Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-10-22
RICH IN ITS HISTORY
isTRIAN TERRITORY HAS HAD AN
IMPORTANT PAST.
Battlefield Of Europe Throughout the
Centuries, 1t is Again the Center
CT Discord-Strict Old Com
munal Regulations.

MANY lorg-slumbering memories
have been quickened BY the present
resistless flood of war that has en-
quilted in its course nearly all of the
historic spots in Europe, recalling 10
the GREATNESS onlookers in neutral
-lSsS.s in the light Of the tragic sisnlf-
ica,tte of these places today, their ro-
mantle stories of the centuries past,
begins a bulletin issued by the Ma
tional Geographic society, treating OF
what life has been in Austria's lstrian
territory, which the Italians are now
attempting to invade. The statement
continues:
"Istria, the wedge-shaped peninsula
at the head Of the Adriatic and the
surrounding territory back Of Trieste,
not Of great Importance commercially
or industrially and with few connec-
tons with the world in the West,
thus little known and spoken OF, un-
rolls a stream of highly interesting
"reminiscences of past civilizations
when brought to attention as one OF
tcday's great battlefelds. The civil
zation of the peninsula is ancient.
Ionians from rich and cultured Mile
tus settled colonies there in the nlntn
century B. c., and in 735 B. c. the
Corinthians followed them Ire sunny
culture Of the Greeks once biossomed
ali along these shores, formed its art
lists here, builded its temples, and at
baf y y
arrived about the fourth century 8.
C When the Romans were forced
70 crusl the pirates Of the North
A6riatic. lstr:a fell under their DOM
nation, about 1T B. c. Following
q, rD~isirg the Romans thoroughly
subdued the land in 123 3. C., ana III
1e7 3. C. $4,000 Roman coloGists were
settled there.
"ThroueH re Dark Ages and wen
into the Middle Ages Istrian land was
in the vcrtc~ cf the struggle between
tho eTnr;res Of the cast and west. ana
then between Byzantiur. the German
powers of the north and the r!sins
commercial cities of Italy. BY 1l1o
Venice had established privileged con-
nections with most Of the lstrian
towns. From this time date some
very interesting records OF social or
CARNATIONS on the peninsula. The lana
was organized into communes, with
- their chief magistrate, a small coun-
c:l or council OF assessors, and a
council Of the people. The commune
fhSovernments extended their work to
even greater degree than the most
Is !sycrned communities would think or
n TO-DAY. Their regulations pro-
1%iied for al manner Of domestic SUE
Yervision. They fixed the time Of new
Vantage. the timesfor selling new vine,
~ amount Of bread that could be
bsk&d in one town, and administered
'puEe food regulations with greatest
ss1rictness.
q "As today, judges went through the
r&arkets trying the food. These judges
wAnt through the taverns and tasted
We wine before the innkeepers might
at it On sale. The prices Of foreign
aoods were fixed by the authorities
and the quality Of these goods care
fully determined before they could be
nut on sale Stone measurements were
cut on fountains, on the foundation
stones of public buildings and on 9TH
er conspicuous places. Armed men
were not allowed to enter the cities,
the regulation against carrying Weap-
ons being deemed just as important
then as now. However, a citizen
soldier who happened to kill an on
locker during military practice was
able to get immunity from punish
nent. Militarsm had its privileges in
Istria.
an some Of the cities the making
of false money was punishable with
death; the bearing of false witness,
where no fire was collected, was pun
ished by the loss Of the right nostrll
and publication on the stair OF the
town hall of the delinquent as per-
iurer. The destruction of property
was punished by the less Of the right
hand, and long list Of illegal words,
oaths and Objectionable phrases was
attached to the section of the code
that provided the punishment Of the
piscry for the blasphemer Tips were
strictly forbidden; the workman was
forced to accept no more than the
wage prescribed. The activity OF
those intrusted with looking out for
the peoples welfare stretched to eV-
cry little detail of domestic life"