SALONA AT THE TIME OF BISHOP HESYCHIUS

Jasna JeliÈiÆ - RadoniÆ

UDC: 904:726.6(497.5Solin)04 

904:725.96(497.5Solin)04 Sveuilite u Splitu
Original scientific paper Filozofski fakultet
Manuscript received: 23. 03. 2007. Sinjsk
Revised manuscript accepted: 10. 04. 2007. 

During the peace that occurred during the time of Bishop Hesychius, a very important and well-known figure of the fifth century,
not only were the Episcopal complex and some of the cemetery complexes renewed, but the total reconstruction of the walls
and towers also took place, as witnessed by the inscriptions placed on the city gates – Porta Andetria and Porta suburbia. Their
general renovation was carried out during the time of Theodosius II and Valentinian III, who, together with his mother, Galla
Placidia, came to Salona. Probably after their visit, major resources were granted for the renovation of the town, especially for
the protection of the citizens.

Bishop Hesychius was a well-known personality in his
own time, and it is possible to define the time during which
he governed the church in Salona as the period from 405
to 420/426. An epistle of St John Chrysostomos from his
exile in Cappadocia sent to this Bishop of Salona in 406
confirms that by then he had already assumed the throne
in Salona, for it was addressed Ioannes Hesychio Episcopo
Salonensi.1 Bishop Hesychius had endeavoured to help the
churches in the East in the defence of John Chrysostomos,
together with Pope Innocent, with whom all the bishops of
the West had worked in concert.
This was during the time of Bishop Hesychius, in a Dal
matia that was exhausted by the universal troubles afflicting
the entire Western Roman Empire, that a period of peace
ensued. This was a precondition, as Farlati describes, for
the settlement of the ecclesiastical circumstances:
The 410s were fairly peaceful and calm in Dalmatia
and Illyricum . . . This peace and calm was maintained
for several years in Illyria and Dalmatia, while the
other provinces of the West flared up in civil and
barbarian wars. Bishop Hesychius contributed to the
peace and quiet of the time with his industry and his
ardour for the transformation of the customs of the
Christian people, to obliterate all the vices that they
might have picked up from the barbarian scum that
a few years earlier had flooded the whole of the area,
to re-establish church discipline in places where it had
declined, and finally to persevere in all the services
and duties of an excellent and wise bishop.2
This is best illustrated by the epistle of Pope Zosimus
to Hesychius with instructions concerning the organisation
of the church ministry of the province of Dalmatia. The
regulation about the manner of taking holy orders, i.e.,
of the gradual advancement to the highest priest in the
ministry of God, had to be respected because everything
that is great is also rare. As can be gathered from this
epistle that was sent in 418 by Zosimus episcopus urbis
Romae Hesycio episcopae Salonitano, the Salona church
had assumed primacy in the province of Dalmatia. Bishop
Hesychius of Salona was also mentioned by St Augustine
in his De civitate Dei : quod facere utcumque curavi in
quadam epistola, quam rescripsi ad beatae memoriae virum
Hesychium, Salonitanae urbis episcopum, cuius epistolae
titulus est de fine saeculi. According to the last known data,
the authors of the Chronotaxis of the bishops of Salona
thought that Hesychius had died in 420/426,3 and that he
was buried in the cemetery basilica of Manastirine. In the
paving of the floor of the transept an epitaph to Bishop of
Salona, Hesychius, was placed over his sarcophagus:4
DEPOSIT(IO) S(AN)C(T)I (H)ESYCHI EPISC(OPI) DIE
XIII KA[L(ENDAS...)]
The magnificent architectural work of Bishop Hesychius
consisted of the completion of Salona cathedral, and pro
bably also of the arrangement of the Episcopal complex.
During the investigation of Don Frane Buli at the begin
ning of the twentieth century, a dedicatory inscription
was discovered in the floor mosaic of the sanctuary or the
ambulatorium of the cathedral, which went between the
semicircular subsellium and the apse:
NOVA POST VETERA
COEPIT SYNFERIVS
ESYHIVS EIVS NEPOS
CVM CLERO ET POPULO FECIT
HAEC MVNERA
DOMVS C(H)R(IST)E GRATA
TENE
The inscription thus mentions the two episcopal builders
of Salona cathedral. Bishop Symferius started this majestic
work, and it was completed by his nephew Hesychius cum
clero et populo, who consecrated it to Christ. This, the
largest Early Christian edifice in the province of Dalmatia,
was created at the beginning of the fifth century. The extra
ordinarily basilica with a nave and two aisles was decorated
with frescos, while its floor areas were covered with mosaics.

J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 13

 Fig. 1 Ground plan of the Episcopal complex (W. Gerber).
The richness of the interior decoration is reflected in the
complex geometrical compositions of the floor mosaics
with crosses, octagons, and hexagons, Christian symbols
that were incessantly repeated, expressing the features of
mosaic art of the fifth century. Symbolic motifs similar to
those in the mosaics of the Salona ambulatorium and the
Early Christian mosaics from the so-called Salona bypass
can be found in the portico of the courtyard of Diocletians
Palace. That the motifs in the cathedral and in Diocletians
Palace are the same shows the liturgical programme of the
highest institutions of the church. These marked specimens
of the fifth-century Salona workshops were created under
the influence of Aquileian mosaic models, which shows the
connections that existed at the time between the two Early
Christian centres, Aquileia and Salona.5
As emphasized in the dedicatory inscription of the ca
thedral, Nova post vetera, it was not just that the Salona
Metropolitan completed the construction of the cathedral, but
he also completely spiritually revived the Early Christian chur
ches and the ecclesiastical circumstances of the province.
A known personality, Bishop Hesychius was in contact
with the entire Christian world, and in Salona greeted cum
clero et populo Galla Placidia and her son Valentinian, as
14
Farlati says. For in 424 Galla Placidia, daughter of Theodosius
the Great, and sister of Augustus Honorius and Arcadius,
spent some time in Diocletians Palace with her son Va
lentinian III6, the future emperor of the Western Roman
Empire. Their stay in the vicinity of Salona and probably a
real visit to the capital of the province, raised the issue of the
protection of the security of the Roman citizens and contri
buted to the renovation of the dilapidated fortifications of
Salona. The inscriptions placed on the city gates show that
important architectural operations were then undertaken
for the renovation and reinforcement of the then decrepit
and tumbledown city walls and towers.
