Moesia
In ancient geography, Moesia was bounded to the south by Balkan (Haemus) and Šar (Scardus, Scordus, Scodrus) mountains, to the west by the Drina river (Drinus, on the north by the Danube and on the east by the Euxine. Its area mostly corresponds to modern Serbia and Bulgaria, a region once inhabited chiefly by Thracian peoples. It took its name from the Moesi, a Thracian tribe that lived there.
History
In 75 BC C. Scribonius Curio, proconsul of Macedonia, took an army as far as the Danube and gained a victory over the inhabitants, who were finally subdued by M. Licinius Crassus, grandson of the triumvir and later also proconsul of Macedonia during the reign of Augustus c. 29 BC. The region, however, was not organized as a province until the last years of Augustus reign; in 6 AD mention is made of its governor, Caecina Severus (Dio Cassius lv. 29).
Originally one province, under an imperial consular legate (who probably also had control of Achaea and Macedonia) it was divided by Domitian into Upper (superior) and Lower (inferior, also called Ripa Thracia) Moesia, the western and eastern portions respectively, divided from each other by the river Cebrus (Ciabrus; modern Cibritza or Zibru). Some, however, place the boundary further west. Each was governed by an imperial consular legate and a procurator. As a frontier province, Moesia was strengthened by stations and fortresses erected along the southern bank of the Danube, and a wall was built from Axiopolis to Tomi as a protection against the Scythians and Sarmatians.
After the abandonment of Dacia to the Goths by Aurelian (270—275) and the transference of the Roman citizens from the former province to the south of the Danube, the central portion of Moesia took the name of Dacia Aureliani (again divided into Dacia ripensis and interior). The district called Dardania (in Upper Moesia), was formed into a special province by Diocletian, with the capital at Naissus or Nissa (modern Niš), the birthplace of Constantine the Great in 272.
Since 238 Moesia was constantly invaded or raided by the Carpi, and the Goths, who had already invaded Moesia in 250. Hard pressed by the Huns, the Goths again crossed the Danube during the reign of Valens (376) and with his permission settled in Moesia.
After their settlement quarrels soon took place, and the Goths under Fritigern defeated Valens in a great battle near Adrianople. These Goths are known as Moeso-Goths, for whom Ulfilas made the Gothic translation of the Bible. In the 7th century, Slavs and Bulgars entered the country and founded the kingdoms of Serbia and Bulgaria.
The chief towns of Upper Moesia were: Singidunum (Belgrade), Viminacium (sometimes called municipium Aelium; modern Kostolac), Bononia (Widdin, Vidin) and Ratiaria (Arčar); of Lower Moesia: Oescus (colonia Ulpia, Gigen), Novae (near Sistova, the chief seat of Theodoric the Great), Nicopolis ad Istrum (Nikup; really near the river Iatrus or Yantra), Odessus (Varna) and Tomi (Constanta; to which the poet Ovid was banished). The last two were Greek towns which formed a pentapolis with Istros, Mesambria and Apollonia.
Template:Roman provinces 120 AD
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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