Sremska Mitrovica (; sr-Cyrl, Сремска Митровица, ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

. It is situated on the left bank of the

Sava river The Sava, is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reaches Serbia, fee ...

. , the city has a total population of 36,764 inhabitants, while its administrative area has a population of 72,580 inhabitants. As

Sirmium Sirmium was a city in the Roman province of Pannonia, located on the Sava river, on the site of modern Sremska Mitrovica in the Vojvodina autonomous province of Serbia. First mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by Illyrians ...

, it was a capital of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

during the

Tetrarchy The Tetrarchy was the system instituted by Roman emperor Diocletian in 293 AD to govern the ancient Roman Empire by dividing it between two emperors, the ''augusti'', and their junior colleagues and designated successors, the ''caesares''. I ...

of 4th century CE. Ten Roman emperors were born in or near this city, Emperors

Herennius Etruscus Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius (died c. June 251), known simply as Herennius Etruscus, was briefly Roman emperor in 251, ruling jointly under his father Decius. His father was proclaimed emperor by his troops in September 249 while ...

(251),

Hostilian Hostilian (; died July 251) was briefly Roman emperor in 251. Hostilian was born to Decius and Herennia Etruscilla at an unknown date and elevated to ''caesar'' in 250 by Decius. After Decius and Herennius Etruscus, Hostilian's brother, we ...

(251), Decius Traian (249–251),

Claudius Gothicus Marcus Aurelius Claudius "Gothicus" (10 May 214 – August/September 270), also known as Claudius II, was Roman emperor from 268 to 270. During his reign he fought successfully against the Alemanni and decisively defeated the Goths at the Batt ...

(268–270),

Quintillus Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus (died 270) was a short-lived Roman emperor. He took power after the death of his brother, Emperor Claudius Gothicus, in 270 CE. After reigning for a few weeks Quintillus was overthrown by Aurelian, who had be ...

(270),

Aurelian Aurelian (; ; 9 September ) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 270 to 275 AD during the Crisis of the Third Century. As emperor, he won an unprecedented series of military victories which reunited the Roman Empire after it had nearly disinte ...

(270–275),

Probus Probus may refer to: People * Marcus Valerius Probus (c. 20/30–105 AD), Roman grammarian * Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus, consul in 228 * Probus (emperor), Roman Emperor (276–282) * Probus of Byzantium (–306), Bishop of Byzantium from 293 t ...

(276–282),

Maximian Maximian (; ), nicknamed Herculius, was Roman emperor from 286 to 305. He was ''Caesar (title), Caesar'' from 285 to 286, then ''Augustus (title), Augustus'' from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocleti ...

(285–310),

Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...

(337–361) and

Gratian Gratian (; ; 18 April 359 – 25 August 383) was emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 367 to 383. The eldest son of Valentinian I, Gratian was raised to the rank of ''Augustus'' as a child and inherited the West after his father's death in ...

(367–383).

Name

The modern town name is ''Sremska Mitrovica'' (). The Hungarian name was ''Szávaszentdemeter'' while in Croatian it is referred to as ''Srijemska Mitrovica''. In

Pannonian Rusyn Pannonian Rusyn (, ), also historically referred to as Yugoslav Rusyn, is a linguistic variety, variety of the Slovak language, spoken by the Pannonian Rusyns, primarily in the regions of Vojvodina (northern part of modern Serbia) and Slavonia ...

, it is referred to as . Mitrovica stems from

Saint Demetrius Saint Demetrius (or Demetrios) of Thessalonica (, ), also known as the Holy Great-Martyr Demetrius the Myroblyte (meaning 'the Myrrh-Gusher' or 'Myrrh-Streamer'; 3rd century – 306), was a Greek Christian martyr of the early 4th century AD. D ...

or "Sveti Dimitrije" in Serbian. Sremska Mitrovica means ''Mitrovica of

Syrmia Syrmia (Ekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srem, Срем, separator=" / " or Ijekavian sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srijem, Сријем, label=none, separator=" / ") is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is div ...

'' with Sremska distinguishing it from

Kosovska Mitrovica Mitrovica (Albanian language, Albanian Definiteness, indefinite Albanian morphology#Nouns (declension), form: ''Mitrovicë''; sr-Cyrl, Митровица, Mitrovica), also referred to as Kosovska Mitrovica ( sr-Cyrl, Косовска Митр� ...

