Ancient Pula

Pula je nastala prije 3000 godina. Smjestila se na uzvisini, u blizini pitke vode. Mit o Argonautima govori o samom nastanku imena grada Pule. Njezini prastanovnici bavili su se ribolovom, poljodjelstvom i stočarstvom. Živjeli su u kamenim kućama te su izrađivali glinene posude koje bi ukrašavali raznim motivima. Dolaskom Histra vidljiv je napredak života grada. Mijenja se način pokapanja - dolazi do spaljivanja pokojnika. Budući da su se Histri bavili gusarstvom, počinju smetati Rimljanima. Najprije dolazi do sukoba između tih dviju strana, a kasnije slijedi i rat, tzv. Drugi histarski rat, koji traje godinu dana i završava pobjedom Rimljana. Osvojene su i gradine Nezakcij, Mutila i Faverija. Budući da se najviše putovalo morem, stvaranje pomorskih veza bilo je od velike važnosti, ali i razlog rimskog osvajanja poluotoka. Pula nije odmah kolonizirana nakon dolaska Rimljana. Tek se 130 godina nakon osvajanja postavlja pitanje o kolonizaciji. Kolonija se protezala od Limskog zaljeva pa sve do samog juga Istre. Upravo su Rimljani zaslužni za cijelo bogatstvo antičkih spomenika koji i danas krase grad. Neki spomenici su gotovo potpuno sačuvani, dok o nekima znamo samo iz otkrivenih ostataka i zapisa. Najpoznatiji spomenici koji su nastali u tom razdoblju zasigurno jesu Amfiteatar, Slavoluk Sergijevaca, Augustov hram, Malo i Veliko rimsko kazalište, Herkulova vrata, Dvojna vrata te mnogi drugi. Osim Pule, okolna mjesta koja se mijenjaju dolaskom Rimljana na vlast jesu Brijuni i Nezakcij. Tamo su se mogle pronaći terme, mlinovi, kuće s vodospremama i dr. Pula djeluje kao grad i nakon antičkog razdoblja. Javlja se kršćanstvo te se grade crkve i samostani, a svećenstvo ima veliku moć odlučivanja. U vrijeme helenizma i renesanse, sva antička ostavština ponovno oživljava. Amfiteatar postaje zaštitni znak Pule. Brojni umjetnici posjećuju grad kako bi vidjeli monumentalne spomenike. Iz tog razdoblja pronađene su mnoge reprodukcije spomenika, koje su ovjekovječili razni spomenuti umjetnici. U 19. st. dolazi do razvitka povijesti i arheologije, čime započinje istraživanje antičkih spomenika.Pula was founded 3000 years ago. It was situated on the hill, near a fresh water spring. The Myth of the Argonauts tells us how Pula got its name. Its inhabitants were fishermen, agricultures and farmers. They lived in stone houses and made clay pottery, which they decorated with various ornaments. Upon the arrival of the Histri tribe, the life in the town started booming, which became pretty noticeable. Burning rituals are being changed – the deceased are being incinerated. Since the Histri were pirates, they were slowly becoming Roman enemies. Firstly, the conflicts started between the two sides, then the war broke out; the so called the Second Histrian War, which lasted for a year and ended with the Roman victory. The settlements such as Nezactium, Mutila and Feveria were conquered. Forming maritime connections was of crucial importance since the main travelling routes were the sea ones. That is why the Romans saw a great importance in winning over the peninsula. Pula was not colonized immediately upon the arrival of the Romans. The question of colonization is being imposed only 130 years after the conquest. The colony was stretching from the Lim Bay to the most southern part of Istria. The Romans should be thanked for having created a great cultural heritage consisting of numerous ancient monuments which adorn the town, even in the modern times. Some of those are almost completely preserved, while with the others, we have become familiar through the remains and written records. The most famous monuments from that Era are the following: the Roman Amphitheatre, the Arch of Sergi, the Temple of Augustus, the Small and the Big Roman Theatre, the Hercules Gate, the Twin Gate etc. The Brijuni Islands and Nezactium are also places which got changed in the period of the Roman rule. Spas, mills and houses with reservoirs are only one part of the Roman inheritance that can be found in those areas. Pula continues to function as a city even after the ancient times. The Christianity appears, the churches and monasteries are being built, while the priests have a great power of decision making. During the Hellenism and Renaissance, all antique heritage is being revived. The Amphitheatre becomes the main symbol of Pula. Numerous artists are visiting the city with the purpose to see the monuments. From that Era, there are lots of monument reproductions, which were made eternal by the aforementioned artists. In the end, the research of the ancient monuments began in 19th century when history and archeology got developed as sciences