Inbook,
Classical Reception in Croatia
page 13--20. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (2017)
DOI: 10.1002/9781118832813.ch1
Abstract
The essay outlines the historical reasons for continuous Croatian engagement with Greek and Roman civilization: the Balkan regions in which the Slavs settled were part of the Roman Empire; the region of Dalmatia in particular preserved continuity of urban and religious life during the transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages; and the medieval Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia came into existence thanks to the Pope's recognition and general support of the Church in Rome. Marko Marulić (1450–1524) from the city of Split, the author of the first epic poem in the Croatian vernacular, serves as an example of Croatian interactions with classical antiquity. Elements of antiquity were incorporated into Croatian identities at different levels—national, local, religious. Material remains and ancient texts stimulated literary activity. Geographical, political, and cultural closeness to Italy meant that Croatian reinterpretations of antiquity engaged with events across the Adriatic. From the nineteenth century, German cultural modes join the dialogue, and, after World War II, the classical tradition was increasingly refracted through global popular culture.