. The name of the city during the reign of the

was

. Beginning in 1180 AD the name changed from "Civitas Sancti Demetrii" to "Dmitrovica", "Mitrovica", and finally to the present form - "Sremska Mitrovica".

History

Ancient Sirmium

Sremska Mitrovica is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Archaeologists have found a trace of organized

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

life dating from 5000 BC onwards.

Ionia Ionia ( ) was an ancient region encompassing the central part of the western coast of Anatolia. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionians who ...

n jewellery dating to 500BC was excavated in the city. 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 Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

conquered the city in the 1st century BC, Sirmium already was a settlement with a long tradition. In the 1st century, Sirmium gained a status of a colony of the citizens of

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, and became a very important military and strategic location in

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a Roman province, province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, on the west by Noricum and upper Roman Italy, Italy, and on the southward by Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia and upper Moesia. It ...

province. The war expeditions of Roman emperors

Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...

, and

Claudius II Marcus Aurelius Claudius "Gothicus" (10 May 214 – August/September 270), also known as Claudius II, was Roman emperor from 268 to 270. During his reign he fought successfully against the Alemanni and decisively defeated the Goths at the Batt ...

, were prepared in Sirmium. In 103, Pannonia was split into two provinces:

Pannonia Superior Pannonia Superior () was a Roman province created from the division of Pannonia in 103 AD, its capital in Carnuntum. It overlapped in territory with modern-day Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Slovakia, and Slovenia. History It was as governor of the ...

and

Pannonia Inferior Pannonia Inferior, lit. Lower Pannonia, was a province of the Roman Empire. Its capital was Sirmium. It was one of the border provinces on the Danube. It was formed in the year 103 AD by Emperor Trajan who divided the former province of Pannonia ...

, and Sirmium became the capital city of the latter. In 296,

Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...

implemented a new territorial division of Pannonia. Instead of previous two provinces, there were four new provinces established in former territory of original Pannonia:

Pannonia Prima Pannonia Prima was an ancient Roman province. It was formed in the year 296, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Previously, it was a part of the province of Pannonia Superior, which, along with Pannonia Inferior, was gradually divided into ...

Pannonia Valeria The Pannonia Valeria or simply Valeria, also known as Pannonia Ripensis, was one of the provinces of the Roman Empire. It was formed in the year 296, during the reign of emperor Diocletian, in a division of Pannonia Inferior. The capital of the ...

Pannonia Savia Pannonia Savia or simply Savia, also known as Pannonia Ripariensis, was a Late Roman province. It was formed in the year 295, during the Tetrarchy reform of Roman emperor Diocletian, and assigned to the civil diocese of Pannonia, which was attac ...

and

Pannonia Secunda Pannonia Secunda was one of the provinces of the Roman Empire. It was formed in 296 AD, during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The capital of the province was Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica). Pannonia Secunda comprised parts of present-day Serb ...

. Capital city of Pannonia Secunda was Sirmium. In 293, with the establishment of

tetrarchy The Tetrarchy was the system instituted by Roman emperor Diocletian in 293 AD to govern the ancient Roman Empire by dividing it between two emperors, the ''augusti'', and their junior colleagues and designated successors, the ''caesares''. I ...

, the Roman Empire was split into four parts; Sirmium became one of the four capital cities of the Empire, the other three being

Augusta Treverorum Augusta Treverorum (Latin for "City of Augustus in the Land of the Treveri") was a Ancient Rome, Roman city on the Moselle River, from which modern Trier emerged. The date of the city's founding is placed between the construction of the first Rom ...

Mediolanum Mediolanum, the ancient city where Milan now stands, was originally an Insubres, Insubrian city, but afterwards became an important Ancient Rome, Roman city in Northern Italy. The city was settled by a Celts, Celtic tribe belonging to the Ins ...

, and

Nicomedia Nicomedia (; , ''Nikomedeia''; modern İzmit) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek city located in what is now Turkey. In 286, Nicomedia became the eastern and most senior capital city of the Roman Empire (chosen by the emperor Diocletian who rul ...

