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E.Dobruna Altari Iliri - 1727-2548 - 2011 - Num - 35 - 1 - 1108
E.Dobruna Altari Iliri - 1727-2548 - 2011 - Num - 35 - 1 - 1108
Dobruna-Salihu Exhlale. Altari i Deae Dardanicae dhe stacioni benefi ciar nga Vendenisi / A votive altar of Dea Dardanica
and a beneficiary station from Vendenis. In: Iliria, vol. 35, 2011. pp. 243-254;
doi : https://doi.org/10.3406/iliri.2011.1108
https://www.persee.fr/doc/iliri_1727-2548_2011_num_35_1_1108
243
244 Altari i Deae Dardanicae dhe stacioni beneficiar nga Vendenisi
1 E. DOBRUNA - SALIHU, Plastika dekorative dhe figurative e gurit në Dardani gjatë kohës
romake – Sepulkrale dhe e kultit 1-2, Prishtinë, 2003-2005, 499 e tutje. Zakonisht
gjethja e palmetës është e kombinuar me akroterët këndorë pa zbukurim, të cilët janë të
pranishëm në numrin më të madh të altarëve, shih: 501, 824- 830, kat. nr. 335-350, T.
155-161, Fig. 288-300, kurse akroterët në formë gjysmëpalmetash paraqiten pa to, shih:
502-504, 831-834, kat. nr. 352-358, T. 163-166, Fig. 302-308.
2 Krehje të ngjashme të flokëve ka edhe vet Dea, krh. D. TUDOR – C. VLADESCU, “Dardanii
la Romula-Malva, Apulum 10 (1872-1972)”, Alba Iulia 1972,184, Fig. 1.
3 P. PETROVIĆ, Paleografija rimskih natpisa u Gornjoj Meziji, Beograd, 1975, 107.
Exhlale DOBRUNA - SALIHU 245
Fig. 1 b
4 Me këtë tipar i takon grupit të perëndive / perëndeshave të atdheut apo territorit (deae
patriae), të cilët hasen në mbarë Perandorinë Romake, krh. D. TUDOR – C. VLADESCU,
vep. e cit., 188.
5 M. MIRKOVIĆ, Rimski gradovi na Dunavu u Gornjoj Meziji, Beograd, 1968, 27; M.
Mirković – S. Dušanić, Singidunum, Inscriptions de la Mésie Supérieure 1 (IMS),
Beograd, 1976, 27-30.
6 I. CAJANTO, The Latin Cognomina, Helsinki, 1965, 157.
7 G. ALFÖLDY, Die Personennamen in der römischen Provinz Dalmatia, Heidelberg,
1969, 320.
8 Krh. P. PETROVIĆ, Naissus-Remesiana-Horreum Margi, IMS 4, 1979, 84-85, kat. nr. 35,
105, kat. nr. 75 (nga Nishi dhe Bela Palanka); i njëjti, Timacum minus et la vallée du
Timok, IMS 3/2, 1995, 82-83, kat. nr. 30, 95-96, kat. nr. 47, 126, kat. nr. 95 (nga Ravna).
9 Krh. Z. MIRDITA, Antroponima e Dardanisë në kohën romake, Prishtinë, 1981, 252, kat.
nr. 241 (nga Batusha e Fushë Kosovës), 267, kat. nr. 336 (nga Soçanica); B. DRAGOJEVIĆ
- JOSIFOSKA, Scupi et la région de Kumanovo, IMS 6, 1982, 57, kat. nr. 14 (nga Shkupi).
246 Altari i Deae Dardanicae dhe stacioni beneficiar nga Vendenisi
17 N. VULIĆ, Antički spomenici naše zemlje, Spomenik SAN 98 (77), Beograd, 1941-48,
109, kat. nr. 237; Ch. Picard, Opservations archéologiques en Yougoslavie, septembre
1953, Comptes rendus de l’Académie des Inscription, 1953, 93-94; A. JOVANOVIĆ, Neki
aspekti problema skupnog nalaza skulpture sa Medijane kod Niša, Starinar 24-25,
1973-74, Beograd, 1975, 62, T. 16, Fig. 20; i njëjti, “Prilog proučavanju skulpture sa
Medijane”, Niški zbornik 9, Niš 1980, 53-60, Fig. 1; E. DOBRUNA-SALIHU, vep. e cit.,
577-580, 859, kat. nr. 406, T. 188, Fig. 351.
