The cult of Jupiter Dolichenus in Moesia Superior: mining aspects

The cult of Jupiter Dolichenus, of Oriental origin, is evident throughout almost all the territory of the Roman Empire. The followers of the Dolichenus theology, such as soldiers, priests, tradesmen, miners and freedmen dedicated figurative representations as well as numerous inscriptions to the glory of the deity. In the territory of Upper Moesia, a particular frequency of dedications is noticed along the Danube border region/limes. In this study I shall deal with a somewhat particular type of Dolichenus believers, namely those who had a direct or indirect connection with the mining areas of Upper Moesia

Pre-roman and Roman Dardania historical and geographical considerations

This paper on Pre-Roman and Roman Dardania is an attempt to review, in a somewhat restricted article form, several important issues marking the development of the Dardanian areas in a period between the earliest references to the Dardani in written sources and their inclusion in the administrative structure of the Roman Empire. Historical developments preceding the Roman conquest of Dardania are analyzed, as well as its boundaries, and the character and administrative structure of the conquered territory. Changes that Dardanian society underwent are paid special attention, and phases in the development of urban centres and communications outlined

Principi razvoja stočarstva u Republici Srbiji

Livestock production is an important branch of agriculture in the Republic of Serbia because it provides necessary products (milk, meat, eggs). In addition, livestock production provides raw materials for food industry and leather industry. Livestock production is expected to provide quality products for export, primarily beef and lamb. There is an opportunity for export of cheese (especially sheep and goat milk cheese) with defined origin and standard of quality. However, based on available data, the situation in livestock production is assessed as negative. In the last years, number of heads of all species of domestic animals has decreased continuously. In several years, Serbia will become member of European Union (EU). This means that livestock production should prepare for competition in the single developed market, without any state trade barriers. Serbia's membership in international organizations, liberalization of trade in livestock products, a small possibility of protection from imports, the implementation of quality standards (HACCP, ISO, Global GAP), reduced levels of domestic support, elimination of export subsidies, increase profitability and ability to be competitive on the international market. Based on these circumstances, it is necessary to build efficient livestock production that can compete in the European market contributing to the growth of farmers and national income.Stočarska proizvodnja je važna grana poljoprivrede u Republici Srbiji i posmatrani istorijski, oduvek je igrala vodeću ulogu u održanju egzistencije stanovništva. Stočarstvo pruža neophodne proizvode (mleko, meso, jaja), a takođe obezbeđuje sirovine za prehrambenu industriju i industriju kože. Od stočarske proizvodnje se takođe očekuje da obezbedi kvalitetne proizvode za izvoz, pre svega govedine i jagnjetine. Priliku za izvoz imaju sir (posebno od ovčijeg i kozjeg mleka), sa definisanim poreklom i standardom kvaliteta. Međutim, na osnovu raspoloživih podataka, situacija u stočarstvu se ocenjuje kao negativna. U poslednjih nekoliko godina broj grla svih vrsta domaćih životinja kontinuirano se smanjuje. Srbija je dobila kandidaturu za članstvo u Evropskoj uniji (EU). To znači da bi stočarska proizvodnja trebala da se pripremi za konkurenciju na jedinstvenom razvijenom tržištu, bez ikakvih državnih trgovinskih barijera. Članstvo Srbije u međunarodnim organizacijama, liberalizacija trgovine stočarskih proizvoda, mala mogućnost zaštite od uvoza, implementacija standarda kvaliteta (HACCP, ISO, GLOBAL GAP), smanjeni nivo domaće podrške, eliminisanje izvoznih subvencija,rast profitabilnosti i sposobnost da budu konkurentna na međunarodnom tržištu, su još dodatni izazovi sa kojima se suočava ili će se suočiti stočarstvo Srbije. Na osnovu ovih okolnosti, neophodno je da se izgrade principi za efikasan razvoj stočarske proizvodnje, koja može da se takmiči na evropskom tržištu i doprinosi rastu poljoprivrede i nacionalnog dohotka

Locating the timacum maius station on the roman road lissus-naissus-ratiaria: New archaeological research

As the exact location of two Timacum stations remains an open issue, the results of the latest archaeological investigations in the environs of Svrljig, southeast Serbia, seem to offer some corroborative evidence for the hypothesis proposed in our previous contribution that this might be the location of Roman Timacum Maius. A small-scale trial excavation was undertaken on the Roman site at Kalnica in the Niševac village area in July 2008. A trench 4 by 2m was opened in the zone of the site that had yielded plentiful fragments of building debris as well as small finds. A massive wall over 1m thick was found immediately beneath the surface. Built of bro­ken limestone and pebbles bound with lime mortar, it obviously was part of a larger structure. To the northeast of the wall was an area covered with fragmented roof tiles. The discovery of two ceramic tumuli embedded in the wall, indicating a wall-heating system so far unregistered on the representative Roman urban and settlement sites in Serbia, gives additional grounds to presume that this was a larger Roman settlement extending over an area of more than 5ha, possibly Timacum Maius, a station on the Roman road Lissus-Ratiaria-Naissus