(modern

Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

and Izmit). During the tetrarchy, Sirmium was the capital of emperor

Galerius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (; Greek: Γαλέριος; 258 – May 311) was Roman emperor from 305 to 311. He participated in the system of government later known as the Tetrarchy, first acting as '' caesar'' under Emperor Diocletian. In th ...

. With the establishment of

praetorian prefecture The praetorian prefecture (; in Ancient Greek, Greek variously named ) was the largest administrative division of the Late Antiquity, late Roman Empire, above the mid-level Roman diocese, dioceses and the low-level Roman province, provinces. Praeto ...

s in 318, the capital of the prefecture of Illyricum was Sirmium. Beginning in the 4th century, the city was an important

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

centre, and was a seat of the Episcopate of Sirmium. Four Christian councils were held in Sirmium. At the end of the 4th century, Sirmium was brought under the sway of the

Goths The Goths were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe. They were first reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 3rd century AD, living north of the Danube in what is ...

, and later, was again annexed to the Eastern Roman Empire. In 441, Sirmium was conquered by the

Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...

, and after this conquest, it remained for more than a century in the hands of various Germanic tribes, such were Eastern Goths and

Gepids The Gepids (; ) were an East Germanic tribes, East Germanic tribe who lived in the area of modern Romania, Hungary, and Serbia, roughly between the Tisza, Sava, and Carpathian Mountains. They were said to share the religion and language of the G ...

. For a short time, Sirmium was the center of the Gepide State and the king

Cunimund Cunimund (died 567) was the last king of the Gepids, falling in the Lombard–Gepid War (567) against the Lombards and Pannonian Avars. War with the Lombards Background The Gepids had held the important city of Sirmium (now Sremska Mitrovica, Se ...

minted golden coins in it. After 567, Sirmium was again incorporated into

Eastern Roman Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

. The city was conquered and destroyed by Avars in 582. This event marked the end of the period of late Antiquity in the history of Sirmium. 11 luxurious golden belts of Avar handicraft dating to the 6th century was excavated in the vicinity.

After the Avar conquest

For the next two centuries Sirmium was a place of little importance. At the end of the 8th century, Sirmium belonged to the Frankish State. The historical role of Sirmium increased again in the 9th century, when it was part of the

Bulgarian Empire Bulgarian Empire may refer to: * First Bulgarian Empire The First Bulgarian Empire (; was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern Europe between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. It was founded in 680–681 after part of the Bulgars, led b ...

. Pope Adrian II gave St Methodius the title of Archbishop of Sirmium. After having adopted Christianity, the Bulgarians restored in Sirmium the Christian Episcopate, having in mind old Christian traditions and the reputation this city had in the ancient world. In the 11th century, Sirmium was a residence of

Sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...

, a duke of

, who was a vassal of the Bulgarian Samuil. After 1018, the city was again included into the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...

, and since the end of the 11th century, Sirmium was a subject of a dispute between the Byzantine Empire and the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

, until 1180 when the Byzantine Empire gave up Sirmium, surrendering it to the Kingdom of Hungary. In the 11th century, a Byzantine province named

Theme of Sirmium The Theme of Sirmium () was a Byzantine administrative unit (theme), which existed in present-day Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 11th and 12th centuries. Its capital was Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica). Background In the 6th ...

had its capital in this city. Emperor

Basil II Basil II Porphyrogenitus (; 958 – 15 December 1025), nicknamed the Bulgar Slayer (, ), was the senior Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025. He and his brother Constantine VIII were crowned before their father Romanos II died in 963, but t ...

(976–1025) created administrative system in which Sirmium was a seat of ''strategos Serbias''. For a while, about 1451, the city was in possession of the Serbian despot

Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...

. In 1521 the city came into Ottoman hands and it remained under the Ottoman rule for almost two centuries. According to Ottoman traveler

Evliya Çelebi Dervish Mehmed Zillî (25 March 1611 – 1682), known as Evliya Çelebi (), was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman explorer who travelled through his home country during its cultural zenith as well as neighboring lands. He travelled for over 40 years, rec ...

