# Halikan > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Halikan > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Halikan.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halikan > Source revision: 1341164032 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Infobox ancient site |name = Halikan |native_name = [Roman municipium](/source/Roman_Empire) |alternate_name = Halicanum, Halycanum, Alicanum |image = Illyricum occidentis. cuj. partes IV Rhaetia, Noricum, Pannonia et Illyris, provinciae IX Rhaetia, Vindelicia, Noricum mediterraneum et rip., Pannonia prima et secunda, Savia et Valeria et in Illyride populi Iapodes... - btv1b59638282.jpg |alt = |caption = Halikan (Halicanum) within Pannonia Superior on a 17th-century map showing several ancient Roman provinces |map_type = Croatia |map_alt = |map_size = 270 |location = [Croatia](/source/Croatia) |region = [Međimurje](/source/Me%C4%91imurje) |coordinates = {{coord|46.53|16.38|display=inline}} |type = [Municipium](/source/Municipium) |part_of = [Roman Empire](/source/Roman_Empire) |length = |width = 270px |area = |height = |builder = |material = |built = 1st century |abandoned = |epochs = [Classical antiquity](/source/Classical_antiquity) |cultures = [Roman](/source/Roman_Empire) |dependency_of = |occupants = [Roman citizens](/source/Roman_citizens) |event = |excavations = 1977–2018 |archaeologists = |condition = |ownership = |management = [Međimurje County Museum](/source/Me%C4%91imurje_County_Museum) |public_access = |website = |notes = }} [[File:Halicanum.2.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Halicanum site in [Sveti Martin na Muri](/source/Sveti_Martin_na_Muri), northern [Croatia](/source/Croatia)]] '''Halikan'''{{Cite web|url=https://hamdocamo.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/romanizacija-panonije-s-posebnim-osvrtom-na-podrucje-medimurja-i-municipij-halikan/ |title=Romanizacija Panonije s posebnim osvrtom na područje Međimurja i municipij Halikan |website=hamdocamo.wordpress.com |date=11 January 2013 |access-date=2023-12-14}} ({{Langx|la|Halicanum, Halycanum, Alicanum}}){{Cite web|url=http://lrr.iarh.hr/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ZIA17w.pdf |title=Pottery with Verue Re stamp from Sveti Martin na Muri |website=lrr.iarh.hr |access-date=2023-12-14}} is an ancient [Roman](/source/Roman_Empire) [municipium](/source/municipium) located in present-day [Croatia](/source/Croatia). It is situated in the municipality of [Sveti Martin na Muri](/source/Sveti_Martin_na_Muri) in [Međimurje County](/source/Me%C4%91imurje_County). Founded in the 1st century AD, the municipium had an area of about 3 [square kilometre](/source/square_kilometre)s and was a [square](/source/square) in [ground plan](/source/ground_plan).{{Cite web|url=https://opcina.svetimartin.hr/povijest-svetog-martina-na-muri/ |title=Povijest Svetog Martina na Muri |website=opcina.svetimartin.hr/ |date=2 May 2018 |access-date=2023-12-14}} An ancient [Roman road](/source/Roman_roads) passed by it, having led from [Aquileia](/source/Aquileia) through the cities of [Aemona](/source/Aemona) and [Poetovio](/source/Poetovio) - today's [Ljubljana](/source/Ljubljana) and Ptuj in [Slovenia](/source/Slovenia) - to the east and north, forking near Halican in the direction of [Carnuntum](/source/Carnuntum), a settlement east of modern-day [Vienna](/source/Vienna) in [Austria](/source/Austria), and [Aquincum](/source/Aquincum), today's [Budapest](/source/Budapest). The site has been more thoroughly investigated archaeologically since 1977, but recently it was interrupted, and for the sake of protection and [restoration](/source/Conservation_and_restoration_of_cultural_property), the site was closed. ==History== Halikan was an important ancient Roman [settlement](/source/Human_settlement) that quite surely had the status of a municipium at the time of Emperor [Hadrian](/source/Hadrian){{Cite web|url=https://halicanum.propeller.hr/ |title=About Halicanum |website=halicanum.propeller.hr/ |access-date=2023-12-14}} (ruled 117 - 138 AD), as evidenced by the discovery of two well-preserved Roman [denarii](/source/Denarius) (silver coins) with his image, a type of money which value was behind the [aureus](/source/aureus) (gold coin), and ahead of the brass [sestertius](/source/sestertius) and the copper [as](/source/As_(Roman_coin)). The settlement was established in the [1st century AD](/source/1st_century), or perhaps a little earlier, during the early conquests of Emperor [Octavian Augustus](/source/Octavian_Augustus) (ruled 27 BC - 14 AD). It gained town status most likely during the process of urbanization of parts of the [Pannonia province](/source/Pannonia) at the time of the reign of Emperor [Vespasian](/source/Vespasian) (ruled 69 - 79 AD). The wider area was already inhabited earlier by members of the [Pannonian tribes](/source/List_of_ancient_tribes_in_Illyria), and on the [Mura river](/source/Mura_(Drava)) there was a suitable crossing over that river from one bank to the other. The Romans noticed this and established a military [stronghold](/source/stronghold) to monitor the river crossing. Over the time, the settlement developed so much that it became some kind of commercial centre of the surrounding area.