Nastanak hrišćanske sakralne topografije urbanih prostora centralnog Balkana : od Milanskog edikta do početka 7. veka

Abstract

Hrišćanstvo je na teritoriju centralnog Balkana dospelo verovatno posredstvom vojnika, bilo da je reč o aktivnim pripadnicima legija ili o veteranima, koji su se nakon odsluženog vojnog roka naseljavali u nekom od mnogih gradova Carsta, pa i u većim gradovima na centralnom Balkanu. Premda je poznato da hrišćanska zajednica i organizovana Crkva postoje svakako pre početka 4. veka, hrišćanska sakralna topografija na pomenutoj teritoriji može da se prati tek nakon što je proglašenjem Milanskog edikta 313. godine pripadnicima ove religije, nekada smatrane opasnom po Carstvo, omogućeno da grade hramove u kojima bi se vršila bogosluženja ili kojima bi obeležavali mesto na kome su pohranjene mošti stradalnika za veru. Proces nastanka hrišćanske sakralne topografije u gradovima centralnog Balkana bio je dugotrajan, budući da su brojni sukobi, koje su Rimljani vodili sa nerimskim narodima i plemenima tokom 4. i 5. veka, neretko za sobom ostavljali pustoš. Stoga o potpuno formiranom hrišćanskom gradu na pomenutoj teritoriji možemo govoriti tek nakon Justinijanove obnove u 6. veku. Radom su obuhvaćeni poznati urbani centri u kojima se na osnovu sačuvanih ostataka arhitekture može pratiti proces njihove transformacije, poput Sirmijuma, Viminacijuma, Naisusa, Remesijane i Ulpijane. Takođe, biće reči i o Romulijani i Medijani koje, uprkos tome što nisu imale zvaničan status grada, pružaju značajne informacije o hristijanizaciji urbanih prostora. Veliki rani hrišćanski centri negovali su kultove mučenika, a njihovi su episkopi grad okružili martirijumima i memorijama, stvarajući neku vrstu simboličnog prstena koji je u ime Hristovo štitio grad. Vremenom su se ustalile gradska crkva i grobljanske crkve, a ovakva topografska slika postala je uočljiva još pre 6. veka. Vrhunac razvijene rane hrišćanske sakralne topografije predstavljaju šestovekovni lokaliteti Gradina na Jelici i Caričin grad, kojima je u radu posvećena i posebna pažnja. U svakom od pomenutih gradova može se uočiti postojanje više gradskih crkava intra muros i najmanje jedan hram extra muros (in cimiterio). Naglašena je i verovatna ubikacija arhiepiskopskog sedišta Iustiniana Prima na lokalitetu Caričin grad, a time i značajno mesto ovog nekada uticajnog grada i njegove topografije u čitavom Carstvu.

Christianity on the territory of the central Balkans was most probably brought by soldiers, whether active members of legions, or the veterans who, after leaving the army, settled in one of the many large urban centers of Empire, as well as on the central Balkans. Although it is known that Christian community and organized Church already existed before the beginning of the 4th century, the Christian sacred topography can be observed only after the Peace of the Church declared in Milan in 313, when to the followers of this religion, once held dangerous for the Empire, was given the possibility to build temples for celebrating Mass or for commemorating the burial places of their martyrs. The process of creating the Christian sacred topography in towns and cities on the central Balkans lasted long, because of numerous wars that roman army led with non-roman nations and tribes during the 4th and 5th centuries, which often left settlements desolated. That is why the completely formed Christian city on the mentioned territory can be observed only after the rebuilding carried out by the emperor Justinian I in the 6th century. This study deals with known urban centers, in which the transformation can be observed, based on the remains of architecture, such as Sirmium, Viminacium, Naissus, Remesiana and Ulpiana. Despite the fact that they never had an official status of roman city, the settlements of Romuliana and Mediana are also included, because they offer important data about the Christianization of urban spaces. Large early Christian centres cherished the cults of local martyrs, and their bishops surrounded cities with martyriums and memories, thus creating simbolical „ring“ which protects the city in the name of Christ. Town and cemetery churches were established during time, and this topographical picture became visible before the 6th century. Special attention is dedicated to the sites of Gradina on mountain Jelica and Caričin grad, as the highlights of completely developed early Christian sacred topography in the 6th century. In each of above mentioned cities the existence of more than one intramural churches, and at least one extramural Christian temple (in cimiterio), can be detected. The probable identification of site Caričin grad as archbishopric seat Iustiniana Prima is also emphasized, as well as the important place of once influential city and its topography in the whole Empire.