City of Niš through Centuries Situated at the crossroads of the Balkan and European roads, connecting Asia Minor to Europe, City of Niš is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, and was considered a gateway between the East and the West even in the ancient times. Legend has it that Niš was founded by a Prince Nisa, who built it using the nearby Humska Čuka stone. There is abundant archaeological evidence that Niš was inhabited in prehistoric times. Near the Fortress bridge, in 1878, a soldier excavated a 153 mm long prehistoric axe-hammer made of basalt from Ostrovica, near Niš. Another similar artifact, roughly hewn and 155mm long, was excavated from the ancient tombs near the Nišava River, and a flintstone saw was found near the City suburb Vrežina. All the archaeological finds dating from about 4000 BC are exhibited in the National Museum of Niš. http://youtu.be/cjPt-YacDB0 The town was named after the Nišava River, which was named Navissos by the Celtic inhabitants of the town. Each new conqueror gave the town a new name: Roman Naissus, Byzantine Nysos, Slovene Niš, or German Nissa. In the zenith of its growth and flourishing, Naissus was one of the most important crossroads of the Moesian, Trachian and Dardanian road-network, because it was the intersection of the roads from Ljes (at the Adriatic coast), Thessalonica, Constantinople, and Singidunum (Belgrade). In ancient times, Naissus was an important stronghold and an invincible castrum. Its extraordinary geographic position made Naissus an important strategic spot, mentioned in many records on military affairs in the Balkans from the 2nd century on. It was near Niš that Claudius II gained a victory over the Goths in 269 AD and saved the Roman Empire from a great danger. Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (306-337), Diocletianus' successor to the throne born in Naissus in 274, richly endowed his birthplace. He built majestic edifices here, and made Niš an important economic, military and administrative centre.. http://youtu.be/Shz8e35Tqqk Niš was besieged, raided, sacked, ravaged and burned to the ground several times in its long and turbulent history. It was sieged by the Huns in 441, devastated again in 448, and again in 480, when the partly rebuilt town was demolished by the Barbarians. Byzantine Emperor Iustinian restored the town but it was destroyed by the Avars once again. The Slavs, in their campaign against the Byzantium, conquered Niš and settled here in 540. About 987, the town was taken by the Bulgarian Emperor Simeon. In the 11th century Byzantium took control over Niš and the surrounding area again. In 1072, the town was raided by the Hungarians (Ugri). Manojlo I fortified the town, but his successor, Andronik, could not hold it, so Niš was seized by the Hungarian king Bela III. The town was in Greek hands for some time, and then, in 1185, it was under Serbian control, but not for long. In 1196, Isak Angelos defeated Stefan Nemanja and it was not until 1241 that Niš was in Serbian hands again. http://youtu.be/3p3F_KSW2QA The gates of Niš saw in several well-known dignitaries of Europe. In 1096 the Crusade leader Walter visited Niš, and in 1189 Niš welcomed Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa in his campaign against Byzantium. He was greeted here by his ally, Serbian Despot Stefan Nemanja. Although situated on the borderline between the East and the West, Niš has always been Orthodox - the seat of the large Niš bishopric, which, at the beginning of the 13th century included the areas around the Nišava River, the Toplica river, Mokro and Svrljig. In the period of the Patriarchate of Peć, Niš bishopric stretched as far as Leskovac and Paraćin. Constantine's reign Mediana was a royal property with luxurious residence and highly organized economy, placed in the suburb of the antique Niš - Naissus. http://youtu.be/2STPus5tXPU Constantine the Great (280 - 337 AD) was born and raised in Naissus. His mother Helena was of humble origin, but his father Flavius Valerius Constantinus Hlorus, the founder of the dynasty, descended from Ilyricus. Constantine the Great ruled the Roman Empire from 306 to 337. He consolidated the frontiers of the Empire and imposed a firm organization on the Army and the civil administration. In the year 313, he issued the Milan Edict, thereby introducing Christianity as the official religion of the Empire. He moved his royal seat to the East, to Constantinople, in 330, thus laying the foundation for the new Byzantine Empire. As a powerful Emperor, Constantine did not forget his birthplace. He erected a majestic residence in one of the luxurious suburbs of Ancient Niš - Mediana, where he often resided and attended to state affairs. Historical records testify it was in Naissus that he passed several laws - in 315,319, 324, and 334. Constantine had two sons, Constantius and Constance, who followed their father’s footsteps. http://youtu.be/rBeHSae1H0M After Constantine After Constantine's death in 337, other emperors stayed in Naissus as well, either resting on their long journeys or preparing themselves for war. Thus, Constantine's sons, Constantius and Constans, stayed in Naissus in the winter of 340 and signed an edict there. Later on, only Constans was in the town. According to the Hieronimus' Chronicles, in 350 Vetranio, commander of the Danubian army, was proclaimed emperor in Sirmium; in the same year he surrendered the insignia of imperial power to Constantius II in Naissus - Vetranioni aput