, Mitrovica had been conquered by the Bosnian sanjak bey Husrev-bey. It was renamed as "Dimitrofça". The name of the mayor of the city was Dimitar and since the middle of the 16th century, the city was mostly populated with

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. According to the 1566/69 data, the population of the city was composed of 592 Muslim and 30

houses, while according to the 1572 data, it was composed of 598 Muslim and 18 Christian houses. According to the 1573 data, the city had 17 mosques and no Christian church. During the Ottoman rule, Sremska Mitrovica was the largest settlement in

, and was the administrative center of the Ottoman

Sanjak of Syrmia Sanjak of Syrmia (, , ) was an administrative territorial entity of the Ottoman Empire formed in 1541. It was located in the Syrmia region and was part of the Budin Province. Administrative center of the Sanjak of Syrmia was from 1542 Uyluk (C ...

. It was temporarily occupied by Austrian troops between 1688 and 1690. They finally took it in 1717 and took possession of it after signing

Treaty of Passarowitz The Treaty of Passarowitz, or Treaty of Požarevac, was the peace treaty signed in Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, , ), a town that was in the Ottoman Empire but is now in Serbia, on 21 July 1718 between the Ottoman Empire and its ad ...

in 1718. With the establishment of the

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...

administration in 1718, the Muslim population fled from the city and was replaced with

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...

, Croatian, and

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

settlers. According to the 1765 data, the population of the city numbered 809 people, of whom 514 were Serbs and 290 Catholics. Sremska Mitrovica was part of the Habsburg

Military Frontier The Military Frontier (; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Војна крајина, Vojna krajina, sh-Cyrl-Latn, Војна граница, Vojna granica, label=none; ; ) was a borderland of the Habsburg monarchy and later the Austrian and Austro-Hungari ...

( Slavonian Krajina). In 1848–49, it was part of the Serbian Voivodship, a Serb autonomous region within Austrian Empire, but in 1849, it was returned under administration of the Military Frontier. With the abolition of the Slavonian Military Frontier in 1881, Sremska Mitrovica was included into

Syrmia County Syrmia County (, , , ) was a historic administrative subdivision ('' županija'') of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia. Croatia-Slavonia was an autonomous kingdom within the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen ( Transleithania), the Hungarian par ...

, which was part of the

Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia The Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (; or ; ) was a nominally autonomous kingdom and constitutionally defined separate political nation within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was created in 1868 by merging the kingdoms of Kingdom of Croatia (Habs ...

within

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

. According to the 1910 census, the population of the city numbered 12,909 people, of which 8,793 spoke the Serbo-Croatian language (4,878 of those spoke Serbian and 3,915 spoke Croatian) and 2,341 German. The administrative area of the city (which did not included the city itself) had 32,012 inhabitants, of which 28,093 spoke Serbo-Croatian (27,022 of those spoke Serbian and 1,071 spoke Croatian) and 2,324 German.

After the First World War

In 1918, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy collapsed and the Syrmia region first became a part of the newly formed

State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs The State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs ( / ; ) was a political entity that was constituted in October 1918, at the end of World War I, by Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (Prečani (Serbs), Prečani) residing in what were the southernmost parts of th ...

, and then, on 24 November 1918, the assembly of Syrmia in

Ruma Ruma (; ) is a town and municipality in the Srem District of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia. As of 2022, the town has a population of 27,747, while the municipality has a population of 48,621. History Traces of organized human life ...

decided most of Syrmia (including Mitrovica) would join the

Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...

. Subsequently, on 1 December 1918, Kingdom of Serbia united with the

Kingdom of Montenegro The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe, present-day Montenegro, during the tumultuous period of time on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Officially it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolu ...

and the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to form the

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a country in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, but the term "Yugoslavia" () has been its colloq ...

(renamed to

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

in 1929). Between 1918 and 1922, Sremska Mitrovica was part of the Syrmia County, between 1922 and 1929 part of the Syrmia Oblast, between 1929 and 1931 part of the

Drina Banovina The Drina Banovina or Drina Banate ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Drinska banovina, Дринска бановина) was a province ( banovina) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. Its capital was Sarajevo and it included portions of present-da ...

, and, between 1931 and 1941, part of the

Danube Banovina Danube Banovina or Danube Banate ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Dunavska banovina, Дунавска бановина), was a banovina (or province) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of the geographical ...

