Kulturno-povijesni utjecaji u kulturnoj umjetnosti Dezidijata u rimsko doba

Abstract

Cultural-historical influences coming from different cultural and geographical areas of the Classical World, Mediterranean and Asia Minor, as well as Continental parts of Greece, Thrace and Danubian basin (Map 3) can be studied and followed in their diversity in the period of Roman rule, from the 2nd to the 4th centuries AD. This can be done through iconography of the preserved deities (Tab.1,1.2; 2,1.2; 6,1.2) found in the territory of the Desitiates. In a certain way, a great help in studies of cultural influences and cultic art of the Desitiates, is their necropolis at Kamenjača in Breza. This necropolis, considering its finds, especially the sepulchral ones, as well as historical-epigraphic and others, shows its important cultural-historical and scientific character from the periods of the late La Tene and early Roman Empire (Tab.5,3-6; 7,3). This means that the necropolis in its chronology encompasses a period of six centuries, three of them from the La Tene period, and three from the period of Roman rule. Thus, in the historical period of three centuries of the Desitiates’ independence, we can find their definitely developed indigenous religion, myths or Pantheon, which could, according to cultural specifications, correspond with major religions - Greek and Italic. This can easily bee seen in the Roman cultic art, in the sculpture of cultic reliefs, (Tab.1,1.2; 2,1.2) from the end of the Hellenism, and under its influence (Tab.1,1), as well as under influences of Italic culture (Tab.1,2; 2,1.2; 6,1).
In the period of romanisation of Illyrians, especially that of the Romans’ keen enemies Desitiates, they started more openly to show their religion, although more through the cultic iconography of Greek Pan then the Italic Sylvanus (Tab.1,1), or Greek Artemis (Tab.2,1), and Italic Sylvia (Silvia, Diana), what might  have its reason in a closer spiritual connection of Desitiates with the Greeks from the Adriatic. Besides, severe wars, and afterwards very difficult romanisation by the end of the lBt and beginning of the 2nd centuries AD, were the reasons for a more difficult acceptance of the Roman civilisation and culture. In that way they confronted the image of their protector of the woods and agriculture, i.e. their major deity, with the Greek goat-like Aegipan — Sylvanus (Tab.1,1) in a syncretism with a closely related deity from the canonic iconography of the classical Greek reliefs, which was not known in the monuments from parts of Dalmatia. In this sense, the Desitiates could be considered as ethnically more Progressive and stronger tribe than other Illyrian tribes. Their leadership in the all-Illyrian war against  Romans is the best testimony of that. Hovvever, unlike Liber - Dionysius under the influence of Greeks tradition (Tab.6), the Italic influence of the Roman cultic art is more visible in the altar fragment, or cult ara (Tab.2,2). Thus, besides the Greek  influence of cultic iconography and images in reliefs, the Italic influence is also present, which appears more intensively with the Roman occupation, and especially with romanisation of the population. This also affected Desitiates in representation of their deities (Tab.1,1.2).