Page 70 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 3(2) (2015). Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press.
P. 70
epigraphical features if possible and crossre-studia universitatis her editati, letnik 3 (2015), številk a 2 70development into an urban settlement, it seems
ferrencing with the entries in the relevant data- that from the time of Pliny to late antiquity, Ae-
bases. hereditati gida lost its importance. It is not mentioned in the
itineraries, maps or historical sources. It is possible
Short history of Aegida that this absence from is related to its reduced traf-
and its epigraphical monuments fic importance and not with its loss of self-gover-
ning status. The fact that Aegida was not granted
The city of Koper in the Slovenian part of Istria the rank of colony is further proof that the town
is situated on the coast and a small island south experienced a period of slowed growth in every
of the Rižane river. Today, the island is the pla- sense.8
ce where the historical center of Koper stands. In
antiquity, it was location where the Roman town Roman inscriptions found in Koper are qui-
of Aegida was built.4 te numerous, considering the size and importan-
ce of the town. However, the nature of their fin-
First mention of Aegida in the historical so- ding poses a significant problem in interpeting
urces is found in Elder Plinys Naturalis Historia.5 them and using the information for reconstru-
The name Aegida is a Greek word for a goat, as is cting the history of Aegida. They were not found
Capris, a later Latin name of the settlement whi- in the archaeologically relevant context and due
ch was used from the 7th century AD. It is possi- to renaissance and humanistic tendecies of col-
ble that both the Greek and Latin names of the lecting Roman monuments in private collecti-
town are the direct translation of a native word ons, the information about their true origin is
for goat. Other names included in the sources, practically unknown. Authors have pointed out
maps and itiniraries are: Iustinopolis, Caprae, that there is no proof that any of the monuments
Capris, Insula Caprea or Capritana insula, so it is from Koper or its vicinity were found on the
not surprising that the modern Slovenian name island itself, where ancient Aegida stood.9
for Koper can be derived from its Latin root.6
The history of the monuments, comprised
The settlement on the Koper island was mostly by Mommsen and Kandler who tracked
built probably in the beginning of 1st century and transcribed them, later to be published by
BC and during the next hundred years, Aegi- Degrassi in Inscriptiones Italiae for Regio X, reve-
da acquired characteristics of an urbanized Ro- als that majority of them were found built in pu-
man town. Accoridng to Pliny, at the latest from blic buildings of Koper, e. g. Episcopal palace, city
the time of Augustus Aegida was oppidum ci- walls, cathedral, other churches, curia or laying in
vium Romanorum, which can be considered that the main city square (Loggia). Some were found in
it held the rank of municipium.7 With the con- the gardens of monasteries or transferred from ne-
stitution of a municipium, Aegida was enrolled arby villages to the estates of the noblemen, whi-
in the voting disctrict of the tribe Pupinia, same le others were lost in the process, so only drawings
as nearby Tergeste. In 18 – 12 BC the area from exist. After Mommsen and Kandler wrote down
Rižane (Formio) up to Raša (Arsia) river was in- the inscriptions, most of them were taken to the
coporated into Italy. After the initial growth and atrium of gymnasium and after 1911 in the Muse-
um of Koper, where they today stand inserted in
4 Radovan Cunja, “Koper, Kapucinski vrt”, Arheološki pregled (1986) the wall.
1987:118-120; Matej Župančič, “Sermin ob Rižani, pretres virov in
arheoloskih podatkov”, Arheološki vestnik 36 (1985): 315- 325; Ma- 8 Alka Starac, “Pitanje istočne granice Cisalpinske Galije i odnos
tej Župančič, “Inter utrumque tuta” in Koper zwishen Rom und Ve- općina Tergeste i Egida“, Histria Archaeologica 24-25 (1993-1994),
nedig, ed. Matej Župančič (Koper: Regionalmuseum Koper, 1991) 24-29.
6-11.
9 Degrassi, Abitati Preistorici E Romani, 798; Šašel, “Koper”, 446.
5 HN 3. 129
6 Rav. Ann. 4. 31, 5.14; Jaroslav Šašel, “Koper”, Arheološki vestnik 25,
(1976): 446-460.
