 1872 – Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 25 May 1945) was a Serbian historian, classical philologist, prominent archaeologist, doctor of philosophy and professor at the ...
, a Serbian archeologist, when he found the ancient
Macedonian theater. Nikola Vulić was the archeologist that published most about Scupi.
Excavations on the site were done in 1959–61 by Duje Rendić-Miočević that were published in 1981 and by
Ivan Mikulčić
Ivan Mikulčić ( Croatian: Ivan Luka Mikulčić; Macedonian: Иван Микулчиќ) was a prominent archaeologist from North Macedonia.
Biography
Mikulcic was born on March 25, 1936, in the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the Srem town of I ...
published in 1971 and 1973.
The Museum of the City of Skopje began new excavation and conservation work on the site from 1966 led by
Milutin Garašanin
Milutin Garašanin ( sr-Cyrl, Милутин Гарашанин; 22 February 1843 – 5 March 1898) was a Serbian politician who held the post of Prime Minister of Serbia, President of the National Assembly, Minister of Finance, Internal affairs ...
. From 1980 the person responsible for the excavation and conservation work on the site is
Dušanka Koraćević.
In July 2008, a well-preserved statue of the Roman goddess
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...
was found. The statue measures in height.
The
Illyrian tribe
Albanoi
The Albanoi ( grc, Ἀλβανοί, ''Albanoi''; la, Albani) were an Illyrian tribe. They were possibly first mentioned by Hecataeus of Miletus (550-476 BCE) under the name ''Abroi''. Ptolemy (200-118 BCE) is the first authors who mentions them ...
is attested in an ancient funeral inscription in Scupi It was excavated in 1931 by Nikola Vulić and its text was curated and published in 1982 by
Borka Dragojević-Josifovska
Borka Dragojević-Josifovska, in Serbian: ''Борка Драгојевић-Јосифовска'' (1910 - 2004) was a Bosnian archaeologist, museum curator, numismatist and philologist, who was Professor of Classical Philology at Ss. Cyril an ...
. The inscription in Latin reads "POSIS MESTYLU F
LIUS
''Lius'' is a genus of beetles in the family Buprestidae, containing the following species:
* '' Lius aculeatus'' (Gory, 1841)
* '' Lius adonis'' Saunders, 1876
* '' Lius aeneicollis'' Kerremans, 1896
* '' Lius aeneovirens'' Obenberger, 1932
* ...
FL
VIA
Via or VIA may refer to the following:
Science and technology
* MOS Technology 6522, Versatile Interface Adapter
* ''Via'' (moth), a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae
* Via (electronics), a through-connection
* VIA Technologies, a Taiwan ...
DELVS MVCATI F
LIA
Lia is a feminine given name. In the Spanish-speaking world, it is accented Lía. In America, the name may be a variant of Leah or Lea. Lia may be a diminutive of various names including Julia, Cecilia, Amelia, Talia, Cornelia, Ophelia, Rosal ...
DOM
ALBANOP
LIIPSA DELVS" ("Posis Mestylu, son of Flavia, daughter of Delus Mucati, who comes from Albanopolis"). It dates to the end of the 1st century CE and the beginning of the 2nd century CE. Dragojević-Josifovska added two lines to the existing reading: VIVA P(OSUIT) SIBI/ ET VIRO SUO. Delus Mucati is an Illyrian name and his home region was Albanopolis (domo Albanopoli). Dragojević-Josifovska proposed that like others he had settled in Macedonia from southern Illyria.
Dragojević-Josifovska 1982
p. 32
Buildings
There are four building periods. The first is the time of the alleged camp of two legions from 168 BC. The second is the foundation of the Roman colonia that ended with the invasion by the Goths in AD 269. The third period is most distinguished and is represented by the remains of one civil basilica, a complex of baths (thermae) and one townhouse. The last, the fourth period that begins roughly after the invasion by the Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the larg ...
from AD 472 or 489 is represented by remains of an early Christian basilica and a townhouse with apse. Scupi was completely destroyed in AD 518.
Today, only the early Christian basilica, the civil basilica, the baths and townhouses along the road are recognizable. The Roman theatre is completely decayed.
Roman theatre
The theater is estimated to have been built in the 2nd century AD because of the signs Colonia Scupi Aelia on the seats. It is assumed that the theater was built for Hadrian, the Roman emperor, who was visiting the Balkan cities. The decoration of the Roman theater was on the highest level, comparable to the best in the world from that time. Ivan Mikulčić
Ivan Mikulčić ( Croatian: Ivan Luka Mikulčić; Macedonian: Иван Микулчиќ) was a prominent archaeologist from North Macedonia.
Biography
Mikulcic was born on March 25, 1936, in the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the Srem town of I ...
writes that in the 1000 years of the ancient period, there is no building that has reached the refined level of art as in the Roman theater in Scupi.
Nikola Vulić Nikola Vulić ( sr-cyr, Никола Вулић); (Shkodër, Ottoman Empire, 27 November 1872 – Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 25 May 1945) was a Serbian historian, classical philologist, prominent archaeologist, doctor of philosophy and professor at the ...
claims that the theater in Scupi is larger than the one in Stobi, and Duje Rendić-Miočević claim that is the largest on the territory of modern North Macedonia.
The theater was used only for theater performances, comedies and tragedies. There is no architectural proof that the theater was used for gladiator games as it is the case in the theater in Stobi.
See also
*Tabula Peutingeriana
' (Latin Language, Latin for "The Peutinger Map"), also referred to as Peutinger's Tabula or Peutinger Table, is an illustrated ' (ancient Roman road map) showing the layout of the ''cursus publicus'', the road network of the Roman Empire.
The m ...
(image
An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
; Scupi marked as a city on the ''Peutinger table'')
*Stobi
Stobi or Stoboi ( grc, Στόβοι, Stóboi; la, Stobi; mk, Стоби, Stobi), was an ancient town of Paeonia, later conquered by Macedon, and finally turned into the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris. It is located near ...
* Heraclea Lyncestis
*Nikola Vulić Nikola Vulić ( sr-cyr, Никола Вулић); (Shkodër, Ottoman Empire, 27 November 1872 – Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 25 May 1945) was a Serbian historian, classical philologist, prominent archaeologist, doctor of philosophy and professor at the ...
References
Sources
*Koraćević, Dušanka (2002) ''Scupi''. Skopje: Museum of the city of Skopje
*Procopius. (1940). ''The Buildings, Book IV (Part 1)''. Retrieved from th
website
External links
Inscriptions de la Mésie supérieure
{{Authority control
Cities in ancient Illyria
Moesia
Moesia Superior
Dardania (Roman province)
Coloniae (Roman)
Roman sites in North Macedonia
Former populated places in the Balkans