engleski

New Evidence for the Re-establishment of the Adriatic Dioceses in the late Eighth Century

Starting out with a supposed connection between the relics of the saints (Tryphon in Kotor, Anastasia in Zadar, Euphemia in Rovinj, Zacharias in Venice) and historical events on the Eastern Adriatic at the turn of the 8th and 9th c., continuing with the relation of these events to artistic heritage preserved in the cities of Dalmatia and Istria, author discusses the question of when and under what circumstances were the new bishoprics founded or old Early Christian episcopal seats re-established in the mentioned cities. Beginning with the possibility that some or all of the said cities gained their episcopal status at the end of the 8th c., the author examines the viewpoints of earlier scholars who have expounded the theory in question during the last century (since 1912 it had been put forward on several occasions and in different ways). This "unconventional" date predominated in the studies dedicated to the ecclesiastical history of Spalatum-Split (F. Bulić, J. Bervaldi, V. Novak, G. Novak, M. Barada, Lj. Karaman, V. Košćak, V. Delonga, M. Matijević-Sokol) ; yet even in cases such as this the "late" dating was less then universally accepted in Croatian and former Yugoslav historiography. The years 614 and 641 for a long time presented a conventional terminus for the collapse of Early Christian dioceses in Dalmatia, only for them to be once again suddenly and inexplicably represented in historical sources around 800. Under what circumstances did the early Medieval bishoprics of Kotor (Decatera), Dubrovnik (Ragusium), Split (Spalatum), Zadar (Jadera), Rab (Arbe) and Osor (Apsorus) originate and how did they evolve, remained for the large part unexplained. Considering as particularly encouraging the suggestions of A. Dabinović, S. Gunjača, J. Darrouzès, R. Katičić, L. Margetić and Ž. Rapanić – who have all pointed to signatures of four Dalmatian bishops in the proceedings of the Second church council of Nicaea held in 787 – the author additionally analyzes its data, as well as the other sources relevant to earliest ecclesiastical history of Dalmatian episcopal cities. Acts of the Seventh ecumenical council contain the signatures of Ioannes episcopus sanctae ecclesiae Salonentianae (John od Salona-Split), Laurentius episcopus sanctae Absartianensis ecclesiae (Lawrence of Osor), Ursus episcopus Avaritianensium ecclesiae (Ursus of Rab) and Ioannes episcopus Decateron (John of Kotor). Relying on the results of his analysis, the author will try to connect the said historical record of several Dalmatian dioceses dating from the end of 8th c. with the artistic material (architecture, reliefs, liturgical installations etc.) preserved in their respective church buildings, firmly dated to the same period. It should be emphasized that the material in question at the same time represents the earliest layer of Pre-Romanesque monuments originating from the said cities, that is to say the first examples of Medieval art to be found in them. This, in turn, the author will attempt to relate to the circulation of relics of Constantinopolitan origin in Dalmatia at the eve of the Aachen peace treaty. Finally, with respect to the accepted chronology and circumstances of military and political events at the Adriatic between 787 and 812, he will try to outline a possible context of foundation (or re-establishment) of Dalmatian dioceses at that time. A stonecarvers' workshop active in Split at the end of the 8th c. represents a case-study for the author's methodology. In discussing the chronology of the works of the so-called Split stonecarvers' workshop, we should in the first place emphasize that the motifs it uses have their origin in the North Adriatic region. Sculptors that used the motifs in question doubtlessly found their inspiration in north-eastern Italy, from where Carolingian political aspirations were spreading through Istria to Dalmatia. The use of some other motifs points to papal Rome, from where the pontiff's aspirations to the Eastern Adriatic also derive. The same phenomenon can be observed in Kotor, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rab and Osor, three of which were also represented by a bishop at the Nicaean ecumenical council. Historical circumstances indicate that these restorers of the Adriatic dioceses must be seen as exponents of the Papal-Frankish policy in the late 8th c. In conclusion, the author proposes that most of the early Medieval dioceses in Dalmatia were (re-)established in the second half of the 8th c., following Charlemagne's conquest of the Lombard kingdom and the beginning of dispute between the Franks and the Byzantines. It thus seems allowable to conclude that the Frankish-Byzantine "competition" for the cities of Dalmatian littoral started earlier (late 770s-early 780s instead of 805) and lasted longer than is usually held, only to be definitively resolved in favor of Byzantium by the treaty of Aachen in 812.

Dalmatia; Early Middle Ages; church history; Treaty of Aachen

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