Tito u obilasku Spomen-groblja streljanih i muzeja u S

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the city was occupied by

Axis An axis (: axes) may refer to: Mathematics *A specific line (often a directed line) that plays an important role in some contexts. In particular: ** Coordinate axis of a coordinate system *** ''x''-axis, ''y''-axis, ''z''-axis, common names ...

troops and was attached to the

Independent State of Croatia The Independent State of Croatia (, NDH) was a World War II–era puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist Italy. It was established in parts of Axis occupation of Yugoslavia, occupied Yugoslavia on 10 April 1941, ...

. During that time its name was changed to ''Hrvatska Mitrovica'' (meaning ''Croatian Mitrovica''). One of the largest Nazi concentration/death camps in the Independent State of Croatia existed in Sremska Mitrovica and as many as 10,000 victims (Serbs, Jews, and antifascists) were killed here. The Serbian Jewish population was to be interned in a

concentration camp A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploitati ...

built first in Jarak and then at Zasavica. However, both locations proved to be too flooded for construction. The Germans had to abandon these locations and use Sajmište, which resulted in the destruction of 83% of Serbian Jewry. In the

Yugoslav wars The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related#Naimark, Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and Insurgency, insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Federal Republic of ...

Sremska Mitrovica Prison Sremska Mitrovica Prison ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Казнено-поправни завод у Сремској Митровици, Kazneno-popravni zavod u Sremskoj Mitrovici) is the biggest prison in Serbia, consisting of two facilities. It is situated ...

, some

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

were kept in this prison. The main prison facility; the largest known in Serbia, was open from November 1991 to August 1992 and was a scene where many prisoners were killed,

torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...

abuse Abuse is the act of improper usage or treatment of a person or thing, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices, ...

d and

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...

d. Beginning in 1944, the town was part of the Autonomous Province of

Vojvodina Vojvodina ( ; sr-Cyrl, Војводина, ), officially the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, is an Autonomous administrative division, autonomous province that occupies the northernmost part of Serbia, located in Central Europe. It lies withi ...

within the new

Socialist Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...

and, from 1945, within the Socialist Republic of Serbia. From 1992 to 2003 it was part of the

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...

, which was then transformed into the state union of

Serbia and Montenegro The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro, known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and commonly referred to as FR Yugoslavia (FRY) or simply Yugoslavia, was a country in Southeast Europe locate ...

. Since the 2006 independence of

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

, Sremska Mitrovica is part of an independent

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

Inhabited places

The city of Sremska Mitrovica includes the town of Mačvanska Mitrovica, and several villages. Villages on the northern bank of the river

Sava The Sava, is a river in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. From its source in Slovenia it flows through Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally reac ...

, in the region of

: *

Bešenovački Prnjavor Bešenovački Prnjavor () is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Syrmia District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and it is the smallest village in the municipality - its pop ...

* Bešenovo * Bosut *

Čalma Čalma () is a village located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Syrmia District of Vojvodina, Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,675 pe ...

* Divoš * Grgurevci * Jarak * Kuzmin *

Laćarak Laćarak (, ) is a village located in the municipality of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. The settlement has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 10,638 inhabitants (as of 2011 census). Historical population * 1961: 5,902 * 1971: 8,121 ...

Ležimir Ležimir () is a village in Serbia. It is located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Srem District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbers 947 people (2002 census). Name In Serbian languag ...

* Manđelos *

Martinci Martinci () is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, Srem District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 3,639 people (2002 census). Name In Serbian, the vil ...

Sremska Rača Sremska Rača () is a village located in the city of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. As of 2011 census, the village has a population of 624 inhabitants. A border crossing between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the village. Name In Se ...

Stara Bingula Stara Bingula () is a village located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Syrmia District of Vojvodina, Serbia. This is the only ethnically mixed settlement in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality (with a relative Serb majority). Village p ...

* Šašinci *

Šišatovac Šišatovac () is a village located in the municipality of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. The village has a Serbs, Serb ethnic majority and its population numbers 211 people (as of 2011). Near the village is the Šišatovac monastery, one of 16 Serbi ...

Šuljam Šuljam () is a village located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Syrmia District of Serbia. It is situated in the autonomous province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population was 744 people in the 2002 ...

Veliki Radinci Veliki Radinci () is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Syrmia District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,426 people (2011 census). Name In ...