Naissum a constantio regium insigne detractum. These events, characteristic of the period of military emperors, when the fate of the state was decided far from the capital, on the battlefield and in the presence of the army, caused anxiety among the contemporaries and focused the attention on the regions and towns in which these developments were taking place. Julian the Apostate unexpectedly spent some time in Naissus on his expedition against Constantius II, at the end of year 361. During his two month stay, Julian wrote from Naissus long epistles to the Senate, to Athens, Corinth and other Greek towns, explaining his policy and seeking support. Valentinian's stay in Naissus in 364 is attested by several imperial edicts. It should be added that Naissus was the native town of another Roman emperor - Constantius III (year 425), husband of Galla Placidia, father of Valentinian III (according to Olympidoros). http://youtu.be/qQ68NFbicEQ In the Emperor's escort, apart from personnel serving the needs of the imperial family, there were also officials authorized to conduct imperial rescripts and other acts that were issued in Naissus. On the other hand, one should bear in mind that Naissus also witnessed a continuous presence of high state officials throughout the IV century. There was a workshop - officina - for the production of objects from precious metals. Silver plates from this workshop most often carry an official message: in 317 they were cast to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Licinus' rule with the inscription "Licini imperatore semper vincas" - "Divine Licinius may you always win". In 321-322 to commemorate the welcome tenth anniversary - decenalia suscepta - of Constantine's sons Crispus and Constantine the Younger. One silver plate was cast on the occasion of Constantius II victory, probably in 358, and to the same group belongs a silver plate found in a hoard dating from 351-361, which included 255 pieces, in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland. Of special importance is a gold ingot from Feldiora in Transylvania, that was cast in 379, which apart from bearing a stamp of the Naissus workshop and city protectress Tyche, has relief busts of three emperors: Gracian, Theodosius I and Valentinian II. http://youtu.be/-shJM8lrPfQ WELCOME TO NIS The Gate between East and West Historians, geographers and writers have always called this city "the Gate between East and West". City of Niš, one of the oldest cities in this part of Europe, stands at a crossroads of major European routes, linking Middle and West Europe lowland of Vlaška and Pomoravlje with the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Sea. This kind of strategic position has always had great influence on the destiny of Niš. Discoveries at the localities Bubanj, Humska Čuka and others point at the population of Niš in Neolith and Bronze Ages. The history of this area, mostly warlike and destructive, was created by the Romans, Goths, Illyrians, Thracians, Celts, Huns and others. The Hometown of the Great Emperor With the birth of Flavius Valerius Constantinus in Niš (in the second half of the third century), who later became a great Roman Emperor, protector of Christianity, great warrior and statesman, this town got its significant place in the world history. It continued shining with the same glorious light in the 6th century, during the rule of Emperor Justinian I, the Emperor responsible for recovering this Empire. Niš developed significantly during the period of Nemanjić dynasty. Stefan Nemanja, the great Serbian Head of the state and the father of Saint Sava, intended to make Niš the capital of his state. Until the fall of Serbian medieval state under the Turkish power, Niš was a great economic, strategic and cultural centre. http://youtu.be/F8UlAJos6gk Modern development of Niš started in 1878 with the liberation from the Turks after almost five centuries of slavery. That was not only the liberation from the old oriental profile but also an initiation into the most significant period of its history - Niš actually became the second most developed Serbian city. The residence of Kings Milan and Aleksandar Obrenović, the so called Prince castle, where they spent a lot of time especially in the period of Assembly sessions, was also situated in Niš. During World War I Niš was a military capital (from July, 1914 until the middle of October, 1915). Niš was the residence of both Serbian Government and National Assembly, together with all the diplomatic representatives. Important decisions regarding war, country protection and liberation and the uniting of Yugoslav nations and peoples were reached here. King Petar I and Regent Aleksandar Karađorđević also spent their time here in the period. A City Rich in Culture and History Due to its turbulent history, Niš has literally become a city - museum. The showcases and depots of the National Museum abound in invaluable historical items originating from numerous finds. The National Theatre has a century long tradition. The curtain of the Puppet Theatre was first lifted in 1951. The Gallery of Contemporary Fine Arts is the guardian of artistic treasury, but also a promoter of modern flows in fine arts. Several galleries are available for exhibitions ("Srbija", "Paviljon", and "Salon 77" in the Fortress). http://youtu.be/yiV8mrI0OPA READ MORE ABOUT NIS http://www.visitnis.com/ http://www.naissus.info/ http://www.niscafe.com/ Translate http://translate.google.rs/?hl=sr&tab=wT#sr/en/