At issue here are the ramparts put up during the time of
Emperor Marcus Aurelius, when the first pressures of the
barbarians on the borders of the Roman Empire led to the
fortification of the extensive suburbs on the eastern and
western edges of the city core of Salona, which had long
since outgrown its original dimensions. In his archaeological
research, F. Carrara was the first to establish the complete
perimeter of the Salona city walls, and had a plan made
that is still today the basis for our understanding of the
appearance of the biggest city on the eastern coast of the
Adriatic.7
 Fig. 2 Floor mosaic in the ambulatory of the cathedral with the dedicatory inscription.
Fig. 3 Inscription of the bishops who built the cathedral, Symferius and
Hesychius.
On the basis of Carraras research, Dyggve made a
reconstruction of Salonas perimeters including all of their
towers and established that the city had expanded twice,
to wit in the eastern and western part as compared with
the oldest city core, which he located in the central part.
The new ring of Salonas walls, by which the Urbs nova
orientalis and the Urbs nova occidentalis were created,
was put up simultaneously, for as E. Dyggve and H. Khler
point out, it does not diverge in its construction features.
The walls were put up in 170, during the time of Marcus
Aurelius, by the locally stationed troops coh(ors) I (miliaria)
Del(matarum) and coh(ors) II (miliaria) Del(matarum) or the
vexillationes leg II Piae et III Condordiae especially detached
from Pannonia. This is shown by the inscriptions placed on
the wall marking given segments of the ramparts that were
built under the supervision of the military commanders of
these units. So far, four inscriptions have been found, two
of which are still preserved in situ on the outer face of the
northern ramparts.8
It was by the prompt encompassing of the suburbs with
the new ramparts during the time of Marcus Aurelius that
the space of the town of Salona was considerably enlarged,
formed and adjusted to the far-reaching needs of the future
development of the capital of the province of Dalmatia and
the security of the citizens.
Apart from the above-mentioned inscriptions about the
construction of Salonas new walls, a fragment of an inscrip
tion concerning the renovation of the walls has been known
for a long time. This inscription was found at Porta suburbia
in 1946. At that time, Carrara was researching in Salona and
was the first to read and publish the inscription:
SALVIS DD NN THEOD... (joined HE)
CVNCTASQVE TVRRE...
RES MVNIMENI CIVITAT... (joined ME)
AGENS VIC IMINENTIV... (joined NE)
5. ... AFLAR...
Salvis Dominis Nostris Theodosio... / Cunctasque Turres...
/ Res Munimento (sic) Civitatis... / Agens Vices Eminentis
simi (sic) Viri... / ... 5.
Although the inscription is incomplete and only the
initial parts of the first five lines are extant, Carrara pointed
out its importance for the topographical history of Salona
and the entire renovation of the fortifications. He was of the
opinion that the works were carried out by the temporary
vicar of the praefectus praetorio, whose name is not preser
ved, just as the name of Theodosiuss co-ruler is unknown.
Since the inscription mentions the reconstruction of all the
J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 15
towers (cunctasque turres), Carrara assumed that it was
precisely at this time that the triangular prisms that were
subsequently built onto the much earlier rectangular towers
were created. Apart from this, he linked the thoroughgoing
renovation of the Salona city walls with familiar historical
events that partially occurred in the area of Salona. This was
the expedition taken on the orders of Theodosius against
the usurper Ioannes, who had attempted to seize the reins
of imperial power after the death of Emperor Honorius.9
Socr. Schol. VII, 23
Perì ’Iwánnou toû turannÉsantoV £n `RÓm|, metà
qánaton `Onwríou toû basiléwV× kaì o5 pwV aÑtòn œ QeòV
taîV eÑcaîV Qeodosíou kamjqeìV cersì toû `Rwmaïkoû
stratoû paradédwke.
TeleutÉsantoV dÈ toû basiléwV `Onwríou, maqÒn
œ aÑtokrátwr QeodósioV krúptei mèn tò genómenon,
kaì a4 llote a
4 llwV toùV polloùV åpeplána. `Upopémpei
dè laqraíwV stratiÓthn e¥V SalÔnaV (póliV dè a5uth
tÊV DalmatíaV)× 5ina e¥ sumbÏ ti newterisqÊnai perì tà
¤spéria mérh, mÈ pórrwqen w 6 sin o¡ åmunómenoi× kaì toûto
o5utwV proeutrepísaV, tóte katajanÊ tòn qánaton toû
qeíou pepoíhken. ’En tosoút} dè ’IwánnhV, prwtostáthV
w
4 n tÔn basilikÔn ¿pograjéwn, mÈ £negkÒn tÈn eÑtucían
tÊV ¥díaV åxíaV, tÈn basileían ærpázei, kaì presbeíaV
åpostéllei pròV tòn aÑtokrátora Qeodósion, decqÊnai
e¥V basiléa deómenoV. `O dè toùV mèn presbeutàV e¥V
jrouràn katésthsen× £xapostéllei dè tòn strathláthn
’Ardaboúrion, 3oV kaì £n tÛ PersikÛ polémV tà mégista
ºgwnísato. O7utoV e¥V tàV SalÔnaV paragenómenoV, e4 plei
£x aÑtÊV £pì tÈn ’AkulÉïan, kaì crÊtai túc| kaqÒV
£nomízeto, ºtúcei dè ŒV u 5 steron £deícqh. 4AnemoV gàr oÑk
a4isioV pneúsaV e¥V tàV ceîraV aÑtòn £nébale toû turánnou×
3oV sullabÒn aÑtòn, h 4 lpizen e¥V ånágkhn katastÊsai
tòn aÑtokrátora, wste 5 yhjísasqai kaì ånadeîxai
aÑtòn basiléa, e¥ sÓzesqai tòn strathláthn pro|reîto.
