Viminacium, one of the most important Roman towns and military camps in these parts, thrived between the 1st and 5th century, near the present-day town of Požarevac.
Situated on a strategic spot, overlooking the confluence of the Mlava and the Danube, Viminacium was a town from which the glorious Roman army went into many battles. During Hadrian’s reign, in the 2nd century, Viminacium was granted the status of a municipium, a town with a high degree of autonomy, while in the 3rd century it was granted the status of a colony – the highest position in all the empire.
As a colony, it acquired the right to mint its own coins, hence the myriad of coins discovered on site. The remains of more than 14,000 tombs were found at Viminacium, with frescoes inside the tombs which are typical of late antiquity. What remains of an amphitheatre, many lavish buildings and Roman thermae, as well as an aqueduct and parts of a sewer system, gives us a hint of what life was like in this once-rich ancient town.
Many delicately crafted glassware items were also found at Viminacium. These cups, glasses, bottles and jugs from which ancient Romans drank were made by glass casting or blowing. Ceramic kitchenware, terracotta and clay items, as well as sanitation and floor tiles, provide evidence of the high usability of this material and bear witness to the skills of ancient craftsmen. The jewellery found on site was used both as decoration and for magical purposes, as it was believed to provide protection from evil spirits. The kitchenware, jewellery and other artefacts from Viminacium can be seen on display at the National Museum in Požarevac.
Info: Viminacium