18 D. TUDOR – C. VLADESCU, vep. e cit., 183-189, Fig. 1-2; D. Tudor, Recentele săpături
archeologice-romane de pe valea Oltulin Inferior, Apulum 11, 1973, 120-121, Fig. 4.
19 Th. MOMMSEN, Observationes epigraphicae, Ephemeris. Epigraphica 4, Berlin 1881,
530, i cili këto stacione i quan ushtarake (praesidia militaria); A. v. DOMASZEWSKI, Die
Rangordnung des römischen Heeres, Köln-Graz, 1967 (botim i dytë), 38, 40.
20 E. ČERŠKOV, Rimljani na Kosovu i Metohiji, Beograd, 1969, 57, 96-97, shën. 169 me
literaturën tjetër të cituar, i cili këto stacione i njehson si pjesërisht të karakterit ushtarak
e që duhet të ishin ushtarako-administrative; M. MIRKOVIĆ, “Beneficijarna stanica kod
Novog Pazara”, Živa antika (ŽA) 21/1, Skopje, 1971, 263 e tutje, 268-269; e njëjta,
“Beneficiarii Consularis and the New Outpost in Sirmium”, Roman Frontier Studies
1989, Proceedings of the XV International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies, Exeter
1989, 255 e tutje; kohët e fundit: L. JOVANOVA, “New data on the Citizens of Scupi
abd Their Beleifs”, Folia Archaeologica Balkanica I. In Honorem Vera Bitrakova
Grozdanova, Skopje, 2006, 324.
21 G. WEBSTER, The Roman Imperial Army, London ,1967, 264; M. MIRKOVIĆ, Beneficiarii
22 Mbi monumentet epigrafike që dëshmojnë praninë e këtyre dy stacioneve krh.: CIL
III 8170, 8185; N. VULIĆ, “Antički spomenici naše zemlje”, Spomenik SKA 71 (55),
Beograd, 1931, 193, kat. nr. 514; E. ČEŠKOV, vep. e cit., 56, shën. 165; Z. MIRDITA, vep.
e cit., 250, kat. nr. 230, 253, kat. nr. 249 (nga areali i Ulpianës), 254, kat. nr. 252 (nga
248 Altari i Deae Dardanicae dhe stacioni beneficiar nga Vendenisi
Runjeva). Stacioni doganor i Ulpianës mbrohej nga stacioni beneficiar i kësaj qendre,
krh. shën. 31, kurse stacioni doganor i Runjevës mbrohej nga stacioni beneficiar në
Kaçanik, krh. CIL III 8184.
23 Krh. R. MACMULLEN, Enemies of the Romqn Order, Cambridge / Massachusetts, 1966,
258; P. Oliva, Pannonie a počätky krize rimskeho imperia, Praha, 1959, 281. Latronët
në provincën e Mezisë së Epërme janë karakteristikë e trevës së Dardanisë, ku janë të
shumtë (latrones Dardaniae, përkatësisht latrones dardanici), krh. N. VULIĆ, “Latrones
Dalmatiae atque Dardaniae”, Glas SKA 114, Beograd, 1925, 91-94; E. ČERŠKOV, vep. e
cit., 54-55; A. MÓCSY, “Latrones Dardaniae”, Acta Antiqua Hungarica 16, Budapest 351
e tutje; i njëjti, Romanisation und Gesellscahft der römischen Provinz Moesia Superior,
Budapest 1970, 194-198 (Latrones). Ata në fakt kishin të bënin me lëvizjen e organizuar
të popullsisë vendase – lëvizjen e kaçakëve – kundër pushtuesit dhe rrethanave të reja
ekonomike dhe shoqërore, që, përveçse në trevën e Dardanisë, është e pranishme edhe
në provincën e Dalmacisë, krh. N. Vulić, po aty.
24 A. v. DOMASZEWSKI, vep. e cit.; P. Oliva, po aty; për një rol të madh të tyre gjatë kësaj
kohe krh. R. MACMULLEN, Soldier and Civilian in the Later Roman Epmire, Cambridge
/ Massachusetts 1963, 68.
25 Krh. M. MIRKOVIĆ, Beneficiarna stanica…, 263-271; P. Petrović, Naissus…, 32, 78-79,
kat. nr. 24, 100, kat. nr. 67.