’AlhqÔV te £n ågÔni h 6 n o5 te basileùV taûta puqómenoV,
kaì œ £pì tòn túrannon åpostaleìV stratiÓthV, mÉti páq|
kakòn ¿pò toû turánnou œ ’ArdaboúrioV. 4Aspar dè œ
toû ’Ardabouríou u¡òV maqÒn kaì tòn patéra parà toû
turánnou katécesqai, kaì pollàV muriádaV barbárwn £pì
summací{ toû turánnou pareînai e¥dÓV, oÑk e4 scen o5 , ti
kaì práxeien. Tóte dÈ kaì toû qeojiloûV basiléwV eÑcÈ
pálin £xíscuen× a 4 ggeloV gàr Qeoû £n scÉmati poiménoV
œdhgeî tòn 4Aspara kaì toùV sùn aÑtÛ, kaì a 4 gei dià tÊV
parakeiménhV tÏ `Rabénn| límnhV, – £n taút| gàr tÏ pólei
œ túrannoV diatríbwn e6ice tòn strathgón, – o5 qen oÑdeìV
oÑdè pÓpote diabebhkénai ¡stórhto. Tóte dÈ kaì œ QeòV
tÈn a4 baton batÈn åpeirgásato× diabánteV gàr dià xhrâV
tò tÊV límnhV u 5 dwr, åne}gménaV te tàV púlaV e¿rónteV
tÊV pólewV, £gkrateîV toû turánnou £génonto. Tóte dÈ œ
eÑsebéstatoV basileùV h 3 n e6ice perì tò qeîon eÑlábeian
£pedeíxato× ¡ppodromíaV gàr £piteloûnti £mhnúqh
ån|rÊsqai œ túrannoV× prosjwneî o6un tÛ dÉm}, “Deûro
mâllon, e¥ dokeî,” e4jh, “parénteV tÈn téryin, £pì tòn
eÑktÉrion o6ikon genómenoi eÑcaristhríouV eÑcàV tÛ QeÛ
ånapémywmen, ånq’ w 7 n ª aÑtoû ceìr kaqeîle tòn túrannon.”
Taûta e4irhto× kaì tà mèn tÊV qéaV £pépautó te kaì ºmélhto×
dià mésou dè toû ¡ppodrómou pánteV sumjÓnwV a 5 ma aÑtÛ
eÑcaristhríwV yállonteV, £pì tÈn £kklhsían toû Qeoû
£poreúonto× kaì o5 lh mèn ª póliV mía £kklhsía £gíneto× £n
dè tÛ eÑkthrí} tóp} genómenoi £keî dihméreuon.10
16
Since in the fifth line some stone is broken off and only
partially preserved, only a few letters could be made out that
belonged to the centre of the inscription. Carrara read it as
AFLAR From that, F. Lanza attempted to reconstruct the
name FL(avii) AR (daburis), proposing that it was the name
of the substitute of the praefectus. This was disputed by T.
Mommsen, publishing the inscription in CIL III, 1984, and
correcting it to QVAE LAB Apart from this, in the fourth
line above the VIC there was a horizontally inscribed line
and Carraras reading was emended to the following word:
 EMINENTIV(m), which was resolved as iminentiu[um
virorum praefectorium praetorio]. According to the custom
of the Corpus, a drawn form of the monument and its
inscriptions were given, and thus it was possible to some
extent to make out its appearance. Since at the beginning
of the inscription only the name of Emperor Theodosius
was given and the name of his joint ruler is not preserved,
in the commentary of the Corpus the opinion is stated that
what is at issue is aut Theodosii I et Arcadii p. C. 383-393
aut Theodosii II et Placidi Valentiniani III p. C. 423-450 . It
was also stated that they are ascribed with the expedition
against Ioannes, who ruled in Rome in 425 and started with
the conquest of Salona in 424 or 425 under the leadership
of Ardaburius and Aspar.11
SALVIS DD NN THEOD(osio)....................... muros
CVNCTASQVE TVRRE(s)... ..................... reliquasque
RES MVNIMENI CIVITAT(is) necessarias................
AGENS VIC IMINENTIV(m) virorum praefectorum praetorio
...QVAE LAB...
The reading of the inscription with the corrected fourth
and the very damaged fifth line was accepted by Don Frane
Buli, who conveyed it with the commentary of the Corpus
and the drawing of the monument in his publication about
inscriptions in the Archaeological Museum in Split, where
the inscription is actually kept:
Salvis dominis nostris Theod[osio.........muros] cunctasque
turre[s....... reliquasque]........ res munim[i]ni civitat[is neces
sarias].....agens vi(ces) im(m)inentiu[m virorum praefecto
rum praetorio]......quae lab...
But in line 4 he corrected the word IMINENTIV[m], pro
posing instead im(m)inentiu(m virorum prafectorum prae
torio..],12 which would not suit the context of the inscription.
The word imminentium means that which is threatening,
impending, and does not fit into the content of the wri
ting. Here is written iminentiu[m rather than eminentiu[m
virorum prafetorum praetorio What is involved here is
eminentes  eminent, exalted, as is confirmed, as we shall
see, by the new inscription concerning the reconstruction
of the ramparts.
Since the reconstruction of the imperfectly preserved
inscription is unsafe, it is an open question who actually
conducted the defensive works in Salona. Recently the
opinion was voiced that this might have been the military
vicarius. Thus in line 4, instead of the hypothetical solution
agens vic(es) iminentiu(m) virorum praefectorum prae
torio..., agens vic(em) iminentium virorum magistrorum
militum...has been proposed.13
Since the monument was erected in honour of the two
rulers, the first of which was Theodosius, the beginning of
his name being preserved, T. Mommsen and F. Buli deci
 Fig. 4 Porta Andetria, ground plan, detail (F. Carrara)
ded that the reconstruction of the city walls in Salona was
conducted either during the time of the emperors Theodosius
I and Aracadius (383-393) or Theodosius II and Valentinian
III (423-450). F. Carrara and J. R. Martindale inclined toward
the latter emperors, linked with events in Salona against the
usurper Ioannes. It was from here that the generals Ardabu
rius and Aspar set out on the expedition that was to make
Valentinian III emperor of the Western Roman Empire.14
The name of Emperor Valentinian III was recently revea
led on a fragment of an inscription found at Porta Andetria
in Salona. This is a kind of pair to the previously stated
inscription known from the Porta suburbia, also having as
its subject the reconstruction of the city walls. New archaeo
logical investigations have revealed segments of city walls
and towers beside the eastern city gate, the Porta Andetria,
as well as the gate itself. It was here that the important road
to Klis and off towards the interior went, and it has always
been impossible to carry out excavations in this part of
ancient Salona. Parts of the eastern gate, the Porta Andetria,
were revealed, which had partially been uncovered in the
nineteenth century by F. Carrara. The gate lay at the end of
the main city street (decumanus maximus) and must have
been the most ceremonial and decorated, as would have
fitted the importance of its position. Carrara discovered
the western part of the gate, a street paving with deep cart
ruts that was flanked by two smallish towers. Hence led
various roads to the north and towards Andetrium, from
which indeed the gate took its name.15
In protective investigations conducted in 2001 and 2002,
it was possible for the first time to investigate one of the
Fig. 5 Porta Andetria, ground plan, detail (J. Jeličić-Radonić)
most important entries into the ancient city of Salona. The
eastern part of the gate was revealed; it was formed of
two square towers reinforced subsequently with triangular
protuberances. Between the towers, a metal grid dropped
down, the groove of it being still clearly incised into the
lateral wall of the northern tower. In this manner the
towers, along with those discovered earlier, closed off the
internal inner courtyard, the propugnacula, defending the
most vulnerable parts of the city walls, the entrance into
the city. The eastern gate, Porta Andetria, was created in
the second century, when the eastern suburb was protected
by the building of a new ring of walls.
