Tariotes
Encyclopedia
The Tariotes were a subtribe of the Dalmatae
, ancient settlers of a part of the eastern Adriatic
coast, in modern day Croatia
. This tribe is mentioned in the Classical literature by Pliny the Elder
alone.
Their territory began after Liburnian
Scardona (Skradin
), spreading in small region directly to the south of Liburnia
, and border ran roughly through the middle of the peninsula which Roman
sources called Hyllus. This westernmost promontory of the ancient Dalmatian
coast lies between Morinje Bay (near Šibenik
) in the north-west and Kaštela
Bay in the south-east, sheltered in its hinterland by the hills.
Numerous hillforts and their tumuli
were found in the Hyllus Peninsula, and most of it were more intensely settled from the end of the second to the middle of the first millennium BC, while evidences point to the settlement of the peninsula during the Late Bronze Age
and the older Iron Age
. From north to the south of the peninsula large fortified settlements (modern: Grad, Domazeti, Kosmač, Drid and Oriovščak) dominate over a short length, surrounded with a series of smaller hillforts located on more prominent elevations, fortified with dry-stone ramparts, all visually connected. They were raised in relation to overland and maritime communications, which they entirely controlled, and they enabled control over individual pastures, same as the neighboring Liburnian hillforts did.
domination in Dalmatia commenced. With the arrival of the Romans to the province of Dalmatia, historical circumstances, and thus the role of hillforts, changed. They were no longer defensive strongholds from attacks by hostile local tribes, nor sites of resistance to the Roman army. Rome now intervened in the disputes between the tribes and these hillforts lost their military role, but retained their economical role, in the first place to safegurd livestock.
In the old Tariote territory, the hillfort centres would not continue to exist through Antiquity, which was the case among the Liburnians. In Liburnia, centres such as Nedinium (Nadin
), Asseria (Podgrađe, near Benkovac
), Iader (Zadar
) continued to exist in Roman times, and the Liburnians retained their ethnic distinctiveness under Rome, while the same did not occur on the neighbouring Hyllus Peninsula. However during the 1st century AD individual Tariote hillforts lived on, and numerous Roman materials were found in them, generally vessels that indicate intense trade between newly arrived Romans settled in Pretorium (Grebaštica), Marina and Tragurium (Trogir
) and the indigenous Tariotes. Even though hillforts experienced new architectural interventions during the 1st centuries BC and AD, already during the 2nd century AD they had primarily economic significance, while life gradually became oriented toward Pretorium and other Roman centres. The hillforts would be used as shelters for the livestock; some of them serve this function even today.
Dalmatae
The Dalmatae or Delmatae were an ancient people who inhabited the core of what would then become known as Dalmatia after the Roman conquest - now the eastern Adriatic coast in Croatia, between the rivers Krka and Neretva...
, ancient settlers of a part of the eastern Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
coast, in modern day Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. This tribe is mentioned in the Classical literature by Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
alone.
Their territory began after Liburnian
Liburnians
The Liburnians were an ancient Illyrian tribe inhabiting the district called Liburnia, a coastal region of the northeastern Adriatic between the rivers Arsia and Titius in what is now Croatia....
Scardona (Skradin
Skradin
Skradin is a small town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia it has a population about 3,986 . It is located near the Krka river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park, from Šibenik and from Split...
), spreading in small region directly to the south of Liburnia
Liburnia
Liburnia in ancient geography was the land of the Liburnians, a region along the northeastern Adriatic coast in Europe, in modern Croatia, whose borders shifted according to the extent of Liburnian dominance at a given time between 11th and 1st century BC...
, and border ran roughly through the middle of the peninsula which Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
sources called Hyllus. This westernmost promontory of the ancient Dalmatian
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
coast lies between Morinje Bay (near Šibenik
Šibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
) in the north-west and Kaštela
Kaštela
Kaštela is a series of seven towns in central Dalmatia, located northwest of Split, west of Solin and east of Trogir, in Croatia. They are part of the Split-Dalmatia county and are treated as a single city with a population of 38,474 , although they are individually between 3,000 and 7,000...
Bay in the south-east, sheltered in its hinterland by the hills.
Numerous hillforts and their tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
were found in the Hyllus Peninsula, and most of it were more intensely settled from the end of the second to the middle of the first millennium BC, while evidences point to the settlement of the peninsula during the Late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and the older Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. From north to the south of the peninsula large fortified settlements (modern: Grad, Domazeti, Kosmač, Drid and Oriovščak) dominate over a short length, surrounded with a series of smaller hillforts located on more prominent elevations, fortified with dry-stone ramparts, all visually connected. They were raised in relation to overland and maritime communications, which they entirely controlled, and they enabled control over individual pastures, same as the neighboring Liburnian hillforts did.
Economy
The economy of the Tariotes and other, similar Dalmatae tribal communities on the coast was primary based on livestock husbandry, which associates them with the hillfort lifestyle which would last even after the RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
domination in Dalmatia commenced. With the arrival of the Romans to the province of Dalmatia, historical circumstances, and thus the role of hillforts, changed. They were no longer defensive strongholds from attacks by hostile local tribes, nor sites of resistance to the Roman army. Rome now intervened in the disputes between the tribes and these hillforts lost their military role, but retained their economical role, in the first place to safegurd livestock.
In the old Tariote territory, the hillfort centres would not continue to exist through Antiquity, which was the case among the Liburnians. In Liburnia, centres such as Nedinium (Nadin
Nadin
Nadin is a Croatian village in the Zadar County, located between Benkovac and Škabrnja. The population is 439 .The village was inhabited since the time of the Liburnians when it was named ....
), Asseria (Podgrađe, near Benkovac
Benkovac
Benkovac is a town and municipality in the interior of Zadar County, Croatia.- Geography :Benkovac is located where the plain of Ravni Kotari and the karstic plateau of Bukovica meet, 20 km from the town of Biograd na Moru and 30 km from Zadar. The Zagreb-Split motorway and Zadar-Knin...
), Iader (Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
) continued to exist in Roman times, and the Liburnians retained their ethnic distinctiveness under Rome, while the same did not occur on the neighbouring Hyllus Peninsula. However during the 1st century AD individual Tariote hillforts lived on, and numerous Roman materials were found in them, generally vessels that indicate intense trade between newly arrived Romans settled in Pretorium (Grebaštica), Marina and Tragurium (Trogir
Trogir
Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo...
) and the indigenous Tariotes. Even though hillforts experienced new architectural interventions during the 1st centuries BC and AD, already during the 2nd century AD they had primarily economic significance, while life gradually became oriented toward Pretorium and other Roman centres. The hillforts would be used as shelters for the livestock; some of them serve this function even today.