Middletown transcript., 1915-08-14
RICH IN ITS HISTORY
IsTRIAN TERRITORY HAS HAD AN
IMPORTANT PAST.
Battlefield Of Europe Throughout the
Centuries, It ls Again the Center
Of Dlseord-strlet Old Com
munaI Regulations.

"Many long-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 to
the breathless onlookers in neutral
lands, In the light of the tragic signif-
ican9o 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 Istrian
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-
tions with the world in the West.
thus little known and spoken of, un-
rolls stream of highly interesting
"reminiscences of past civilizations
when brought to attention as one Of
today's great battlefields. The civili-
zation of the peninsula Is ancient.
Ionlans from rich and cultured Mile
tus settled colonies there in the ninth
century B. c., and in 735 B. G. the
Corinthians followed them. The sunny
culture of the Greeks once blossomed
all along these shores, formed Its art
lists here, builded its temples, and at
last gave way before the Celts, who
arrived about the fourth century 3.
O. When the Romans were forced
to crush the pirates of the North
Adriatic, Istria fell under their DOM
nation, about 1T B. C. Following
an uprising the Romans thoroughly
subdued the land in 1913 B. c., and in
1877 B. C. $4,000 Roman colonists were
settled there.
Through the Dark Ages and well
into the Middle Ages Istrian land was
in the vortex Of the struggle between
the empires Of the east and west, and
then between Byzantium, the German
powers of the north and the rising
commercial cities of Italy. By 1145
Venice had established privileged con-
nections with most of the Istrian
towns. From this time date some
very interesting records of social or
ganizations on the peninsula. The land
was organized into communes, with
their chief magistrate, a small coun-
ell or council of assessors, and a
council of the people. The commune
governments extended their work to
an even greater degree than the most
governed communities would think OF
doing today. Their regulations pro-
vided for all manner of domestic su-
pervision. They fixed the time of new
vintage, the time for selling new wine,
the amount of bread that could be
baked in one town, and administered
pure food regulations with greatest
strictness.
"As today, judges went through the
markets trying the food. These judges
went through the taverns and tasted
the wine before the innkeepers might
put 1t on sale. The prices of foreign
goods were fixed by the authorities
and the quality of these goods care
fully determined before they could be
put 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
ment Militarism had its privileges in
Istria.
In some of the cities the making
OF false money was punishable with
death; the bearing of false witness,
wnere no fine was collected, was pun
ished by the loss of the right nostriI
and publication on the stair of the
town hall of the delinquent as a per-
]urer. The destruction of property
was punished by the loss of the right
nand, and a long list of illegal words,
oaths and Objectionable phrases was
attached to the section of the code
tnat provided the punishment of the
plllory for the blasphemer. Tips were
strictly forbidden; the workman was
forced to accept no more than the
wage prescribed The activity of
tnose intrusted with looking out for
lne peoples welfare stretched to ev-
cry little detail of domestic life"