Archaeological investigations carried out at the site of the
extremely complicated crossroads at the place where todays
Solin and ancient Salona join revealed part of the gate that
was connected with Carraras finds of the western parts.
The new revelations were backed up with geophysical in
vestigations carried out by experts from the Archaeological
Department of the Faculty of Philosophy of Ljubljana and
the firm Zorty in Ljubljana. The extraordinary results of the
J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 17
 Fig. 6 Porta Andetria during the archaeological excavations in 2002.

application of new technology and methodology presented ...SPECIEM REPARANS PATRIAE

here for the first time are an invaluable contribution to the ...EXIT ADMOTIS QVOD N...
handling of complex urban archaeological research.16 ...T INTERTVRRIIS DVP...
In the paving of the Porta Andetria, between the two 10 ...ENTIA PRAESEN...
eastern towers that closed off the propugnacula of the city ...RVS ACT...
gates, part of a public inscription was used as spolium. This ...PIC...
is the upper right part of an inscription that is broken off in ............
the lower part, of which twelve rows of letters of an equal
height of 5- 6 cm are preserved. ] NI
VALENTINI]ANO P(ATRIBUS) P(ATRIAE) AUG(USTIS)
..NI MURALEM A
...ANO PP AVGG MVRALEM A AN]NORUM NUMEROS ITA
...NORVM NVMEROS ITA C]IVITATIS V(IR) I(LLUSTRISSIMVS) PUBLIANUS
...IVITATIS VI PVBLIANVS 5 AGENS? V]IC(EM) EMINENTIUM PRAEF(ECTORUM) AUT
5 ...IC EMINENTIVM PRAEF AVT AUT REMOTIS QUAE LABEBAN[T
...AVT REMOTIS QVAE LABEBAN SPECIEM REPARANS PATRI[AE

18
 Fig. 7 Inscription concerning the repair of the Salona ramparts in the period of Theodosius II and Valentinian III.
ER?]EXIT ADMOTIS QUOD N[ECESSE?
E]T INTERTURRIIS DUP[LICATIS]
10 ]ENTIA PRAESEN[T
]RUS AC[
PIC
Although the inscription is incomplete and although
many more lines are preserved than in the pair fragment
where the same simultaneous reconstruction of the ram
parts is mentioned, in the same style and expressions, the
following reading may be proposed:17
TO VALENTINIAN, FATHERS OF THE PATRIA, AUGUSTUSES
WALL...
NUMBERS OF YEARS SO
OF THE CITY THE EXCELLENT MAN PUBLIANUS
REPRESENTING THE EMINENT PREFECTS OR
OR REMOVING WHAT HAD FALLEN IN
RESTORING THE FACE OF THE HOMELAND (PATRIA)
ERECTED] MOVING [WHAT WAS NECESSARY?
AND DOUBLED THE SPACES BETWEEN THE TOWERS
The inscription was originally placed on the Porta An
detria and speaks of the renovation of the city ramparts.
From its content, one can see that it is irrefutably one of
a pair of inscriptions, the other being the one found long
ago at Porta Suburbia II (CIL III 1984), which was probably
publicly displayed on that side city gate. The earlier known
inscription is preserved only in a fragment of the top left,
and the new inscription is preserved in a fragment of the
top right.
Similar expressions are used in the inscriptions, and with
the new find the still incomplete content can be gathered
more distinctly. They were put up in honour of Emperors
Theodosius II and Valentinian III, as is shown by the begin
ning of Theodosius name on the old find and the ending
of Valentinians in the new inscription. With a very similar
refined style, there is a detailed mention of the works taken
in the first half of the fifth century on the reconstruction
of ramparts and towers that were erected many years
earlier, as stated at the very beginning of the inscription in
lines 2 and 3  muralem a annorum numeros ita First
of all, everything that had fallen in and was still falling was
removed  remotis quae labebant. This is stated in both
the inscriptions, in line 6 of the new inscription, where the
expression is completely preserved, and in line 5 of the
first found inscription, fragmented precisely at this place,
which can accordingly be completed. Then, as stated in line
7, the executive official of the works restored the appea
rance to the city  speciem reparans patriae. Then what
was necessary for the protection of the city was carried
out according to line 3 of the first inscription found  res
munimeni citivat(is) necessarias or according to line 8 of
the new inscription  admotis quod n[ecesse ? In line 9 there
is a description of what was concretely done  the spaces
between the walls (interturria) were doubled (duplicata).
The expression interturriis dup(licatis) is grammatically and
lexically probably a reconstruction of the ablative absolute,
and is based on the whole of the preserved word interturriis
in ablative plural. This means that the walls between the
towers were doubled in breadth, that is, that the walls were
reinforced between the towers, which is very well preserved
in many spots along the walls. Thus for example in the
J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 19
 Fig. 8 Porta Andetria during the geophysical investigations in 2002.
eastern ramparts that were recently excavated south of
Porta Andetria, four rectangular towers were found and
subsequently extended walls only with the external face,
while the internal side was just leaned against the face of
the older walls, and in this way the basic rampart among
all the towers was reinforced.
It was the eminent prefects that were charged with these
operations, which is perfectly preserved in line 5  ]ic emi
nentium praef[ectorum] and hence it is possible to correct
the hesitations in the solution of line 4 of the earlier found
inscription. It is unfortunately not available at the present
time in the Archaeology Museum in Split, so we were not
able to check out these emendations against the actual stone.
Still, it is now certain that what is at issue is the adjective
eminens, eminent, and not imminens, impending, and that
20
the name of the duty or position in the plural with which
the adjective is in agreement does not include the word vir
and is not magister, but is certainly prefect, praefectus.
Unfortunately, the part of the inscription that would with
total certainty, by some further attribute or apposition,
show what kind of prefect was at issue, is still missing. We
can hope that along the Salona ramparts, at striking places
alongside the city gates, it will still be possible to find some
other version of our inscription, in order to clear up these
points.