{{Cite web|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/421514 |title=A contribution to research on grave finds of the 10th and 11th centuries in Međimurje (p.282) |website=hrcak.srce.hr |access-date=2023-12-16}} The town itself had a regular [square](/source/Town_square) shape, more precisely the shape of a square (so-called "urbs quadrata"){{Cite web|url=https://emedjimurje.net.hr/vijesti/drustvo/3089021/jeste-li-znali-halicanum-je-danasnji-sveti-martin-na-muri/ |title=Jeste li znali? Halicanum je današnji Sveti Martin na Muri |website=emedjimurje.net.hr/ |access-date=2023-12-14}} with traffic routes in an [orthogonal](/source/Orthogonality) system, where the streets intersect at right angles. Archaeological researches have shown that Halikan had town [quarters (insulae)](/source/Quarter_(urban_subdivision)) and a [forum](/source/Forum_(Roman)), the main square. The municipium flourished until the middle of the [3rd century AD](/source/3rd_century), spreading the ancient Roman culture and way of life to the surrounding area. With the weakening of the Roman Empire and the subsequent settling of [Slavs](/source/Slavs), Halikan lost its significance, and finally found itself deeply covered with soil.{{citation needed|date= December 2023}} ==Archaeological findings== The archeological research of Halikan was systematically started by archaeologists of the [Međimurje County Museum](/source/Me%C4%91imurje_County_Museum) from [Čakovec](/source/%C4%8Cakovec) in 1977. Ancient [building material](/source/building_material) ([bricks](/source/bricks), [tiles](/source/tiles), stone pillar base, parts of building walls, parts of [plaster](/source/plaster), etc.) was immediately found, which indicated that there had been a Roman settlement. A pottery [furnace](/source/Industrial_furnace) and troughs for compacting [clay](/source/Clay_(soil)) were found among the first finds. The [Ara (altar)](/source/Altar) of the Roman benefactor [consul](/source/Roman_consul) Titus Cesernius Marcilinus, which was dedicated to the supreme god [Jupiter](/source/Jupiter_(god)), is among the most important discoveries in the territory of the municipium. It indicates that Halikan was an important trading center.{{Cite web|url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/421514 |title=A contribution to research on grave finds of the 10th and 11th centuries in Međimurje |website=hrcak.srce.hr |access-date=2023-12-16}} thumb|right|260px|A bowl made in the technique of fine ceramics called "terra sigillata" (=sealed earth), similar to those excavated in Halikan During further excavations some other finds were discovered, e. g. [necropolis](/source/necropolis) [tumuli](/source/Tumulus) (burial mounds) along the ancient road that led to Halikan, a number of clay [artifacts](/source/Artifact_(archaeology)) (plates, bowls, oil lamps, pots etc.), as well as several pottery [kiln](/source/kiln)s for items for everyday use. Artifacts belonging to the fine, luxurious [ceramics](/source/ceramics) of reddish color called [terra sigillata](/source/terra_sigillata) ([Lat](/source/Latin_language). ''terra sigillata''="sealed earth") were not made in Halican, but delivered from more distant areas of the Roman Empire (e. g. [Apennine Peninsula](/source/Apennine_Peninsula) and the province of [Gaul](/source/Gaul) ({{langx|la|Gallia}}) - today's France). It was produced using a special technique from purified clay extracted from deposits rich in [iron oxide](/source/Iron_red).{{Cite web |url=https://zir.nsk.hr/islandora/object/ffzg%3A2106/datastream/PDF/view |title=Rimska stolna keramika s nalazišta Sveti Martin na Muri (Halicanum) |website=zir.nsk.hr/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |archive-date=2023-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830180610/https://zir.nsk.hr/islandora/object/ffzg:2106/datastream/PDF/view |url-status=dead }} Among other types of finds, numerous [metallic](/source/Metals) artifacts were excavated, such as bronze and iron [arrows](/source/Arrow), parts of iron knives, [pewter](/source/pewter) and bronze [sleigh bell](/source/sleigh_bell)s, iron and bronze keys, silver and bronze [clips (fibulae)](/source/Fibula_(brooch)), bronze needles and pins, bronze [tweezers](/source/tweezers), iron [nails](/source/Nail_(fastener)), then part of a [glass](/source/glass) bottle with a handle, and many others.{{citation needed|date= December 2023}} In 1985, research was reduced and later temporarily stopped completely. It was only in 2002 that they were continued, and it was undoubtedly defined that this ancient Roman settlement had a particularly developed [pottery](/source/pottery) activity, including the firing of clay products. Research was more intensive between 2015 and 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hrz.hr/index.php/aktualno/europska-godina-kulturne-bastine/3011-sv-martin-na-muri-arheolosko-nalaziste |title=Sv. Martin na Muri, arheološko nalazište |website=www.hrz.hr/ |access-date=2023-12-14}} as the archeologists tried to determine [dimensions](/source/Measurement) of the ancient town. After that the site has been closed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/129726283/Rimska_stolna_keramika_s_nalazi%C5%A1ta_Sveti_Martin_na_Muri_Halicanum_istra%C5%BEivanja_od_2015_do_2018_godine |title=Roman tableware from the site of Sveti Martin na Muri (Halicanum) – research from 2015 to 2018. (p. 29) |website=academia.edu |access-date=2026-03-01}} ==See also== * [Andautonia](/source/Andautonia) * [Aquae Iasae](/source/Aquae_Iasae) * [Stridon](/source/Stridon) ==References== {{Reflist}} Category:Roman sites in Croatia Category:Pannonia Superior Category:History of Međimurje Category:Former populated places in Croatia Category:Populated places established in the 1st century Category:1st-century establishments in the Roman Empire Category:3rd-century disestablishments in the Roman Empire Category:Populated places in Pannonia --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Halikan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halikan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halikan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.