7 Mate Suić, Anticki Grad Na Istocnom Jadranu (Zagreb: Sveučilišna
naklada Liber, 1976), 34.
ferrencing with the entries in the relevant data- that from the time of Pliny to late antiquity, Ae-
bases. hereditati gida lost its importance. It is not mentioned in the
itineraries, maps or historical sources. It is possible
Short history of Aegida that this absence from is related to its reduced traf-
and its epigraphical monuments fic importance and not with its loss of self-gover-
ning status. The fact that Aegida was not granted
The city of Koper in the Slovenian part of Istria the rank of colony is further proof that the town
is situated on the coast and a small island south experienced a period of slowed growth in every
of the Rižane river. Today, the island is the pla- sense.8
ce where the historical center of Koper stands. In
antiquity, it was location where the Roman town Roman inscriptions found in Koper are qui-
of Aegida was built.4 te numerous, considering the size and importan-
ce of the town. However, the nature of their fin-
First mention of Aegida in the historical so- ding poses a significant problem in interpeting
urces is found in Elder Plinys Naturalis Historia.5 them and using the information for reconstru-
The name Aegida is a Greek word for a goat, as is cting the history of Aegida. They were not found
Capris, a later Latin name of the settlement whi- in the archaeologically relevant context and due
ch was used from the 7th century AD. It is possi- to renaissance and humanistic tendecies of col-
ble that both the Greek and Latin names of the lecting Roman monuments in private collecti-
town are the direct translation of a native word ons, the information about their true origin is
for goat. Other names included in the sources, practically unknown. Authors have pointed out
maps and itiniraries are: Iustinopolis, Caprae, that there is no proof that any of the monuments
Capris, Insula Caprea or Capritana insula, so it is from Koper or its vicinity were found on the
not surprising that the modern Slovenian name island itself, where ancient Aegida stood.9
for Koper can be derived from its Latin root.6
The history of the monuments, comprised
The settlement on the Koper island was mostly by Mommsen and Kandler who tracked
built probably in the beginning of 1st century and transcribed them, later to be published by
BC and during the next hundred years, Aegi- Degrassi in Inscriptiones Italiae for Regio X, reve-
da acquired characteristics of an urbanized Ro- als that majority of them were found built in pu-
man town. Accoridng to Pliny, at the latest from blic buildings of Koper, e. g. Episcopal palace, city
the time of Augustus Aegida was oppidum ci- walls, cathedral, other churches, curia or laying in
vium Romanorum, which can be considered that the main city square (Loggia). Some were found in
it held the rank of municipium.7 With the con- the gardens of monasteries or transferred from ne-
stitution of a municipium, Aegida was enrolled arby villages to the estates of the noblemen, whi-
in the voting disctrict of the tribe Pupinia, same le others were lost in the process, so only drawings
as nearby Tergeste. In 18 – 12 BC the area from exist. After Mommsen and Kandler wrote down
Rižane (Formio) up to Raša (Arsia) river was in- the inscriptions, most of them were taken to the
coporated into Italy. After the initial growth and atrium of gymnasium and after 1911 in the Muse-
um of Koper, where they today stand inserted in
4 Radovan Cunja, “Koper, Kapucinski vrt”, Arheološki pregled (1986) the wall.
1987:118-120; Matej Župančič, “Sermin ob Rižani, pretres virov in
arheoloskih podatkov”, Arheološki vestnik 36 (1985): 315- 325; Ma- 8 Alka Starac, “Pitanje istočne granice Cisalpinske Galije i odnos
tej Župančič, “Inter utrumque tuta” in Koper zwishen Rom und Ve- općina Tergeste i Egida“, Histria Archaeologica 24-25 (1993-1994),
nedig, ed. Matej Župančič (Koper: Regionalmuseum Koper, 1991) 24-29.
6-11.
9 Degrassi, Abitati Preistorici E Romani, 798; Šašel, “Koper”, 446.
5 HN 3. 129
6 Rav. Ann. 4. 31, 5.14; Jaroslav Šašel, “Koper”, Arheološki vestnik 25,
(1976): 446-460.
7 Mate Suić, Anticki Grad Na Istocnom Jadranu (Zagreb: Sveučilišna
naklada Liber, 1976), 34.