Villages on the southern bank of the river

, in the region of

Mačva Mačva ( sr-Cyrl, Мачва, ; ) is a geographical and historical region in the northwest of Central Serbia, on a fertile plain between the Sava (river), Sava and Drina rivers. The chief town is Šabac. The modern Mačva District of Serbia is nam ...

: * Noćaj * Radenković * Ravnje *

Salaš Noćajski Salaš Noćajski () (Салаш Ноћајски) is a village in Serbia, near more known village Noćaj. It is located in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Srem District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and i ...

Zasavica I Zasavica I (), also known as Zasavica () or Gornja Zasavica (), is a village in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in Serbian province of Vojvodina. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 772 people (2011 census). Ge ...

Zasavica II Zasavica II ( sr-Cyrl, Засавица II), also known as Donja Zasavica (), is a village in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, in the Vojvodina province of Serbia. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 608 people ...

Demographics

According to the 2011 census results, the city administrative area has a population of 79,940 inhabitants. Sremska Mitrovica Center 1

Sremska Mitrovica - Museum of Srem - 2022

Ethnic groups

Most of the settlements in the city have an ethnic Serb majority. Stara Bingula is an ethnically mixed settlement with a relative Serbian majority. The main concentration of ethnic minorities is in the urban area of the city. The ethnic composition of the city:

Religion

In 2002, the population of city of Sremska Mitrovica included 76,290 Orthodox Christians, 3,935

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

, 252

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

and 106

. Orthodox Christians in Sremska Mitrovica are belonging to the Eparchy of Syrmia of the

Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...

. Catholics belong to the Diocese of Syrmia, which has its seat in Sremska Mitrovica.

Climate

Sremska Mitrovica has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

bordering very closely on a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''Dfb'') as well as an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

(

: ''Cfb'').

Economy

The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):

Sport

* KAF Sirmium Legionaries, an American Football club from Sremska Mitrovica. This is the first club of American Football in Serbia. *

FK Srem FK Srem () is a football club based in Sremska Mitrovica, Vojvodina, Serbia. They compete in the Srem Intermunicipal League, the sixth tier of the national league system. History The club was founded as Građanski in 1919. They initially compet ...

, a football club from Sremska Mitrovica. *

FK Radnički Sremska Mitrovica FK Radnički Sremska Mitrovica () is a professional football club based in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. They compete in the Serbian First League, the second tier of the national league system. History The club was founded on 15 April 1922. They won ...

, a football club from Sremska Mitrovica. * KK Val, a

canoe A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...

club from Sremska Mitrovica.

Notable residents

Roman emperors

Ten Roman emperors were born in the city and its environs: * Decius Traian (249–51) *

(251–51) *

(268–270) *

(270) *

(270–75) *

(276–82) *

Maximianus Herculius Maximian (; ), nicknamed Herculius, was Roman emperor from 286 to 305. He was ''Caesar (title), Caesar'' from 285 to 286, then ''Augustus (title), Augustus'' from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocleti ...

(285–310) *

(337–61) *

(367–83) The last emperor of the united Roman Empire,

Theodosius I Theodosius I ( ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene C ...

(378–95), became emperor in Sirmium. The usurpers

Ingenuus Ingenuus was a Roman military commander, the imperial legate in Pannonia, who became a usurper to the throne of the emperor Gallienus when he led a brief and unsuccessful revolt in the year 260. Appointed by Gallienus himself, Ingenuus served ...

and

Regalianus P. C. Regalianus (died 260/261), known in English as Regalian, was Roman usurper for a few months in 260 and/or 261, during the Crisis of the Third Century, a period of intense political instability in the Roman Empire. Regalian was acclaimed emp ...

also declared themselves emperors in this city (in 260) and many other Roman emperors spent some time in Sirmium including

who might have written parts of his famous work ''

Meditations ''Meditations'' () is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161–180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Composition Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the ''Meditations'' i ...

'' in the city.