26 N. VULIĆ, SPOMENIK 71(55), 91, kat. nr. 210, 211; Z. MIRDITA, vep. e cit., 264, kat. nr.
312, 313; E. DOBRUNA - SALIHU, vep. e cit., 827-828, kat. nr. 342, 344, T. 158, Fig. 294.
27 N. VULIĆ, po aty, 135, kat. nr. 325; Z. MIRDITA, po aty, 261, kat. nr. 299. E. ČERŠKOV,
vep. e cit., 97, shën. 170, duke mohuar praninë e një stacioni beneficiar në Prizren,
thekson se ky altar është i përkushtuar nga një beneficiar konsular i stacionit të Shkozëz,
përkatësisht Dobrugjës.
28 L. JOVANOVA, vep. e cit., 321-324, Fig. 6.
29 P. PETROVIĆ, Paleografija…, 105.
Exhlale DOBRUNA - SALIHU 249
30 Lidhur me këtë çështje kohët e fundit, krh. L. JOVANOVA, po aty, 323-324, e cila shfaq
mendimin se, edhe përkundër fakteve jo të mjaftueshme, mund të mendohet se nëse
rruga veriore (mbi Shkup) ka qenë e kontrolluar nga legjioni i shtatë klaudian, rruga
lindore ka qenë e kontrolluar nga legjioni i katërt flavian.
31 A. v. DOMASZEWSKI, vep. e cit., 33; P. OLIVA, vep. e cit. 282.
32 Krh. CIL III 8173; N. VULIĆ, Spomenik 71 (55), 192, kat. nr. 513; Z. MIRDITA, vep. e
cit. 248, kat. nr. 217 (nga Graçanica), 252, kat. nr. 241 (nga Batusha e Fushë Kosovës
që i përkushtohet Jupiterit dhe Gjeniut të stacionit). Këtë e vërteton edhe një monument
(pjesë arkitrau) nga forumi i Ulpianës me përkushtimin nga një beneficiar konsular, krh.
Z. Mirdita, po aty, 251, kat. nr. 233. Ky stacion, pa dyshim, mbronte stacionin doganor
të kësaj qendre, krh. shën. 21.
33 E. SHUKRIU, vep. e cit., 28-29, nr. 3, 33-35, nr. 5.
34 Po aty, 25-27, nr. 2.
35 Kh. E. DOBRUNA - SALIHU, “Një stelë sepulkrale nga rrafshi i Kosovës”, Gjurmime
Albanologjike - Ser. Shk. Hist. 10/1980, Prishtinë 1981, 27. Në të është shprehur
mendimi për praninë e një vendbanimi dhe stacioni në luginën e Moravës së Binçës.
36 E. ČERŠKOV, vep. e cit., 48.
37 Krh. shën. 16, 17; kohët e fundit E. SHUKRIU, vep. e cit.; e njëjta, Deae Dardanicae –
ikonografia, simbolet dhe funksionet, Kosova 26, 2004, Prishtinë 2005, 9-33.
250 Altari i Deae Dardanicae dhe stacioni beneficiar nga Vendenisi
251
252 A votive altar of Dea Dardanica and a beneficiary station from Vendenis
an inscription in four rows, with regular letters of equal size. The letters of the
first three rows on the right are not sufficiently well visible, while those in the
last row on that side are completely destroyed. The serifs are horizontal and
vertical, and the entire text is abbreviated, with the exception of the cognomen.
There is no ligature and there is no punctuation either, a feature found elsewhere
regardless of the quality of the carved letters.
The inscription reads:
Deae Dard(anicae) / M. Aur(elius) Vale/rianus /b(ene)f(iciarius) c(on)
s(ularis) / leg(ionis) IIII Fl[aviae] / [V(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)]
This altar is the fifth epigraphic monument dedicated to the goddess
Dardani(c)a, personifying the Dardania territory, discovered so far in Dardania.
