Burnum

Burnum or Burnum Municipium was a Roman Legion camp or castra located near the village of Ivoševci, between modern Kistanje and Knin, Dalmatia.

Overview

The Roman writer Plinius wrote about Burnum and described it as an ancient fortress dating back to the ancient Illyrians. The Pagana chart from the 16th century presented marked traits of Burnum as the ancient locality, but it didn't reach archeological interest until the 19th century, when it occupied the attention of our renowned father Lujo Marun and father Frane Bulić. The first excavations were conducted by Austrian archeologists.

It is assumed that Burnum originates from the year 33 B.C. Several Roman legions were located there in succession. The reason why it appeared after all was the need for the control of traffic around the Krka River. Burnom fulfilled its main purpose due to its extremely good position between the Roman and Illyric worlds. Building was initiated by the Roman governor for Dalmatia Publie Kornelius Dolabela and continued by the Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.

The camp gained its final shape during the reign of Claudius around 50 A.D. Claudius' legion ( The Faithful) left the camp in 69 A.D. and was succeeded by Flavius` 4th legion (The Happy).

According to some sources, a rebellion against Claudius was started at this camp as well. It is assumed that Burnum was the gathering place of the warriors who were to decide whether to go to Rome, kill Claudius and found the Roman Republic. But it never happened. After the last Roman legions had left the camp, it developed into a settlement of urban type.

The camp completely destroyed when Justinian attempted to take it back from the Ostrogoths in the 6th Century.