Nesactium: the ancient capital of the Histri in Istria
Nesactium (Nezakcij) is an archaeological park in southern Istria, about 10 km east of Pula. It was the main settlement of the Histri, the people who gave the peninsula its name, and later a Roman town. Walls, a prehistoric necropolis, a forum, baths and two early Christian basilicas make it one of the great hidden sites of Istria.
In 177 BC the Histri held out against Rome for a long siege. According to the ancient account, their king Epulo and his court preferred death to slavery as the Roman troops broke in.
The history of Nesactium
The hill above Budava bay was settled as early as the Bronze Age, around 1200 BC, when it was one of the fortified villages typical of the region, the castellieri. From these local roots grew the Iron Age culture attributed to the Histri. Their oldest fortification was a dry-stone wall about 800 m long.
Before the Romans, Nesactium was the main centre of the Histri. Archaeologists have found part of a gate, the defensive wall and a necropolis with more than 250 graves. The urns and grave goods show that the town traded with Greece, with the Etruscans and with the Alpine region. Burials continued from the 9th century BC until the Roman conquest.
In 177 BC the Romans besieged Nesactium. The Histri, led by their king Epulo, defended the town for a long time but without success. According to the account in Livy, which the Croatian Wikipedia cites, Epulo is the legendary last Histrian king. The Italian article adds that the Romans diverted the stream that supplied the town and that Epulo and his court chose suicide rather than capture. The survivors were mostly deported and enslaved, and the town was destroyed.
It was soon rebuilt. Under Augustus, a new town with an organised street plan arose on the same spot, with a forum, three temples and spacious baths. It enjoyed a degree of municipal autonomy within the territory of nearby Pula. Finds of high artistic quality point to a cultured community.
As Roman power weakened, the town became a fortified settlement again. Rooms of the baths were converted into homes and workshops, and in the 5th century the southern part was transformed into two large Christian buildings, a northern and a southern basilica. The town survived the fall of the Roman Empire but not the attacks of the early 7th century, after which it was abandoned. Excavations began in the early 20th century, in 1902–1904 according to German Wikipedia, and continue today.
Curiosities about Nesactium
- Croatian Wikipedia calls Nesactium the oldest town in Istria. Locally the site is known as Vizače.
- The peninsula takes its name from the Histri, the people whose main centre stood here, according to Italian Wikipedia.
- The first clear proof that Vizače was the ancient town came in the early 20th century, with a votive altar to the emperor Gordian (3rd century) that mentions the Res Publica Nesactiensium.
- The Histri are thought to have lived largely from trade and piracy across the Mediterranean.
- Some of the oldest Attic Greek pottery found in Istria came from here, suggesting a Greek presence or lively exchange with the Greek world.
- The ground at the entrance holds a prehistoric necropolis, between the Roman and prehistoric gates, with urns covering a span from the 9th century BC to the Roman conquest.
Tours near Nesactium
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Nesactium
- The site is an archaeological park with conserved architectural remains from Roman and late antique times, enclosed by about 800 m of excavated walls.
- German Wikipedia describes a walking route that begins at the Roman gate, the main entrance, and includes the prehistoric gate in the west wall, about 70 m to the north, and the nearby necropolis.
- Look for the forum area with its three temples, the baths and the remains of the early Christian basilicas.
- Many of the finds are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Istria in Pula, so a visit there adds context. Check the current opening hours before you go.
- It combines naturally with the Roman monuments of Pula, about 11 km away.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Nesactium is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Nesactium
Questions
What is Nesactium?
Nesactium is the ancient capital of the Histri and later a Roman town, now an archaeological park in southern Istria.
Where is Nesactium and how far is it from Pula?
It lies between the villages of Muntić and Valtura, near Pula airport and about 10 km east of Pula, above Budava bay.
Who were the Histri?
They were the pre-Roman people of Istria, linked to the Castellieri culture. Their trade and, probably, piracy reached across the Mediterranean.
Who was King Epulo?
Epulo was the legendary last king of the Histri, who defended Nesactium against the Romans in 177 BC.
What can you see at Nesactium?
Visitors can see sections of the walls, the prehistoric and Roman gates, a necropolis, the Roman forum and baths, and the remains of two early Christian basilicas.
When was Nesactium abandoned?
Croatian and German Wikipedia say the settlement did not survive the attacks of the early 7th century, when it was abandoned.
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Temple of Augustus
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