ZAGREB, September 9, 2018 – Costumed Romans flooded downtown Rijeka on Saturday, presenting ancient trades, military tradition and meals as part of Roman Day, an event recalling that in antiquity the northern Adriatic city was an urban centre.
In parts of the city inhabited by ancient Romans, visitors could watch wheat milling, forging, stone-carving, woodworking and pottery, Roman soldiers’ equipment and weapons as well as recreations of gladiator fights and slave selling. They could also taste food and drinks made by using ancient Roman recipes.
Children could participate in workshops, making musical instruments or complex Roman hairstyles.
The event was organised by Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and is part of Claustra+, a project for the conservation, restoration and tourism evaluation of the remains of the Roman defence system Claustra Alpium Iuliarum.
This system of defence walls, watchtowers and fortresses stretched from Principia, the Roman military command in Tarsatica, present-day Rijeka, to Posočje, Slovenia and Cividale del Friuli, Italy. It was built in the 4th century to defend the heartland of the Roman Empire from barbaric invasions.
The Claustra+ project is worth 1.8 million euro. The county, as one of the partners, is participating with 260,000 euro.
