Ruins of Sirmium

Julian solidus, ca. 361, from Sirmium mint.

Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica), the glorious mother of cities (famously so-called by the ancient historian Ammianus Marcellinus), was an ancient city in Roman Pannonia. Sirmium originally was an Illyrian town conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC. It was a very important town in the later Roman Empire, being the economic capital of Roman Pannonia and one of the four capital cities of the Roman Empire. The present day region of Syrmia was named after this city. Image File history File links Sirmium. ... Image File history File links Sirmium. ... Julian. ... Julian. ... Flavius Claudius Iulianus (331–June 26, 363), was a Roman Emperor (361–363) of the Constantinian dynasty. ... Julian solidus, ca. ... Events Emperor Ai succeeds Emperor Mu as emperor of China. ... New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... Ammianus Marcellinus (325/330-after 391) was a Roman historian who wrote during Late Antiquity. ... Position of the Roman province of Pannonia Pannonia is an ancient country bounded north and east by the Danube, conterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia. ... Illyria (disambiguation) Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans (Illyria, roughly from northern Epirus to southern Pannonia) and even perhaps parts of Southern Italy in classical times into the Common era, and spoke Illyrian languages. ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 1st century BC started on January 1, 100 BC and ended on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. The AD/BC notation does not use a year zero. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... Map of the Syrmia region Syrmia (Serbian: Srem (Cyrillic: Срем), Croatian: Srijem) is a fertile region of the Pannonian plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. ...

History

For the post-Roman history of the town, see Sremska Mitrovica

Sirmium was one of the oldest cities in Europe.^{[citation needed]} Archaeologists have found a trace of organized human life on the site of Sirmium dating from the 5000 BC. When the Romans conquered the city in the 1st century BC, Sirmium already was a settlement with a long tradition. New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 1st century BC started on January 1, 100 BC and ended on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. The AD/BC notation does not use a year zero. ...

In the 1st century, Sirmium gained a status of a colony of the citizens of Rome, and became a very important military and strategic location in Pannonia province. The war expeditions of Roman emperors Traian, Marcus Aurelius, and Claudius II, were prepared in Sirmium. The 1st century was that century which lasted from 1 to 100 according the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Motto: SPQR: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus Location of the city of Rome (yellow) within the Province of Rome (red) and region of Lazio (grey) Coordinates: Region Lazio Province Province of Rome Founded 21 April 753 BC  - Mayor Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1285 km²  (580 sq mi)  - Urban... Position of the Roman province of Pannonia Pannonia is an ancient country bounded north and east by the Danube, conterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia. ... Emperor Trajan Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (September 18, 53-August 9, 117), Roman Emperor (98-117), commonly called Trajan, was the second of the so-called Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire. ... Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (April 26, 121[1] – March 17, 180) was Roman Emperor from 161 to his death. ... Claudius Gothicus on a coin celebrating his equity (AEQUITAS AUGUSTI). ...

In 103, Pannonia was split into two provinces: Upper Pannonia and Lower Pannonia, and Sirmium became the capital city of Lower Pannonia. For other uses, see number 103. ... Upper Pannonia (Pannonia Superior) map The Upper Pannonia or Pannonia Superior was ancient Roman province. ... Position of the Roman province of Pannonia Pannonia is an ancient country bounded north and east by the Danube, conterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia. ...

In 296, Diocletian operated a new territorial division of Pannonia. Instead of previous two provinces, there were four new provinces established in former territory of original Pannonia: Pannonia Prima, Pannonia Valeria, Pannonia Savia and Pannonia Secunda. Capital city of Pannonia Secunda was Sirmium. Events Galerius conquers Ctesiphon on the Persians; in the following peace settlement he returns it in exchange of Armenia Pope Marcellinus I succeeds Pope Caius Allectus, sucessor by assassination to Britain, is defeated by Constantius Chlorus and Britain is returned to the Roman Empire Births Deaths Pope Caius Categories: 296... Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( 245– 312), born Diocles (Greek Διοκλής) and known in English as Diocletian,[1] was Roman Emperor from November 20, 284 to May 1, 305. ... The Pannonia Prima was ancient Roman province. ... The Pannonia Valeria was ancient Roman province. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Pannonia Secunda map The Pannonia Secunda was ancient Roman province. ...

