Duklja

In the mouth of Zeta in Moraca, only three kilometers away from Podgorica, we have interesting diggings and ruins of the old town Duklja, Doclea, Dioclea. Devastated by the Goths in the late V century, and hit by the earthquake thirty years later, Duklja, in difference to Medun did not grow into a medieval, and by that into a modern settlement. As a big lodgment of the Illyrian tribe Dokleati, under Romans it grew into the most advanced town of present Montenegro. This area was named by it, Dioklitije.

Until the XI century Montenegro was more or less known by this name, when it is replaced with the name Zeta, which dominates during the middle century. Tradition, as much as unreliable in the same way the only source says that the ton was founded by the roman emperor Dioklecijan, and that by his name the lodgment got the name. Massif walls like parallelograms, the remains and traces of the bridge on Moraca, ruins of the palaces, numerous sarcophagi with the richly decorated bas – relief, tombstones with Latin inscription are witnesses of the size and importance of Duklja in that period of which we are speaking. The famous English archeologist Arthur John Evans dedicated 7 years of his work to the study of Duklja, and his findings represent the precious contribution to the world of the Montenegrin archeology. The sculptures and fragments of the artistic items and decorations of the craft production testify f the rich culture of this ancient roman town. 40.000 citizens in I century A.D. even today is a big number for the ¾ of the Montenegrin towns.

Browse Other Podgorica Attractions