engleski

THE “ROMAN” DITCH ON MAPS AND PLANS OF SISAK - THE ISSUE OF SEGESTICA’S DEFENCES AND TIBERIUS’DITCH ACCORDING TO ANCIENT SOURCES, ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA AND MODERN MAPS AND PLANS

Octavian's siege of Segestica was discussed several times in scholarly publications and the matter has been studied both by historians and archaeologists. Although almost every new article suggested new or differing conclusions about the course of that battle, an overall picture of the siege is still missing while archaeological excavations - which might provide answers to many unanswered questions – are sorely lacking. Since modern Sisak’s topography happens to be quite “conservative”, i.e. deeply routed in the town’s history, as witnessed by local toponyms of which many can be followed for centuries, we presume that plans and maps of Siscia from the 18th, 19th and early 20th century may provide some clues to the better understanding of Octavian’s siege of Segestica. As a matter of fact, most old maps of Sisak show the toponym “Roman ditch”, situated south of what is now called New Sisak. All the plans and maps show it at the same place. This toponym can be found till 1925, and the ditch itself was still visible till the 1950-ties, although its old name seems to have fallen out of use. In our opinion, this toponym could be related either to the ditch which separated the town of Segestica from the mainland, or to the so called Tiberius’ ditch, also mentioned in sources. The area of New Sisak was not subjected to extensive archaeological research, since excavations took place in the Roman town situated on the opposite bank of the Kupa river. If we presume that Octavian’s troops reached Segestica from the south-east, i.e. from what is nowadays the town of Petrinja, one would expect the city’s defensive ditch exactly at that place. By comparing records gathered both from old maps and surveying, we can try to define directions for future research in order to gather more conclusive data about the siege of this important prehistoric settlement.

Segestica; Siscija; roman ditch; Augustus; Tiberius

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