When the earlier found inscription can be compared, it
will become clear whether it contains two unusual vowel
deviations from the regular Latin forms.18 If this turns out
to be the case, it will be worth checking the possibility that
these forms have some justification in the development of
Latin or in Dalmatian Romanism, or that they are just in
 Fig. 9 Ground plan of the city of Salona (1 Porta Andetria, 2 Porta suburbia).
fact mistakes of the carver who confused the vowels in two
words that are phonically and visually similar (munimini:
iminentium). Until then the burden of this reading remains
on the scholars mentioned above who first recorded the
earlier found inscription.
As is well known, care for the ramparts was taken by the
prefects, and thus in 447, thanks to the efforts of the prefect
of the praetorian Constantinus, in three months, the walls
of Constantinople were rebuilt after being demolished in
an earthquake. In 448 the prefect of Antioch, after a fire in
which both of the Troad porticoes and both towers alongside
the walls were damaged, promptly cleared away the ruins
and restored the earlier appearance  erexit speciem.19
In Salona the eminent prefect was represented by Publia
nus, vir illustrissimus, as is mentioned in the new fragment
of the inscription. This highest senatorial title in the later
Roman Empire is indicated in front of the name Publianus
by an abbreviation above which there is a horizontally
carved hasta. Although the inscription is incomplete, from
the remaining text  speciem reparans patriae  it can be
gathered that the works on the renovation of the Salona
ramparts were confided to a high-ranking official who had
the title vir illustrissimus. For now it is reasonable to sup
pose, irrespective of the amount of text that is missing, that
this is that same Publianus whose name is preserved.
Viri illustrissimi or illustres in the later Roman Empire
were the holders of the highest honours of the senate, as
introduced by Emperor Valentinian I. These were the highest
officials  praefecti praetorio, city prefects, senior imperial
generals (magistri militum) and the main court ministers.20
Thus, reference is made on the Porta Andetria inscription
to the vir illustrissimus Publianus, who represented the
eminent prefects in the execution of the defensive works in
Salona. Whether the authorised executor of the renovation
of the fortification, the illustrious Publianus, was one of
the highest officials in Salona is an unanswered question.
What is very intriguing is the expression species patriae,
the face or appearance of the homeland, or the face of the
home town, for in this context it might have meant that
Publianus was a local man, an outstanding man of Salona,
to whom was confided the conduct of the necessary ope
rations to the walls of his own city. Of course, until further
elements of the inscription are found, it is possible that
the expression patria was used to represent the point of
view of the Salona citizens who had the inscription put up,
and that their benefactor, Publianus, was actually a Roman
aristocrat.21
City walls and gates were always res sanctae and were
considered public property protected by the gods and
could not belong to any individual nor were dedicated to
any emperor. When building activities were at issue, the
emperor had wide-ranging freedom to build new walls
or restore existing walls, particularly with respect to the
financing of the works.22
A considerable renovation of the defensive systems
was then prescribed by the laws of the time, as shown by
some of the paragraphs of the codex of Theodosius (Cod.
Theod. XI, 17,4; XV, 1, 49), where the praefectus praetorio
Herculius was ordered to see to it that everyone, without the
admission of any privileges, should join in the construction
of the ramparts and in the procurement and transportation
J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 21
of the necessary things, and that a common effort be put
into the movement of the loads, from the most eminent to
the lowest.23
Cod. Theod. XI, 17, 4.
Imperatores Honorius et Theodosius Augusti Herculio
praefecto praetorio. Constructioni murorum, et conpara
tioni transvectionique specierum, universi sine ullo privilegio
coartentur ad necessitates Illyricianas: nam in his dumtaxat
titulis nullum sub quodam cessare privlilegii velamento
censemus: sed sub hac condicione, cum tempus exegerit,
huiusmodi colationi subcumbant, ut non tantum requiratur
idoneus, verum universi proportioni suae pessessionis iuga
tionisque ad haec munia coartentur, et ab summis sarcina
ad infimos usque decurrat. Dat. III Id. April. Constp. Basso
et Philippo Coss. (408)
Cod. Theod. XV, 1, 49.
Idem Augusti Herculio praefecto Illyrici. Constructioni
murorum, et comparationi transvectionis specierum uni
versi sine ullo privilegio cohartentur: ita ut in his dumtaxat
titulis universi portione suae possessionis et iugationis ad
haec moenia cohartentur: quo ita demum, a summis ad
infirmos usque sarcina decurrente, ferendi oneris non leve
solatium, sed in commune omnibus profuturum, communi
labore curetur. Quod in partibus dumtaxat Illyrianis nos
tram Clementiam statuisse Tua Sublimitas recognoscat.
Dat. V. Id. April. Constantinop. DD.NN. Hon. XI et Theod.
V. AA. Coss. (412)
At the time of incessant barbarian incursions on the
borders of the Eastern and Western Empire, of real inva
sions like Alarics assaults on Rome or the marked dangers
from Attilas Huns, many cities either built walls or had the
old walls restored. Primarily in the main centres of govern­
ment of the provinces new rings of walls were built with
numerous towers, as in Constantinople or Salonica. The
general troubles of the Empire were reflected in Dalmatia,
as well.24 During the time of the pursuit of the usurper,
Ioannes, war operations did not go on in Salona, so the
decrepit walls and towers might have collapsed because of
their general dilapidation. As can be gathered at the very
beginning of the new inscription, they had been erected
many years previously  muralem a..annorum numeros
ita. The general renovation was carried out in the time
of Theodosius II and Valentinian III, as shown by the new
inscription at Porta Andetria. Whether the walls, which were
built in 170 during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, had been
repaired even before the fifth century, particularly during
the time of Diocletian, who is considered to have carried
out the complete reconstruction of Salona, can at present
only be conjectured.25
With the discovery of the new fragment, the terse de
tails of the text published quite some time ago about the
renovation of the walls and tower have been supplemented,
the works of clearing away the portions that had collapsed
are described, together with the procurement of requisites
for the making of the walls, reinforced like those between
the towers; and at that time too the triangular prisms were
also perhaps added, as conjectured by Carrara. The repair
of the Salona fortifications was carried out by the eminent
dignitary of the highest senatorial title  vir illustrissimus
Publianus, representing the eminent prefects. Probably, after
the visit of Galla Placidia and Valentinian to Salona, who were
met by Bishop Hesychius cum clero et populo, considerable
financial resources were approved for the renovation of the
city, particularly for the protection of the safety of its citi
zens.26 A considerable renovation of the walls and towers in
Salona, as in other provincial capitals, reflected the general
security problem arising from the powerful barbarian thrusts
into the Roman Empire. During the peace that arose during
the time of Bishop Hesychius, a prominent personality of
the fifth century, in Salona it was not only the Episcopal
complex that was renewed, the spiritual centre of the town
and some of the cemetery complexes, but there was also
a thoroughgoing reconstruction of the fortification of the
city, as shown by the inscriptions placed on the city gates
- Porta Andetria and Porta suburbia.
