Roman Emona

Emona (Latin: Colonia Iulia Aemona) was a Roman castrum on the site of an old Illyrian settlement. According to legend and archaeological excavations, the original predecessors of Emona founded the settlement around 1222 BCE. It became a civil town by decree of Emperor Tiberias in 14 CE, when the XV Legio Apollinaris, which had been settled at Emona since 14 BCE, moved to Carnuntum (Petronell). The Roman Emona sites in Ljubljana can be seen in several parts west of the old town centre. It is also the setting of a popular novel The Stranger in Emona [Tujec v Emoni] (1978) by Mira Mihelič.

History

The Romans built their first military encampment on the territory of the present Ljubljana around the year 50 BCE. This was later followed by the establishment of a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona (Emona). As a strategic stronghold playing an important role in numerous wars, Emona was fortified with strong walls.

Emona had a population of 5,000 to 6,000 people, mostly merchants and craftsmen, including a number of government officials and war veterans. Its streets were paved and its houses were built of brick, centrally heated, and connected to a public sewage system. The walls of the houses were plastered and painted in different colours, and the floors covered in mosaics. Emona was also an important early Christian centre with a flourishing trade. The settlement had its own goddess, Equrna, worshipped at the Ljubljana Marshes.

Along with the Western Roman Empire, from the 4th century CE, Emona fell into a decline. After several setbacks in 238, 314 and 401 CE, it was finally destroyed by Attila in 452 CE.

Castrum

Emona's ground plan, typical for Roman castra, was 430 metres times 540 metres and was surrounded by city walls, which were 6 to 8 metres high and 2.5 metres thick. Four main entrances were located by the exits of Cardo maximus (today's Slovenska Street) and Decumanus maximus streets (today's Rimska Street), along which the forum was located. The city was defended with 26 towers, which were built every 60 metres along the walls.

Remains

The relics of Roman Emona may be found in 3 main areas of Ljubljana as well as in the urban planning of the town. Former decumanus and cardo are today's Rimska and Slovenska streets, where the Roman northern main entrance, part of late Roman house and a sarcophagus can be seen opposite the Uršulinke church. The Roman forum is stressed with the building design of Ferant garden by the architect Edvard Ravnikar. A copy of the Roman statue Emonec stands at the west side of Congress Square (Kongresni trg). An attentive walker can find Roman spolia built in different buildings, from the Cathedral to the Ljubljana Castle. The finds of Roman insula underground are presented in different pavements such as that along Vegova street.

The archaeological site at Jakopič Garden, managed by the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana, contains the foundations of an Emona house (part of an insula) with mosaics and the remains of floor heating, part of a street and a section of the town sewage system. A section of the old Roman city walls, renovated by architect Jože Plečnik, may be seen in the Mirje district. The remains of a baptistery with a pool, mosaics, and part of portico may be seen at Erjavčeva 18, next to Cankarjev dom Culture and Congress Centre and Majda Vrhovnik Primary School.

External links

Roman Emona

Contents

History

Castrum

Remains

See also

External links

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