During the European Year of Cultural Heritage, Croatian Conservation Institute presents the results of previous research, as well as other numerous activities within the international project “Claustra+ - Cross-border Destination of Cultural and Green Tourism” (OP Interreg V-A Slovenia-Croatia 2014-2020).
Supervisor: Josip Višnjić
The Claustra Alpium Iuliarum defense system is one of the largest and most complex monuments from Late Antiquity in Croatia. It is an extremely wide defense zone that extends beyond the territory of Croatia into the territory of the neighboring Slovenia.
The system was built in the second half of the 3rd century for the defense of Roman Italy, the very center of the Roman Empire, because of the increasing danger of Germanic tribes crossing its borders.
The system consisted of defensive walls built strategically on the most exposed areas, towers and fortresses, which, to a great extent, used the indented geomorphology of the area to close all major passageways from the east towards northeast Italy. At the same time, they directed and channeled the traffic towards main, controlled roads.
Today, more than 30 km of remains of defensive walls have been discovered, with more than 100 towers. Remains of the defense system can be followed for more than 130 km, with three larger and four smaller fortresses. In Croatia, the majority of defense structures were associated with the defense of the Senia - Tarsatica - Tergeste road, or the port city of Tarsatica, where the military command of the southern sector of the defense system was located.
The main source of information on the Claustra Alpium Iuliarum defense system are archaeological excavations carried out in Rijeka and the surrounding area. They have significantly increased the knowledge on the creation, development, and destruction of the town. Furthermore, they have also shed light on the connection and character of the relationship between the town and the corresponding part of the defense system, as well as the influence the inclusion of a marginal Roman settlement in the sprawling defense system of the highest state interest had on its development.