Translated by Graham McMaster

1
F. BULI  J. BERVALDI, Kronotaksa solinskih biskupa, Zagreb 1912-13, p. 29-31.
2
D. FARLATI, Illyricum sacrum II, Ecclesia salonitana, Venetiis 1753, p.72-74.
3
D. FARLATI, Illyricum sacrum II, 80, 83; F. BULI  J. BERVALDI, op.cit., p. 29-33; Bullettino di archeologia e storia dalmata VI, Spalato 1883, p. 13;
Bullettino di archeologia e storia dalmata XXIII, Spalato 1900, p. 92.
4
Bullettino di archeologia e storia dalmata VI, Spalato 1883, p.113; Bullettino di archeologia e storia dalmata XXIII, Spalato 1900, p. 285; CIL III 14662.
5
J. JELII  RADONI, Mozaici Simferijevo Hezihijeve katedrale u Saloni, in Prilozi povijesti umjetnosti u Dalmaciji 38, Split 1999-2000, p. 51-72.
6
D. FARLATI, op. cit., p. 82, 1, 65- 82, 2, 61; F. BULI  Lj. KARAMAN, Palaa cara Dioklecijana u Splitu, Zagreb 1927, p. 181.
7
He completely uncovered the northern and western sides of the rampart. In the south he met with numerous difficulties for the rampart was partially
lost under the sea, and partially crossed the swamp, ending in the south east angle in the river. In the eastern side he determined only the main direction
of the line of the ramparts, for here went the main road off to Klis, and it was impossible to carry out any excavation. Cf. F. CARRARA, Topografija i
iskapanja Salone, Trst 1850, Antika Salona, Split 1991, p. 99-159.
8
There are two inscriptions, CIL III 8570, 6374, placed one by the other, which inform us that the vexillationes of the legions II Piae et III Concordiae
raised two hundred feet (59.2 m) and the Coh(ors) II Del(matarum) eight hundred feet (236.8 m) of wall. The construction of the same rampart is
confirmed by inscription CIL III 1980, built into the tower 78 as spolia (a pair of inscriptions 8570) and one is lost, CIL III 1979, where it is said that the
Coh(ors) I Del(matarum) built eight hundred feet of wall (236.8 m) and one tower. All the inscriptions are dedicated to Marcus Aurelius; H. KHLER,
Porta Caesarea u Saloni, Antika Salona, Split 1991, p. 233-240; E. DYGGVE, Porta suburbia I, Nova gradska vrata u Solinu, in Starinar VI, Beograd 1931,
p. 21-23; J. JELII-RADONI, Nova istraivanja gradskih zidina Salone, in Prilozi povijesti umjetnosti u Dalmaciji 37, Split 1997-1998, p. 22.
9
F. CARRARA, Topografija i iskapanja Salone, Trst 1850, Antika Salona, Split 1991, p. 129-130.
10
The Ecclesiastical history of Socrates Scholasticus , translated by (Edward Walfdord), revised with notes by A.C. Zenos, (Nicene and �
Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, series II, vol. 2) Edinburgh: T&T Clark 1892: Socrates Scholasticus, Historia Ecclesiastica 7, 23.

22
After the Death of the Emperor Honorius, John usurps the Sovereignity at Rome. He is destroyed through the Prayers of Theodosius the Younger.
When the Emperor Honorius died, Theodosius  now sole ruler  having received the news, concealed the truth as long as possible, misleading the people
sometimes with one report, and then with another. But he privately dispatched a military force to Salonae, a city of Dalmatia, that in the event of any
revolutionary movement in the West there might be resources at hand to check it; and after making these provisional arrangements, he at length openly
announced his uncles death. In the meantime John, the superintendent of the emperors secretaries, not content with the dignity to which he had already
attained, seized upon the sovereign authority; and sent an embassy to the emperor Theodosius, requesting that he might be recognized as his colleague
in the empire. But that prince first caused the ambassadors to be arrested, then sent off Ardaburius, the commander-in-chief of the army, who had
greatly distinguished himself in the Persian war. He, on arriving at Salonae, set sail from thence for Aquileia. And he was fortunate as was thought, but
fortune was adverse to him as it afterwards appeared. For a contrary wind having arisen, he was driven into the usurpers hand. The latter, having seized
him, became more sanguine in his hope that the emperor would be induced by the urgency of the case to elect and proclaim him emperor, in order to
preserve the life of his general-in-chief. And the emperor was in fact greatly distressed when he heard of it, as was also the army which had been sent
against the usurper, lest Ardaburius should be subjected to evil treatment by the usurper. Aspar, the son of Ardaburius, having learnt that his father was
in the usurpers power, and aware at the same time that the party of the rebels was strengthened by the accession of immense numbers of barbarians,
knew not what course to pursue.
Then again at this crisis the prayer of the pious emperor prevailed. For an angel of God, under the appearance of a shepherd, undertook the guidance
of Aspar and the troops which were with him, and led him through the lake near Ravenna  for in that city the usurper was then residing  and there
detained the military chief. Now, no one had ever been known to have forded that lake before; but God then rendered that passable, which had hitherto
been impassable. Having therefore crossed the lake, as if going over dry ground, they found the gates of the city open, and overpowered the usurper.
This event afforded that most devout emperor an opportunity of giving a fresh demonstration of his piety towards God. For the news of the usurpers
being destroyed, having arrived while he was engaged at the exhibition of the sports of the Hippodrome, he immediately said to the people: Come now,
if you please, let us leave these diversions, and proceed to the church to offer thanksgivings to God, whose hand has overthrown the usurper. Thus did
he address them; and the spectacles were immediately forsaken and neglected, the people all passing out of the circus singing praises together with
him, as with one heart and one voice. And arriving at the church, the whole city again became one congregation; and once in the church they passed the
remainder of the day in these devotional exercises.
11
F. LANZA, Rapporto sugli scavi di Salona, Della topografia dellantica Salona, in Annali dellinstituto di corrispodenza archeologica, Roma 1849, vol.
21, NS vol. 6, p. 278-279; F. LANZA, Antiche lapidi salonitane inedite, Zara 1850, p. 34-35; CIL III 1984.
