Justinijana Prima - Iustiniana Prima - Serbian Pompeii

If you like to discover Roman heritage, antique places, Byzantine churches and forgotten cities - Serbia is the right place for you. On the teritorry of Serbia, believe it or not, 18 Roman Emperors were born. One third of all Roman Emperors were born in places such as Sirmium ( today Sremska Mitrovica ), Viminacium ( today Kostolac ) or Felix Romuliana near Zaječar. International tourists are becoming aware of importance of this part of Europe for antique history, especially for Roman period. But did you know that Serbia hides ,,ideal city,, how it was desribed by the Emperors of early Byzantine period? It is Iustiniana Prima - Late antique city in south-east Serbia. It is unique location that many tourists are discovering in recent years and many of them already have a nickname for this place - Serbian Pompeii.
The fortified settlement at Caričin Grad is located in south-east Serbia, on the slopes of Mount Radan, descending towards the Leskovac valley. The first archaeological excavations of Tsaritsin Grad began in 1912 and have been going on to the present day. Based upon the obtained results and historic sources, the first theories about the name of the settlement and the period of its existence have been made. It has been established that it is a town of Iustiniana Prima, built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (527-565) near the place he has been born. By the order of the emperor a new administrative and archbishopric seat of the Illyricum province was built, so as to strengthen the rule of Byzantium and help spread Christianity. The settlement was not to last long, and its disappearance is associated with the emperor Heraclius (610-641) and the invasions of Slavic tribes.
Read more about Iustiniana Prima on my travel website: secretsedition...