Three monuments come from Vendenis, but both of the remaining ones are
fragmentary with destroyed inscriptions; on one, only a single corner of the
profiled inscription field and a half of the multiply-profiled crown, decorated
with a vegetable motif, was preserved. The fourth specimen is known from the
village of Smira near the small town of Vitia near Gjilan, in the area of an ancient
centre of unknown name (civitas), likewise with profiled inscription fields and
decoration, dedicated by a scout (speculator) of the same legion. Together
with our specimen, these altars represent the dedications to this goddess by
the members of the military. The fifth epigraphic dedication, on the altar from
Aqua Bas… (Kuršumlijska Banja) in the area of Ulpiana, featuring, similar to
our example, an unprofiled inscription field, was dedicated by a customs officer
(servus vilicus). The latter two altars were dedicated by persons of Oriental
origin. These five epigraphic dedications from the central part of Dardania,
together with the marble statue from Mediana (Brzi Brod) near Naissus, in the
northern part, make up the group of the so far known monuments of the goddess
Dardanica in the territory of Dardania. If we add to those two iconographic-
epigraphic monuments – two inscribed votive plates with relief depictions of
the figure, from the ancient centre of Romula-Malva (the village of Reşca in the
Oltenia region) in Lower Dacia, we reach the figure of eight stone monuments
of this goddess.
Our monument was dedicated by M. Aur(elius) Vale/rianus, a consular
beneficiary of Legio IV Flavia, which was stationed in Dardania and Upper
Moesia throughout antiquity, together with Legion VII Claudia. His name is
written in the tria nomina form. The cognomen Valerianus, of Latin origin,
although widespread in the Roman Empire, is most commonly found in
Upper Italy. It appears several times in the Dardanian territory, where it is
particularly characteristic for the centres in the northern part, while it appears
only sporadically in Kosovo and in the southern part. The imperial gentilicum
Exhlale DOBRUNA - SALIHU 253
Aurelius, borne by the emperors of the last four decades of the 2nd and the
beginning of the 3rd c., starting from Marcus Aurelius, is similarly mostly found
in the northern part of Dardania, while in Kosovo it is relatively common only
in the area of Ulpiana. Starting from the fact that the Aurelii are generally
known in Kosovo from the 3rd c., as the result of Caracalla’s 212 granting of
citizenship (Constitutio Antoniana), a more plausible conclusion would be
that the dedicant acquired citizenship at that time, although we still have to
take into consideration the possibility that he acquired it at the end of the 2nd
c., upon recruitment. This constitution in fact influenced the disappearance of
indigenous anthroponymy and its replacement with the Latin (Roman) one, on
which occasion, as underlined by D. Rendić-Miočević, “…it started erasing at
least some formal distinctions between peregrini and earlier Roman citizens of
the province, which also had bearings on the onomastics”. Therefore, in our case
too, when it comes to the ethnicity of the dedicant, in spite of a Latin name, he
would sooner be a person of local origin, which is a feature of the bearers of this
gentilicum in the entire area of Dardania.
From the point of view of their function, consular beneficiaries (beneficiarii
consularis), from early on studied by a number of scholars, starting with Th.
Mommsen and A. Domaszewski, belonged to a special military category. They
were junior officers in the headquarters of provincial governors, entrusted with
the command of smaller units in beneficiary stations. Placed at sensitive spots
and junctions on main roads, as well as in economic and commercial centres,
their task was to provide security and protect traffic, transport of goods and ores,
as well as to control the safety of customs offices, which they partially governed,
as has been corroborated in the case of both customs offices in Kosovo – in
Ulpiana and near the present-day village of Runjev near the town of Kaçanik.
Beneficiary stations are at the same time one of the measures the Roman
authorities undertook against the latrones. The study of the inscriptions of
consular beneficiaries, abundant throughout the Empire, points to the conclusion
that they reached their heyday towards the end of the 2nd c. under Septimius
Severus, fully developing until the mid-3rd c., particularly during the Severan
dynasty.
There are fewer inscriptions of the consular beneficiaries of the IV Flavian
legion in Dardania, compared with those of the VII Claudian legion: they appear
on two altars from Mitrovica, on the main road Dalmatia-Scupi, on an altar near
Prizren, on the main road Naissus-Lissus, and on an altar discovered in Skopje,
on the road Scupi-Serdica. These monuments documented the recent presence
of beneficiary stations under the command of legio IV Flavia only at these
locations. However, an inscription of a consular beneficiary of that legion from
Vendenis reveals the existence of a previously unknown beneficiary station on
254 A votive altar of Dea Dardanica and a beneficiary station from Vendenis