The Claustra Alpium Iuliarum System: Surveillance and Defence of the Empire in Late Antiquity

Recent archaeological research has significantly advanced understanding of the Claustra Alpium Iuliarum, a vast and complex Late Antique defensive system spanning 130 km across Croatia and Slovenia. This system, leveraging natural geomorphology to control key passages between Illyricum and northeast Italy, was found to effectively direct traffic towards major controlled routes such as Tarsatica (Rijeka)—Tergeste (Trieste)—Aquileia, Emona (Ljubljana)—Tergeste, and Emona—Aquileia. The study employed a combination of non-destructive documentation methods and traditional archaeology to navigate the system's large area and dense vegetation, revealing intricate details about its organization and function.

Višnjić, J. (2026). Le système de la Claustra Alpium Iuliarum : surveillance et défense de l’Empire dans l’Antiquité tardive. HiMA : Revue Internationale d’Histoire Militaire Ancienne, (14), 213–242. https://doi.org/10.58335/hima.2434