12
F. BULI, Iscriptiones quae in C. R. Museo Archaologico Salonitano, Spalato 1886-88, p. 33, no. 235.
13
J. R. MARTINDALE, The Prosopography of Later Roman Empire, Vol. II, A.D. 395-527, Cambridge 1980, p. 1228/ ANONYMVS 50 - ? vicarius Illyrici
425/450.
14
CIL III 1984; F. BULI, Iscriptiones quae in C. R. Museo Archaologico Salonitano , p. 33, no. 235; F. CARRARA, Topografija i iskapanja Salone, p. 129-130;
J. R. MARTINDALE, The Prosopography of Later Roman Empire, p.1228/ ANONYMVS 50.
15
F. CARRARA, Topografija i iskapanja Salone, p. 119-121, 141-142, 150.
16
J. JELII-RADONI, V. MILKOVI, S. AMANOVI, I. MILO, M. VUEMILOVI, B. MUI, D. SNOJ, The GIS of the Ancient City of Salona, in New
Technologies and methodology in Arcaheological Research  Geophysical Investigaion, GIS Odyssey 2002, Geographical Information Systems, Interna
tional Conference and Exhibition, 2. - 6. rujna 2002, Split, Solin,Trogir, Korula, Dubrovnik, Zagreb 2002, p. 345-355.
17
My gratitude to Prof. dr. Bruna Kunti-Makvi for help with the translation.
18
The dative munimeni instead of munimini, from munimen, -inis, n. = protection, security, defence, fort, being fortified, and the genitive pl. iminentiu(m)
instead of eminentium, from eminens, -tis = something that stands out, is excellent, exalted, eminent.
19
Prejasni mu komes MARCELIN, Kronika (Chronicon Marcellini viri clarissimi comitis), H. Graanin, B. Kunti-Makvi, Zagreb 2006, p. 447, 3; 448, 2.
20
A. H. M. JONES, The Later Roman Empire 284-602 I-II, Baltimore 1986, vol. I, p. 528, the highest class of senators, along with consults and patricians,
consisted of those who carried out the duty of prefectural governors (praefecti praetorio) and governors of Rome and Constantinople (praefecti urbani,
city prefects, or praefectus urbis Romanae and praefectus urbis Constantinopolitanae) or military head (magistri militum or magistri officiorum (head
of the court, first court minister) questor sacri palatii (quaestor of the sacred palace, second court minister, imperial justice minister), comes sacrarum
largitionum (comes for sacred gifts, third court minister, imperial finance minister), comes rerum privatarum (comes for personal property, steward
of the imperial royal and private goods, fourth court minister) and comes domesticorum (commander of the units of the imperial court); from 422, the
former chief court eunuch, praepositus sacri cubiculi (head of the sacred bed chamber); all of them had the titles of viri illustres or viri illustrissimi. A.
DEMANT, Die Sptantike. Rmische Geschichte von Diocletian bis Justinian 284-565 n. Chr., Munich 1989, p. 281. Until the end of the fourth century
among them was the comes domesticorum; Justinian surpassed the titles of the illustres in honour with the title of viri gloriosissimi or gloriosi; H.
GRAANIN, Rjenik temeljnih pojmova, in G. OSTROGORSKI, Povijest Bizanta 324-1453, second enlarged edition, translation M. and K. Miladinov, edited
and prepared by H. Graanin, Zagreb 2006, p. 515-573./ s.v. illustres p. 536.
21
Perhaps it is in this context that we can observe the previously anonymous Roman aristocrat whose career is written down in a very damaged
inscription put up together with a statue in the Forum Traiani in Rome given by Emperors Theodosius II and Valentinian III. As mentioned in the
inscription, for the performance of certain services during the time of the usurper Ioannes (423-435), he obtained a consulship from Theodosius and
Valentian clearly as a reward while he was still extremely young, cf. J. R. MARTINDALE, Prosopography of Later Roman Empire, Vol. II, A.D. 395-527,
Cambridge 1980, p.1219-1220/Anonymus 3  consul 425/450; ?PPO or MVM (West) 425/450.
22
S. JOHNSON, Late Roman Fortifications, London, 1983, p.13, 62; P. GROSS, LArchitecture romaine, Enceintes et portes urbaines, Paris, 1996, p. 26-27.
23
Codex Theodosianus, T. I-VI, I. Gothofredus  A. Marvillius, Leipzig 1763, XI, 17, 4; XV, 1, 49.; d. P. Krueger  Th. Mommsen, Dublin  Zrich 1971.
24
The cemeteries at Manastirine and Kaplju were devastated, as shown by archaeological investigations; cf. Forschungen in Salona II, Wien 1926, p. 43; H.
GRAANIN, Goti i juna Panonija, in Scrinia slavonica 6 (2006), p. 83-126; H. GRAANIN, Huni i juna Panonija, in Scrinia slavonica 5 (2005), p. 9-47.
25
F. CARRARA, Topografija i iskapanja Salone, p. 103-106; J. JELII  RADONI, Nova istraivanja gradskih zidina Salone, in Prilozi povijesti umjetnosti
u Dalmaciji 37, p. 5-36.
26
Valentinians visit to Salona and the whole restoration of the city ramparts and towers were without doubt very important, and many Salona ins
criptions of a private nature are dated with his and Theodosiuss names. Cf. CIL III 2657, 2658, 9515, 13124, 13962.

J. Jeličić-Radonić: Salona at the time... 23

 SALONA U DOBA BISKUPA HEZIHIJA
saŽetak
Biskup Hezihije bio je poznata linost svoga vremena, te je
mogue odrediti vrijeme njegova upravljanja salonitanskom
crkvom od 405. do 420./426. godine. Pismo sv. Ivana Zlatous
tog iz progonstva u Kapadokiji upueno tomu salonitanskom
biskupu 406. godine potvruje da je ve zauzeo salonitansku
stolicu Ioannes Hesychio Episcopo Salonensi... Upravo za
biskupa Hezihija, u Dalmaciji iscrp­ljenoj sveopim nevoljama
Zapadnoga Rimskog Carstva, nastaje razdoblje mira, to je
preduvjet sreivanja crkvenih prilika. Kako se razabire iz
pisma pape Zosima poslanog 418. godine Zosimus episcopus
urbis Romae Hesycio episcopo Salonitano, salonitanska je
crkva postigla primat u rimskoj provinciji Dalmaciji. Sa
lonitanskoga biskupa Hezihija spominje u svojoj knjizi De
civitate Dei sv. Augustin: quod facere utcumque curavi in
quadam epistola, quam rescripsi ad beatae memoriae virum
Hesychium, Salonitanae urbis episcopum, cuius epistolae
titulus est de fine saeculi. Prema tim posljednjim poznatim
podacima autori su Kronotakse solinskih biskupa smatrali
da je Hezihije umro 420./426. godine.
