Medun

Medun (Serbian Cyrillic: Медун) is a settlement located 13 km northeast of the capital Podgorica, Montenegro. The village houses the archaeological site of the ancient fortified city of Medeon. It is situated in the tribal area of Upper Kuči, one of the highland tribes. In the 2003 census, it had 108 inhabitants.

Geography

As Mariano Bolizza described in 1614, It is situated on a beautiful hill on a cleft in the mountainside, between two other mountains, overlooking a very spacious valley.

History

Ancient and Roman times

Medun is an old town and fortress, situated 13 kilometers northeast from Podgorica, Montenegro. It was erected originally as a fortress, later on as a town, between 4th and 3rd centuries BC, by Illyrians living in the area. It was known as Medeon, Meteon, or Modunense.

Well preserved walls of the fortress were built of big blocks of trimmed stone, placed in a number of rows. With respect to solidity and size of the construction it substantially differs from the construction of other, less significant Illyrian towns. From the cultural-artistic point of view, two lower dig ups in the rock on the road from the lower to the upper town are very interesting. Studies refer to the conclusion that it was the place of performance of rituals related to the cult of snake that represented myth ancestor to the Illyrians. Necropolis is sited north from the upper town. It originates from the Iron Age, but has not been studied. Medeon hosted the Ardiaei king Gentius, his wife Teuta and the rest of his family until they were taken captives by the Roman legions, who effectively ended the independence of Illyria and created the Roman province of Illyricum.