Map of the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, 318-379, with capital in Sirmium

In 293, with the establishment of tetrarchy, the Roman Empire was split into four parts; Sirmium emerged as one of the four capital cities of Roman Empire, the other three being Trier, Mediolanum, and Nicomedia. During the tetrarchy, Sirmium was the capital of emperor Galerius. With the establishment of praetorian prefectures in 318, the capital of the prefecture of Illyricum was Sirmium. Sirmium was capital of this prefecture until 379, when the prefecture was divided politically into Eastern and Western Illyricum. The western part (including Sirmium) was included into prefecture of Italia. The eastern part of Illyricum remained a separate prefecture with the capital in Thessalonica. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 607 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1054 × 1041 pixel, file size: 454 KB, MIME type: image/png)historic map (self made) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 607 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1054 × 1041 pixel, file size: 454 KB, MIME type: image/png)historic map (self made) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Events March 1 - Diocletian and Maximian appoint Constantius Chlorus and Galerius as Caesars. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204, Treasury of St. ... Trier (French: ; Luxembourgish Tréier) is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River. ... Arcadius solidus, from Mediolanum mint, 400s. ... Nicomedia (modern Ä°zmit, also known as Iznik) was founded by Nicomedes I of Bithynia at the head of the Gulf of Astacus (which opens on the Propontis) in 264 BC. The city has ever since been one of the chief towns in this part of Asia Minor. ... Galerius Maximianus ( 250–5 May 311), formally Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus was Roman Emperor from 305 to 311. ... The division of the Roman Empire into four Praetorian prefectures originated in the age of the Tetrarchy yet outlived that period. ... Events Gregory the Illuminator appoints his son Aristax as successor in the Patriarchate of Armenia. ... map of the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, 318-379 AD The Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (also termed simply the Prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four large prefectures (see Praetorian prefecture) into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. ... January 19 - Theodosius I is elevated as Roman Emperor at Sirmium. ... The White Tower The Arch of Galerius Map showing the Thessaloníki prefecture Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη) is the second-largest city of Greece and is the principal city and the capital of the Greek region of Macedonia. ...

Since the 4th century, the city was an important Christian centre, and was a seat of the Episcopate of Sirmium. Five Christian councils were held in Sirmium. The city also had an emperor's palace, horse racing arena, mint, arena theatre, theatre, as well as many workshops, public baths, temples, public palaces and luxury villas. Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ... The Council of Sirmium is the name primarily given to the third Council of Sirmium which marked a temporary compromise between Arianism and the Western bishops of the Christian church. ... A mint is a facility which manufactures coins for currency. ...

At the end of the 4th century, Sirmium was brought under the sway of the Goths, and later, was again annexed to the Eastern Roman Empire. In 441, Sirmium was conquered by the Huns, and after this conquest, it remained for more than a century in the hands of various Barbarian tribes, such were Eastern Goths and Gepids. For a short time, Sirmium was the center of the Gepide State and the king Cunimund minted golden coins in it. After 567, Sirmium was again included into Eastern Roman Empire. The city was finally conquered and destroyed by Avars in 582. This event marked the end of the period of late Antiquity in the history of Sirmium. Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche, is a highly romanticized portrait of the Goths as cavalrymen. ... The Huns were a confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads. ... Look up Barbarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche, is a highly romanticized portrait of the Goths as cavalrymen. ... The Gepids (Latin Gepidae) were a Germanic tribe most famous in history for defeating the Huns after the death of Attila. ... The Gepids (Latin Gepidae) were a Germanic tribe most famous in history for defeating the Huns after the death of Attila. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Map showing the location of Avar Khaganate, c. ...

Roman emperors

Traianus Decius, Roman Emperor (249-251), born in village Budalia near Sirmium

Six Roman emperors were born in this city or in its surroundings: picture of Roman Emperor Traianus Decius This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... picture of Roman Emperor Traianus Decius This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Bust of Traianus Decius. ... Martinci (Мартинци) is a village in Serbia. ...