Velebno je graditeljsko djelo biskupa Hezihija dovrenje
Salonitanske katedrale, a vjerojatno i ureenje episkopal
noga kompleksa. Na podnome mozaiku svetita, odnosno
ambulatorija Katedrale nalazio se posvetni natpis u koje­
mu se spominju dvojica biskupa graditelja Salonitanske
katedrale. Biskup Simferije zapoeo je to velebno djelo,
a dovrio ga njegov neak Hezihije cum clero et populo
i posvetio Kristu. To je najvea ranokranska graevina
provincije Dalmacije, nastala poetkom 5. st. Izvanredno
ukraena trobrodna bazilika, bila je oslikana freskama, a
podne povrine prekrivene mozaicima. Kako je istaknuto
u posvetnome natpisu katedrale Nova post vetera, ne samo
da je salonitanski metropolit dovrio izgradnju Katedrale,
ve je i kompletno duhovno obnovio ranokranske crkve i
crkvene prilike svoje provincije.
Poznata linost biskup Hezihije kontaktira s cijelim
kranskim svijetom, te u Saloni doekuje cum clero et po­
pulo Galu Placidiju i njezina sina Valentinijana. Naime 424.
godine prognana Galla Placidia boravila je neko vrijeme
u Dioklecijanovoj palai sa svojim sinom Valentinijanom
III., buduim carem Zapadnoga Rimskog Carstva. Tada se
obnavljaju i razrueni salonitanski bedemi i kule, o emu
svjedoe natpisi postavljeni na gradskim vratima.
Novim arheolokim istraivanjima otkriveni su segmenti
gradskih zidina i kula pored istonih gradskih vrata Porta
Andetria i sama vrata. Upravo su onuda prolazile vane
prometnice prema Klisu i dalje prema unutranjosti, pa
se istraivanja toga dijela antike Salone nisu nikad mogla
provesti. Otkriveni su dijelovi istonih gradskih vrata, tzv.
Porta Andetria, koja je sredinom 19. st. dijelom otkrio F. Car
rara. Vrata su se nalazila na kraju glavne gradske ulice decu
manus maximus i morala su biti najsveanija i najukraenija,
kako je to odgovaralo vanosti njihova poloaja. Carrara je
otkrio zapadni dio tih vrata, ulino poploenje s dubokim
usjecima kola koje su flankirale dvije manje kule. Otud su
vodile vane prometnice prema unutranjosti na sjeveru u
pravcu Andetriuma, po emu su vrata i dobila naziv.
24 Hortus Artium Mediev. Vol. 13/1 13-24 J. Jelii-Radoni salona at the time...
Zatitnim se istraivanjima 2001. i 2002. godine po prvi
put mogao istraiti jedan od najvanijih ulaza u antiki
grad Salonu. Otkriven je istoni dio vrata koji su tvorile
dvije kvadratne kule pojaane poslije trokutastim rizalitima.
Izmeu kula sputala se metalna reetka, iji je utor jasno
usjeen na bonoj stijenci sjeverne kule. Na taj nain kule
su s onim ranije otkrivenim kulama zatvarale unutranje
dvorite, propugnakul, branei najostjetljiviji dio gradskih
zidina, ulaz u grad. Istona gradska vrata Porta Andetria
nastala su u 2. st., kad se istona predgraa zatiuju obzi
davanjem novoga prstena zidina.
U ploniku Porta Andetria, izmeu dviju istonih kula
koje su zatvarale propugnakul gradskih vrata, upotrijebljen
je kao spolij dio javnoga natpisa. Natpis je izvorno bio
postavljen na vratima  Porta Andetria  i govori o obnovi
gradskih bedema. S obzirom na njegov sadraj neporecivo
je u pitanju svojevrsna dubleta natpisa odavno pronaenoga
kod Porta suburbia II (CIL III 1984), koji je vjerojatno bio
javno izloen na tim sporednim gradskim vratima. Od ra­
nije poznatoga natpisa sauvan je lijevi gornji ulomak, a od
novoga desni gornji ulomak.
Na natpisima su upotrijebljeni slini izrazi, te se novim
nalazom jasnije razabire njihov jo uvijek nepotpun sadraj.
Podignuti su u ast careva Teodozija II. i Valentinijana III.,
kako to pokazuje poetak Teodozijeva imena na starome
nalazu i zavretak Valentinijanova imena na novome nat
pisu. Vrlo dotjeranim stilom detaljno se govori o radovima
poduzetim u prvoj polovici 5. st. na obnovi bedema i kula
koji su bili podignuti prije mnogo godina. Jesu li zidine
sagraene 170. godine za cara Marka Aurelija Antonina
popravljane i prije 5. st., osobito za cara Dioklecijana, za
kojeg se smatra da je kompletno obnovio Salonu, zasad se
moe samo pretpostavljati.
Kako je to potvreno novim natpisom na Porta Ande
tria, generalna obnova salonitanskih bedema izvrena je
u vrijeme Teodozija II. i Valentinijana III. Otkriem toga
novog ulomka nadopunjeni su turi podaci odavno pozna
toga teksta o obnovi gradskih zidina i svih kula, detaljno
opisani radovi od uklanjanja uruenih dijelova do nabave
svih potrebtina za izradu zidnih pojaanja poput onih
izmeu kula, a moda su tada dodane i trokutaste prizme,
kako je to pretpostavio F. Carrara. Popravljanje salonitan
skih fortifikacija izvrio je ugledni dostojanstvenik najvie
senatorske titule, vir ilustrissimus Publianus, zastupajui
uzviene prefekte. Vjerojatno su nakon posjeta Gale Placidije
i Valentinijana Saloni, koje je doekao biskup Hezihije cum
clero et populo, odobrena znatna financijska sredstva za
obnovu grada, osobito zatitu sigurnosti njegovih graana.
Znatna obnova bedema i kula u Saloni i u drugim glavnim
gradovima provincija odraava opu nesigurnost izazvanu
silnim barbarskim invazijama na Rimsko Carstvo. U vrijeme
mira nastaloga za biskupa Hezihija vrlo istaknute i poznate
linosti 5. st. ne obnavlja se u Saloni samo njezin episkopalni
kompleks, duhovni centar grada i pojedini cemeterijalni
kompleksi, ve i temeljita rekonstrukcija njenih fortifikacija,
kako pokazuju natpisi postavljeni na vratima grada  Porta
Andetria i Porta suburbia.