Damastion
Encyclopedia
Damastion was an ancient city in the area of central Balkans
. Various sites in Serbia
and Macedonia
and Albania
have been considered as the location of this ancient town.
The city was in the borderlands of Illyria
and Paeonia
, more on the side of the latter. The exact site of the city is not yet identified with certainty. Damastion is attested only in Strabo
who says that the city had silver-mines. However, he mentions Damastion without giving its position (VII, 7, 8; VIII, 6, 16).
, east Macedonia, west Bulgaria
, the Scutari in Albania and as far as Romania, Trieste and Corfu. They are dated in the 4th c. BC. Most attempts to locate Damastion are based on the study of the coins and their distribution. One author, Dr Imhoof-Blumer, endeavoured to find modern derivatives of the name and assumed that Damesi, a village in Albania, could have been Damastion. There are a number of other hypotheses about its location somewhere near Resen in ancient Paionia
, modern Republic of Macedonia
.
The most recent location that was proposed was at Serbian archaeological site Kale-Krševica
, south-east of Vranje
(southern Serbia) where 5th-century BC foundations of an Ancient Greek urban town have been unearthed.
Dr. Petar Popović from the Institute of Archeology in Belgrade
says that Kale-Krševica could very likely be the city of Damastion.
and its inhabitants were called the Damastini (not a specific Illyrian tribe). The city was known in antiquity for its silver mines, whose exact location, like that of the city itself, is today unknown. In the 431 BC Greeks
from Aegina
had colonised the city. The circulation of the coins of Damastion included Dardania
(Metohija
and the Morava
valley) and beyond, and to the west the southern Adriatic coast. The city and its silver mines were captured by Philip II of Macedon
after he defeated Dardanian King Bardylis.
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Various sites in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
have been considered as the location of this ancient town.
The city was in the borderlands of Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
and Paeonia
Paeonia
Paeonia or Paionia may refer to:*the generic name of the peony*the ancient tribe and kingdom of Paeonia , in today's northern Greece and the Republic of Macedonia*Paionia , a municipality in northern Greece...
, more on the side of the latter. The exact site of the city is not yet identified with certainty. Damastion is attested only in Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
who says that the city had silver-mines. However, he mentions Damastion without giving its position (VII, 7, 8; VIII, 6, 16).
Location
Damastion was issuing silver in the form of coins bearing the head of Apollo on the obverse and a tripod with the inscription "ΔΑΜΑΣΤΙΝΩΝ" on the reverse. These coins have been found in many places in the Balkans, mainly in south SerbiaSerbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, east Macedonia, west Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, the Scutari in Albania and as far as Romania, Trieste and Corfu. They are dated in the 4th c. BC. Most attempts to locate Damastion are based on the study of the coins and their distribution. One author, Dr Imhoof-Blumer, endeavoured to find modern derivatives of the name and assumed that Damesi, a village in Albania, could have been Damastion. There are a number of other hypotheses about its location somewhere near Resen in ancient Paionia
Paionia
In ancient geography, Paeonia or Paionia was the land of the Paeonians . The exact original boundaries of Paeonia, like the early history of its inhabitants, are very obscure, but it is believed that they lay in the region of Thrace...
, modern Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
The most recent location that was proposed was at Serbian archaeological site Kale-Krševica
Kale-Krševica
Kale-Krševica is an Ancient Macedonian archaeological site of more than 4 hectares and so far some 1,000 squares have been excavated with a former fortified town in the hills of Krševica overlooking Bujanovac and Vranje, to the south of Ristovac in southern Serbia...
, south-east of Vranje
Vranje
Vranje is a city and municipality located in southern Serbia. In 2011 the city has total population of 82,782, while the urban area has 54,456...
(southern Serbia) where 5th-century BC foundations of an Ancient Greek urban town have been unearthed.
Dr. Petar Popović from the Institute of Archeology in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
says that Kale-Krševica could very likely be the city of Damastion.
History
In 4th century BC the city (the Damastini) were subjects to king BardyllisBardyllis
Bardyllis was a king of the Dardanian Kingdom and probably its founder.Bardyllis created one of the most powerful Illyrian states, that of the Dardanians...
and its inhabitants were called the Damastini (not a specific Illyrian tribe). The city was known in antiquity for its silver mines, whose exact location, like that of the city itself, is today unknown. In the 431 BC Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
from Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
had colonised the city. The circulation of the coins of Damastion included Dardania
Dardani
Dardania was the region of the Dardani .Located at the Thraco-Illyrian contact zone, their identification as either an Illyrian or Thracian tribe is uncertain. Their territory itself was not considered part of Illyria by Strabo. The term used for their territory was , while for other tribes had...
(Metohija
Metohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
and the Morava
Morava
Morava is a Slavic river name. It may refer to:Rivers:* Great Morava in central Serbia** South Morava , tributary of the Great Morava** West Morava , tributary of the Great Morava...
valley) and beyond, and to the west the southern Adriatic coast. The city and its silver mines were captured by Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
after he defeated Dardanian King Bardylis.