Classical antiquity

, Roman emperor (161–180), used Sirmium as a residence in between pannonian military campaigns 170–180 * Maximinus, Roman emperor (235–238), ruled from residence in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (251), born in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (251), born in Sirmium * Decius Traian, Roman emperor (249–251), born in village

Budalia Martinci () is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Sremska Mitrovica municipality, Srem District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 3,639 people (2002 census). Name In Serbian, the vil ...

near Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (260), proclaimed himself emperor in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (268–270), born in Sirmium and spent most of his life there. *

, Roman emperor (270), born in Sirmium *

, Roman emperor (270–275), born in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (276-282), born in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (285-310), born near Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (305-311), ruled as Caesar during the

from residence in Sirmium (293-296). *

Crispus Flavius Julius Crispus (; 300 – 326) was the eldest son of the Roman emperor Constantine I, as well as his junior colleague ( ''caesar'') from March 317 until his execution by his father in 326. The grandson of the ''augustus'' Constantius ...

, a Caesar of the Roman Empire. He was proclaimed Caesar in Sirmium in 317. * Constantine II, a Caesar of the Roman Empire. He was proclaimed Caesar in Sirmium in 317. *

Vetranio Vetranio (died ) was briefly an imperial usurper and emperor in the Roman Empire in 350, during which time he controlled Illyricum between the rival emperors Magnus Magnentius and Constantius II, eventually capitulating to the latter. Life ...

n, Roman emperor. Proclaimed himself emperor in Sirmium (in 350). *

, Roman emperor (337-361), born in Sirmium. *

, Roman emperor (367-383), born in Sirmium. *

Theodosius I the Great Theodosius I ( ; 11 January 347 – 17 January 395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman emperor from 379 to 395. He won two civil wars and was instrumental in establishing the Nicene Creed as the orthodox doctrine for Nicene ...

, Roman emperor (378-395). He became emperor in Sirmium. * Valerius Licinius, prefect of the

Diocese of Pannonia In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

with residence in Sirmium (308-314). *

Aurelius Victor Sextus Aurelius Victor ( 320 – 390) was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire. Victor was the author of a now-lost monumental history of imperial Rome covering the period from Augustus to Constantius II. Under the emperor Julian (361 ...

, prefect of the Pannonia Secunda province, wrote a ''History of Rome'' under the emperor Julian. *

Leontius Leontius (; died 15 February 706) was Byzantine emperor from 695 to 698. Little is known of his early life, other than that he was born in Isauria in Asia Minor. He was given the title of ''patrikios'', and made ''strategos'' of the Anatolic T ...

, prefect in Sirmium (426).

Middle ages

, king of the Gepids with residence in Sirmium. *

, duke of

(11th century).

Modern period

Mira Banjac Mira Banjac ( sr-Cyrl, Мира Бањац; born 4 November 1929) is a Serbian actress. She won a number of awards, including an award for her work in ''Mamaroš'' from Brazil and Golden Medal for Merits of Republic of Serbia. Personal life B ...

, Serbian actress *

Vaso Čubrilović Vaso Čubrilović ( sr-Cyrl, Васо Чубриловић; 14 January 1897 – 11 June 1990) was a YugoslavВладимир Дедијер, ''Сарајево 1914'', Просвета, Београд 1966, стр. 568 and Bosnian Serb scholar an ...

, Serbian historian *

Robert Frangeš-Mihanović Robert Frangeš-Mihanović (2 October 1872 – 12 January 1940) was a Croatian people, Croatian sculptor. He was a pioneer of modern Croatian sculpture. He was also a prominent figure in the artistic scene in Zagreb at the turn of the Twentieth C ...

, Croatian sculptor *

Petar Gburčik Petar Gburčik (Cyrillic: Петар Гбурчик) (30 October 1931 - 29 October 2006) was a Serbian scientist and a professor of meteorology at the University of Belgrade. He was the author of mathematical models of numerical weather predictio ...

, Serbian scientist *

Nikola Hristić Nikola Hristić (10 August 1818 – 26 November 1911) was a Serbian politician who served as Prime Minister of Serbia for four terms. Biography Hristić was born and educated in Sremska Mitrovica. In 1840 he came to live and work in Belgrade, whe ...

(1818–1911), Serbian politician *

Branislav Ivanović Branislav Ivanović ( sr-Cyrl, Бранислав Ивановић, ; born 22 February 1984) is a Serbian former professional Association football, footballer. A versatile defender, Ivanović played as a Defender (association football)#Full-back ...

