Reviewing the question of Delminium

Abstract

Delminium is one of the oldest settlements in the territory of Western Balkans known by its name. It is a fortified Delmataean settlement whose name was written down by Greco-Roman authors when describing conflicts between Delmataean communities and Rome during the Middle and the Late Republic. The only exception is Claudius Ptolemy who specified the geographical longitude and latitude where we should locate this settlement. The name of the settlement appears in the classical literature in different forms – Dalmion, Delmium, and Delminium. Interestingly, the Romans founded a municipal unit with the same name following the complete pacification of the province of Dalmatia. This is corroborated by inscriptions carved on epigraphic monuments. This paper addresses the issue of locating pre-Roman Delminium and municipium Delminensium by comparing different theses based on external and internal criticism of the source material, interpreting archaeological material, and analyzing inscriptions carved on epigraphic monuments. Epigraphic monuments lead us to assume that municipium Delminensium was founded during the reign of Hadrian (117–138) or Antoninus Pius (138–161). The paper concludes with a detailed analysis of four ancient epigraphic monuments that confirm the municipal status of Delminium.