IX Sirmium Music Fest

Sirmium - Sremska Mitrovica

The remains of the once prosperous and powerful Roman city of Sirmium are concealed beneath the streets of today’s Sremska Mitrovica. The history of the Roman city begins during the Emperor Augustus’ invasion of Illyricum in 35-33 B.C. and continues all the way to 582 A.D. when the city falls under control of the Avars. The Romans probably occupied Sirmium during Tiberius’ wars in Pannonia (13-9 B.C.), and the city was granted the status of a colony (colonia Flavia) under the Flavian dynasty (69-96 A.D.). Sirmium was frequently used as a base for military campaigns against the barbarian groups who continually attacked the frontier in this part of the Empire.

From the time of the granting of colonial status all the way to the end of the fourth century, the ancient literary sources mention Sirmium as a temporary residence for numerous Roman emperors. From the historical sources we know that from the first through the third century Domitian, Marcus Aurelius, Septimius Severus, Maximinus Thrax, Claudius II Gothicus, Probus, Diocletian and the infamous usurpers Ingenuus and Regalian all resided in Sirmium for longer or shorter periods. Five Roman emperors were born in or near Sirmium: Trajan Decius, Aurelian, Probus, Maximianus Herculius and Gratian.

Archaeological excavation in Sirmium has revealed, in addition to the imperial palace and adjacent circus, a number of other monumental public buildings, including the so-called “Licinian Baths,” a granary (horreum) and commercial and industrial areas. Luxuriously appointed urban residences have been discovered, as well as multi-storied apartment buildings (insulae) where the poorer elements of the population lived. The city was protected by a circuit of strong defensive walls and supplied with water by an aqueduct from the Vranjaš spring in Fruška Gora. The city streets were paved, flanked by porticoes and drained with sewers. Coins were struck in an imperial mint in the city and workshops produced various objects in precious metals, glass, and pottery.

The well known Roman historian of the fourth century, Ammianus Marcellinus, described the city as “the famous and populous mother of cities”.

Gallery Lazar Vozarevic was opened in 1973 with an exhibition of artworks by Serbian painter and illustrator Lazar Vozarevic. The reconstructed building is a true example of the national style of architecture of the second half of the 19th century. The reconstruction included very extensive research, comparisons, and analyses by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia.

The Museum of Srem is a cultural institution of great importance in Sremska Mitrovica, founded in 1885, which deals with researching the material culture of the great heritage, both in the city of Sremska Mitrovica and in Srem in general, and exhibits it at its permanent and occasional exhibitions. The museum is located in two buildings from the 18th century, the building of the "Courtesy Table" (formerly the building of the military administration, Brigadier Quarter, Brigade Headquarters) and the house of the Bajić family.

In the former house of the Bajić family, built at the end of the 18th century, archeological material is housed in a permanent exhibit that covers the period from the beginning of settlement to the fall of Sirmium to the Avars - 6th century. An integral part of the permanent exhibition is the courtyard area with many Roman stone monuments - popularly called the LAPIDARIUM. Within the lapidarium, the remains of the villae urbane are presented in situ, of which the apsidal room is visible today - the triclinium with the remains of a beautiful geometric floor mosaic that was presented to the public after conservation.

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