, Serbian footballer *

Siniša Kovačević Siniša Kovačević (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Синиша Ковачевић, ; born 30 May 1954) is a Serbian author, playwright, politician and professor of the Belgrade Academy of Arts, Belgrade, Academy of Arts. Biogra ...

, Serbian author *

Petar Kralj Petar Kralj ( sr-cyr, Петар Краљ; 4 April 1941 – 10 November 2011) was a Serbian theater, film and television actor. Biography Kralj was born in Zagreb to a Serb family from Banija. During World War II his family fled to Syrmia, ...

, Serbian actor *

Mileva Marić Mileva Marić ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић, ; 19 December 1875 – 4 August 1948), sometimes called Mileva Marić-Einstein ( sr-cyr, Милева Марић-Ајнштајн, Mileva Marić-Ajnštajn, label=none), was a Serbian physicist a ...

, Serbian scientist *

Đorđe Marković Koder Đorđe Marković Koder (; (1806 – April 30, 1891) was a Serbian poet born in Austrian Empire. Misunderstood, largely forgotten and often considered a marginal figure in Serbian poetry, criticized for his cryptic style littered with incomprehen ...

(1806–1891), Serbian writer *

Dejan Milovanović Dejan Milovanović ( sr-Cyrl, Дејан Миловановић; born 21 January 1984) is a Serbian retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Personal life He is the son of Đorđe Milovanović, a member of Red Star Belgrade in ...

, Serbian footballer *

Stjepan Musulin Stjepan Musulin (1885 in Sremska Mitrovica, Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia, Austria-Hungary – 1969) was a Yugoslav linguist, comparative Slavicist, philologist, lexicographer and translator. Life Musulin translated from the Polish and Czech ...

, Croatian linguist and lexicographer * Milijana Nikolić, operatic mezzo-soprano *

Boško Palkovljević Pinki Boško Palkovljević Pinki ( sr-Cyrl, Бошко Палковљевић „Пинки"; 1920–1942) was a prominent Partisan fighter during World War II in Yugoslavia and a People's Hero of Yugoslavia. Biography Palkovljević was born on 1 ...

, People's Hero of Yugoslavia * Veljko Petrović, Serbian poet * Igor Pisanjuk (1989), Canadian football player *

Mirjana Puhar The 21st cycle of '' America's Next Top Model'' (subtitled as ''America's Next Top Model: Guys & Girls'') premiered on August 18, 2014, and it is the 15th season to air on The CW. It was the second season to feature male and female contestants. ...

(1995-2015), Serbian - American model * Ilarion Ruvarac (1832–1905), Serbian Churchman and historian *

Mara Švel-Gamiršek Mara Švel-Gamiršek, also known as ''Mara Schwell'' (3 January 1900 – 7 December 1975) was a Croatian language, Croatian writer from Syrmia. Beside prose, she also wrote poetry. Early life and education Mara Švel-Gamiršek was born in Sremsk ...

(1900–1975), Croatian writer * Dragana Tomašević, Serbian discus thrower *

Zlatko Tomčić Zlatko Tomčić (; born 10 July 1945) is a Croatian politician who served as President of the Croatian Peasant Party from 1994 to 2005, as Speaker of the Croatian Parliament from 2000 to 2003, as a representative in the Croatian Parliament, and ...

, Croatian politician *

Slavko Vorkapić Slavoljub "Slavko" Vorkapić ( sr-Cyrl, Славољуб "Славко" Воркапић; March 17, 1894 – October 20, 1976), known in English as Slavko Vorkapich, was a Serbian-born Hollywood montagist, an independent cinematic artist, chair ...

, Serbian-American film director and editor *, Serbian stand up comedian and satirist

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Sremska Mitrovica is twinned with: *

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city in Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is the tr ...

Bosnia-Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to the north a ...

Dunaújváros Dunaújváros (; also known by #Etymology and names, alternative names) is an industrial city in Fejér County, Central Hungary. It is a city with county rights. Situated 70 kilometres (43 miles) south of Budapest on the Danube, the city is best ...

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

References

External links

*
Sremska Mitrovica.org - info, news about Sremska MitrovicaInformation portal on culture, sport and fun in Sremska Mitrovica
{{Authority control Populated places in Srem District Populated places in Syrmia Syrmia County Municipalities and cities of Vojvodina