Roman Limes in Serbia

Abstract

Rimski Limes, odnosno granice nekadašnjeg Rimskog carstva, danas se prostiru na preko 7.500 km, kroz 20 zemalja koje okružuju Sredozemno more, čineći najveći i najduži spomenik kulturne baštine na svetu. Našoj zemlji pripada ako ne njen najlepši deo, onda svakako najuzbudljiviji. Arheolozi su na prostoru Gvozdenih vrata već bili prilično zaposleni u drugoj polovini XX veka, tokom izgradnje hidroelektrana Đerdap I i Đerdap II, koristeći poslednju priliku da istraže i spasu ono što je nakon nekoliko milenija preostalo od grandioznih kultura koje su se razvijale duž Dunava. U svet su tada poslate slike najstarije kamene skulpture sa Lepenskog Vira, ostataka najdužeg mosta sagrađenog u antici kod Kostola, rimskog puta usečenog u stene Đerdapske klisure, premeštanja Trajanove table... Predmeti su obogatili muzeje, saznanja o drevnim kulturama uticala su na nove generacije istraživača i nove kulturne teorije, a antičko nasleđe je, nažalost, najvećim delom potopljeno, dok su preostale fotografije i crteži jedina svedočanstva o njihovom postojanju. Međutim, kako se svet menja i savremene tehnologije ulaze u svakodnevnicu, tako i ono što je potopljeno, ustvari, nije izgubljeno. Još uvek postoji i može se zaštititi! Nakon decenija zaštitnih istraživanja, potom konzervacije onoga što je preostalo (Diana, Pontes), u mogućnosti smo da naš deo Limesa stavimo pod zaštitu UNESCO-a. Naravno, do toga se još mora dosta uraditi na zaštiti, i fizičkoj i pravnoj, ali prvi koraci su već napravljeni. Delovi Rimskog limesa u Britaniji i Germaniji su stavljeni na listu svetske kulturne baštine, a od 2012. godine Arheološki institut je učesnik u međunarodnom projektu čiji je cilj da ceo Dunavski limes bude pod zaštitom UNESCO-a. Kao nekada, pre skoro 2.000 godina, postaćemo deo Rimskog carstva, ovog puta bez upotrebe vojne sile i sa jedinim ciljem popularizacije i promocije kulturnog nasleđa. Publikacija koja je pred vama napisana je sa ciljem da pruži istorijske i arheološke podatke o rimskom Limesu uošte, ali i da posluži kao svojevrstan vodič kroz Dunavski limes u Srbiji.

The Roman Limes, or the boundaries of the former Roman Empire, now stretching over 7,500 km through 20 countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea, making it the largest and longest monument in the world. If in our country is not the most beautiful part, then certainly it is the most exciting. Archaeologists in the area of the Iron Gates were already pretty busy in the second half of the twentieth century during the construction of Hydroelectric Power Stations Iron Gate I and Iron Gate II, using the last chance to explore and salvage what is left after several millennia of great cultures that had developed along the Danube. In the world were then sent images of the oldest stone sculptures from Lepenski Vir, of remains the longest bridge built in antiquity near nowadays Kostol, of Roman road cut into the rocks of the Iron Gates Gorge, of moving Trajan’s tablet... Items enriched the museums, knowledge about ancient cultures have influenced the new generation researchers and new cultural theories, and ancient heritage is, unfortunately, largely submerged and remaining photos and drawings are the only testimonies of their existence. However, as the world is changing and modern technology is affect daily lives, it turned that what is submerged is not lost in fact. It still exists there and, even, can be protected! After decades of rescue excavations, then conservations of what is left (Diana, Pontes), we are able to put our part of the Limes under the protection of UNESCO. Obviously, we still have to do a lot to protect sites in the meaning of physical and legal protection, but the first steps have already been made. Parts of the Roman limes in Britain and Germany have been already put on the World Heritage List, and from 2012 the Archaeological Institute has participated in an international project that aims to put the whole Danube Limes under the protection of UNESCO. As long time ago, nearly 2.000 years ago, we shall become the part of the Roman Empire, this time without the use of military force and with the only purpose of popularization and promotion of cultural heritage. The aim of this publication is not only to inform about historical and archaeological facts on the Limes in Serbia but also to act as