Influence of environmental factors on birth weight variability of indigenous Serbian breeds of sheep

The present investigation was carried out to study the influence of environmental factors on the birth weight variability of two breeds of sheep. Animals used in this research were taken from the Pirot and Svrljig indigenous sheep breeds. The data were collected from 1999 to 2009 and were analyzed to determine the effect of the year and season, age of the lamb, weight of the lamb, birth type and sex on the birth weight of lambs. Both sheep breeds were managed in the same farm and under the same farm conditions. Statistical analysis was performed by using GLM procedure of SAS statistical package program. Results showed that young (2 to 3 years) and old (6 to 7 years) mothers gave birth to lighter lambs, while sheep in the middle age (4 to 5 years) gave birth to lambs with the heaviest body weight. However, the differences were respectively significant (P (lt) 0.01). Birth weight of lambs also depended on weight of lamb, although differences in the average body weight of lambs were statistically significant (P (lt) 0.05). Type of birth also had effect on the body weight of lambs at birth in both Pirot and Svrljig breeds (P (lt) 0.05). Body weight of lambs at birth were almost the same for both sexes (3.39 and 3.36 kg for male and female in Pirot breed and 3.48 and 3.43 kg for male and female in Svrljig breed, respectively), though the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The values of birth weight observed for quite a number of years ranged from 3.27 to 3.52 kg in Pirot and 3.34 to 3.51 kg in Svrljig breed (P (lt) 0.01). Lambs born in the spring-summer season has the heaviest body weight at birth. Conversely, the significant difference (P (lt) 0.05) can only be interpreted as the factor of food source

The First Cohort of Cretans, a Roman Military Unit at Timacum Maius

Archaeological investigations on the site of Niševac (Timacum Maius) have been conducted over a period of eight successive years by the Institute for Balkan Studies in collaboration with the Centre for Tourism, Culture and Sports of Svrljig and the French Bordeaux-based Ausonius Institute. The 2014 campaign came up with nine Roman bricks stamped with inscriptions of the First Cohort of Cretans (Cohors I Cretum) built into the walls of a Roman bath. The inscriptions provide evi­dence for the character, chronology and history of the Roman settlement

The Roman Station Timacum Maius (?): Evidence of Urbanization and Communications

The 2009 archaeological campaign at Niševac, eastern Serbia, has provided important evidence for the urban growth of a Roman settlement, such as drains and a section of the Roman road traversing the settlement. Along with a sumptuous structure furnished with a wall heating system discovered in 2008, the latest excavation results provide clues as to the importance of the settlement which, containing all elements of Roman urban architecture, offers further corroboration to its presumed identification as the Roman station of Timacum Maius on the Lissus-Naissus-Ratiaria road

Primena molekularnih markera u napretku stočarstva

With recent developments in DNA technologies, a large number of genetic polymorphisms at DNA sequence level has been introduced over the last decades as named DNA-based markers. The discovery of new class of DNA profiling markers has facilitated the development of marker-based gene tags, mapbased cloning of livestock important genes, variability studies, phylogenetic analysis, synteny mapping, marker-assisted selection of favourable genotypes, etc. The most commonly used DNA-based markers have advantages over the traditional phenotypic and biochemical markers since they provide data that can be analyzed objectively. In this article the main applications of molecular markers in present-day breeding strategies for livestock improvement - parentage determination, genetic distance estimation, genetic diversity, gene mapping and marker-assisted selection have been reviewed.Sa razvojem DNK tehnologija, veliki broj genetskih polimorfizama na nivou DNK sekvence su predstavljene poseldnjih godina pod nazivom DNK markeri. Otkriće novih klasa DNK markera je olakšalo razvoj marker gena, kloniranja gena od važnosti u stočarstvu i to na bazi mapa, ispitivanje varijabilnosti, filogenetske analize, mapiranja, selekcije poželjnih genotipova pomoću markera, itd. Markeri na bazi DNK koji se najčešće koriste imaju prednost u odnosu na tradicionalne fenotiske i biohemijske markere jer obezbeđuju podatke koji se mogu objektivno analizirati. U ovom radu su predstavljeni načini korišćenja i aplikacija molekularnih markera u postojećim odgajivačkim strategijama odn. napretku stočarstva - određivanje porekla, ocena genetske distance, genetskog diverziteta, mapiranje gena i selekcija pomoću markera

Newly-discovered traces of the Roman Naissus-Ratiaria road and the problem of locating two Timacum stations

The goal of this paper is to reopen the question of and propose a solution to the as yet unresolved problem of the exact location of the Timacum stations on the Naissus-Ratiaria itinerary road. Based on plentiful material evidence it seeks to draw a more reliable picture of the Roman itinerary road and its newly-discovered traces. Also, it points to the possibility of a completely new interpretation of the itinerary sources relating to this issue. The method adopted here relies on the data contained in the Roman itineraries as well as on the archaeological and epigraphic evidence