Baština (Jan 2014)
Roman agriculture in Kosovo and Metohia
Abstract
The territory of Kosovo and Metohia represents a close unit which consists of the two naturally different regions whose geographic, climatic, and soil characteristics conditioned the possibility for the development of economic activities, out of which agriculture came to the fore either in cattle breeding or farming. Agriculture was the main economic activity which domestic population was dealing with in the period before Roman conquests. By conquering of this area, the Romans brought new forms of earning activities which were especially being expressed through the organization of agricultural production and the appearance of villa rustica as basic production unit. In the conquered territory there were several extremely agricultural regions suitable for some kinds of agriculture. Valleys of larger rivers, basins, plains, especially in Metohia, the valley of the river Beli Drim, were suitable for the farming development, cultivation of different vegetable crops, horticulture and viticulture. Although different in geomorphologic sense, the area of Kosovo was also mostly of agricultural character, whose arable areas are concentrated in the valleys of the rivers of Binačka Morava, Ibar, Sitnica, Drenica and other smaller rivers. Farming in hilly areas, which mostly relates to the area of Kosovo due to the unfavourable relief, was probably of limited character that is, based upon smaller arable areas being enabled by such conditions. Agriculture in these hilly areas was based upon animal husbandry, that is cattle breeding, and products exchange from this branch of agriculture with cereals from agricultural fenced areas. Besides hilly and mountainous areas, there were favourable conditions for cattle breeding in lower, hilly areas, which were especially related to the transition zone from Kosovo and lower Metohia. This area was suitable since it had possessed good pastures, wherein low and thick forest was suitable for the breed of small cattle such as sheep, goats etc. A considerable part of arable area was during the Roman conquests distributed to the Roman immigrants as evidenced by the appearance of villa rustica as follows: in the valley in the river of Beli Drim near Drsnik, Uroševac, at Ulpiana, in the valley of the river of Lab near Glavnik, in the valley of the river of Ibar near Vučitrn at Donji Stanovci, Valača near Zvečan, and in Vuča near Sočanica. Places where they were registered usually indicated they had been built along river course, wherein right and left river banks had been suitable for cultivation, and their position was conditioned by the proximity of the main communications so as products distribution from the possessions would be easier. Their position was also influenced by the proximity of rural settlements so as to make use of labour force in the possessions during the season works. Data relating to the agricultural production originate from the archaeological researches carried out which were intensive during the second half of the previous century. The achieved data were sparse, and based on them it could be said something very generally on agricultural activities at this area, which left enough open space for some amendments during future researches.