• Decius Traian (249-251)
• Aurelian (270-275)
• Probus (276-282)
• Maximianus Herculius (285-310)
• Constantius II (337-361)
• Gratian (367-383)

The last emperor of the united Roman Empire, Theodosius I (378-395) became emperor in Sirmium. The usurpers Ingenuus and Regalianus also declared themselves emperors in this city (in 260) and many other Roman emperors spent some time in Sirmium. Bust of Traianus Decius. ... Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (September 9, 214–275), known in English as Aurelian, Roman Emperor (270–275), was the second of several highly successful soldier-emperors who helped the Roman Empire regain its power during the latter part of the third century and the beginning of the fourth. ... This antoninianus minted under Probus (c. ... Maximian Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius (c. ... Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II, (7 August 317 - 3 November 361) was a Roman Emperor (337 - 361) of the Constantinian dynasty. ... A coin of Gratian. ... An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ... Usurpers were a common feature of the late Roman Empire, especially from the so-called crisis of the third century onwards, when political instability became the rule. ... Ingenuus held a senior military command in Pannonia when he proclaimed himself Roman Emperor ca. ... Regalianus (died 260) had been made general by emperor Valerian and like many others of his rank he was proclaimed Roman emperor in 260 after the capture and execution of Valerian by the Sasanid Persians. ... Events Valerian I captured by the Persian king Shapur I; Gallienus becomes sole Roman emperor. ...

Archeological trivia

• In early 1970s American archeologists sponsored by the US Government made an offer to the citizens of Sremska Mitrovica to completely rebuild the town on another location so that the town could be excavated. The town government refused the request immediately, under pressure from the then hard-socialist Yugoslav government.

• During work on the new Sremska Mitrovica trade center in 1972, a worker accidentally broke into an old Roman pot, about 2m deep, over the site of an old Sirmium settlement. 33 gold Roman coins enclosed in a leather pouch were found inside a Roman house wall, probably the hidden savings of a wealthy Roman family stashed centuries ago. Of this extraordinary rare find of Sirmium minted coins were 4 Constantius II era coins, considered the most valuable examples from the late Roman empire of the fourth century AD. The young worker whose shovel brought this significant discovery to light was never rewarded.

• The only known unexcavated Roman horse racing arena in the world is in Sirmium. A colossal building about 150m wide and 450m long lays directly under the Sremska Mitrovica town center and just beside the old Sirmium Emperor's Palace (one of just a few Sirmium publicly accessible archeological sights). The presence of the arena has clearly affected the layout of the present town (Sremska Mitrovica is today about 2-4m above ground line of former Sirmium settlement). Recently announced cultural and archeological projects for preserving and popularising Sirmium sights haven't included any activity dealing with the arena, probably due to the extent of the large arena - the entire present town center might have to be excavated.

New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... Capital Belgrade Language(s) Serbo-Croatian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Macedonian Government Socialist republic President  - 1945 - 1953 Ivan Ribar  - 1991 Stjepan Mesić Prime Minister  - 1945 - 1963 Josip Broz Tito  - 1989 - 1991 Ante Marković Historical era Cold War  - Proclamation November 29, 1943  - UN membership October 24, 1945  - Constitution February 21, 1974  - Secessions... New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II, (7 August 317 - 3 November 361) was a Roman Emperor (337 - 361) of the Constantinian dynasty. ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ...

Further reading

• Petar Milošević, Arheologija i istorija Sirmijuma, Novi Sad, 2001.
• Radomir Popović, Rano hrišćanstvo u Panoniji, Vojvođanski godišnjak, sveska I, Novi Sad, 1995.

See also

• Sremska Mitrovica
• Council of Sirmium
• Syrmia
• Tetrarchy
• Praetorian prefecture
• Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
• Roman provinces
• Roman Empire

Coordinates: 44°59′N, 19°37′E New pedestrian bridge built in 1993, connecting Sremska Mitrovica and Mačvanska Mitrovica Sremska Mitrovica (Serbian: Сремска Митровица or Sremska Mitrovica, Rusin: Сримска Митровица, Croatian: Sr(ij)emska Mitrovica, Hungarian: Szávaszentdemeter, German: Syrmisch Mitrowitz, Latin: Sirmium) is a city located in the Vojvodina province of Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... The Council of Sirmium is the name primarily given to the third Council of Sirmium which marked a temporary compromise between Arianism and the Western bishops of the Christian church. ... Map of the Syrmia region Syrmia (Serbian: Srem (Cyrillic: Срем), Croatian: Srijem) is a fertile region of the Pannonian plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204, Treasury of St. ... The division of the Roman Empire into four Praetorian prefectures originated in the age of the Tetrarchy yet outlived that period. ... map of the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, 318-379 AD The Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (also termed simply the Prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four large prefectures (see Praetorian prefecture) into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. ... Map of the Roman Empire, with the provinces, after 120 AD. In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin, provincia, pl. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...