The Notitia Dignitatum, textile manufacturing, wool production and sheep grazing during the Roman Empire in Pannonia Secunda, near Sirmium

Abstract

As part of the Joint Australian – Serbian archaeological projectat Glac near ancient Sirmium, an archaeological survey is beingundertaken of a Study Area of a 700 km² slice of the catchmentof the Sava River. Two of the objectives of the survey areto understand the environmental conditions and the nature ofthe rural economy in the Study Area during the Roman period.As part of this survey an examination has been undertaken ofexisting literary, epigraphical and archaeological evidence relatingto the area in the Roman period. Consideration has beengiven to the Notitia Dignitatum (“The List of Offices”) that liststwo imperial weaving houses (gynaecea) at Sirmium (modernSremska Mitrovica) and Bassianae (adjoining the modern villageof Donji Petrovci). The location of two imperial weaving housesin such close proximity to each other is unprecedented, subjectto a peculiarity at Salona and Split, and has not previously beennoted. The potential implications of the existence of two imperialweaving houses in such close proximity are considered togetherwith potential implications on the likely rural economyand the environmental conditions of the area in the late Romanperiod.