Findings from the villages of Gradac and Ubosko on the road communication Narona-Ad Zizio
Authors: Samardžić Gligor 
Published: July 2014

This paper presents data on the problems of location of the road communication in the south of the province of Dalmatia from the station Diluntum to the intersection Ad Zizio. The opinions of researchers about the location of these stations are different. The road from Narona went to the stations Diluntum-Pardua-Ad-Zizio where it forked off in two different directions. One branch went along the sea coast, and the other through the interior of the province of Dalmatia. Both branches were again connected into one road communication at the Scobre station. In preparation of the paper on the ancient road communications and stations in southern Dalmatia, we relied on the written original material and the remains in the field. We took into consideration all the various opinions in the modern historiography concerning the location of the stations Pardua, Ad Zizio and Asamo. We believe that these different opinions arose from the uneven interpretation of cartographic representations and lack of knowledge on the road section in the field. Different road tracking of the routing communication Narona-Epidaurus have led to differences in locating the road stations Pardua, Ad Zizio and Asamo. At the initiative of the antiques patrons from Ljubinje, we conducted a research of the road communication Narona- Ad Zizio. The research was conducted from the city of Stolac to the village of Mosko (it is located east of the road Pardua station) because of the new findings that were found in the villages of Gradac and Ubosko. Based on site visits to Bitunja, Zabrđe, Poljice, Ubosko, Ljubinje, Gradac, Ljubomir and Mosko, and based on insights in the field, as well as data from Peutingeriana and Antonine Itinerary, we believe that the station of Pardua can be located in Gradac, and Ad Zizio in Ljubomir field. During our research, we particularly paid attention to the natural elements i.e. geophysical properties of the soil and the existing situation that determined the direction of the road. The direction of the road communication in the field was determined by a number of milestones previously found in some parts of the communication and the remains of settlements. In conclusion to this study, we believe that the route communication Narona-Ad Zizio, proposed by D. Sergejevski and I. Bojanovski, generally cannot be put in doubt. However, changes are possible only on some sections, as indicated by the facts from the field. In the vicinity of the place of the findings of milestones in the southwestern part of Ubosko polje, there is a road passing along the southern rim from west to east, so it is possible that the Roman road went along this edge where a milestone with the implant was found in situ. This route runs along the southern edge of the field, 300 m more to the south of the road line suggested by I. Bojanovski. An alternative route passed some tens of meters in front of the remnants of the settlements on the location of the Križava tilth field and Grebuša which are located on the southwestern edge of the field. At this location there is a number of buildings with fragments of Roman pottery everywhere. Slightly to the east at distance of about 200 m from the first milestone, we found, with the help of the antiques patrons, another milestone on this section of the road, near the medieval inscriptions dedicated to the deceased Dabiživ Radovanović. The fragment of the milestone is 110 cm long with a diameter of about 40 cm, and it is located on the left side of the Ubosko-Hrđusi road at exiting the Ubosko polje. It is possible that the remains of these buildings suggest that they were the ancient complex, the so-called villa rustica. However, nothing more precise could be said about the perceived remains of these buildings foundations without detailed research. This section is a part of the Salona-Dyrrhachium-via Egnatia road and it was probably built during the Dolabella's Regency of the province of Dalmatia (years 16 to 20). Aggravating circumstance is that there are no inscriptions found that could confirm it. In support of its dating, two Dolabella's inscriptions from Cavtat and the milestone inscription from Kosijerevo could be given (years 79 to 84). Based on the foregoing, the building could be dated to the first half of the 1st century, and it could be said that this is the most important route of the Roman road in southern Dalmatia. In the area of the village of Gradac we visited the sites Crkvina, Kruškice and Kučina Prodo. At these sites, we found the remains of milestones, the necropolis, a large well, the Roman coin of the emperor Elagabalus. Throughout the area of the village of Gradac there are numerous foundation walls of buildings, cut stone, Roman brick products and other movable findings such as a copper clasp and a few tips of spears. Judging by the distance in Roman miles found in written sources and material remains in the village of Gradac, it is necessary to search for a bigger center in which D. Sergejevski and I. Bojanovski locate the station Pardua. Although a significant number of findings support the thesis that the ancient Pardua can be located in today's Gradac, it still remains to carry out systematic research in this area in order to confirm or reject the am thesis.