Daorsi: Statsutvikling i Vest-Balkan fra jernalder til romersk tid

Abstract

In this thesis I investigate the development of complex societies in Western Balkans from Iron Age to Roman period (ca. 750 BCE – 100s CE) through a case study of one of the sociopolitical groups, namely Daorsi. Daorsi and the federation Daorsi was located in what I have called lower Neretva in today’s Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. In my analysis I am using literacy sources, numismatics, epigraphy and archaeological materials. In contrast to most of the researchers who have studied ancient Western Balkans and Daorsi based on culture-historical archaeology my approach is based on processual and post-processual archaeology. This gives different perspectives in the interpretation of the archaeological materials, ancient sources, numismatics and inscriptions. As a result, it provides a novel perspective on Daorsi. I investigate three research questions. 1) How was the state development in the lower Neretva up to the southwestern Bay of Kotor from 750 BCE until the formation of the group and federation that later acts under the name of Daorsi? 2) How did the federation Daorsi work politically, economically, identity-wise and culturally? 3) How can one interpret the federation Daorsi in light of the international politics until the beginning of the 150s BCE, what happened to the federation Daorsi and Daorsi after the beginning of the 150s BCE and when Daorsi became civitas peregrina?