Scupi

Scupi

Panorama of Scupi and Skopje.
Shown within Republic of Macedonia
Location	Skopje
Coordinates	42°00.996′N 21°23.524′E / 42.016600°N 21.392067°E / 42.016600; 21.392067

Scupi is an archaeological site located between Zajčev Rid (Зајчев Рид 'Rabbit Hill') and the Vardar River, several kilometers from the center of Skopje, in the Republic of Macedonia. A Roman military camp was founded here in the second century BC on the site of an older Dardanian settlement. It became later Colonia Flavia Aelia Scupi and many veteran legionnaires were settled there. A Roman town was founded in the time of Domitian (AD 81-96) and Scupi became the chief center for romanizing Dardania. It was abandoned in AD 518 after an earthquake completely destroyed the city.

The name (Greek: Σκοῦποι, Skoupoi) probably derives from the Greek ἐπίσκοπος, i.e. (lit. "watcher, observer"), related to its position on a high place, from which the whole place could be observed. In the most ancient times, it was located on Zaychev Rid, now a hill on the West of present-day Skopje. Being located on a hill, it could have been used as a place from which the whole of the area was observed. According to some opinions, in the beginning it was merely a (military) observation post. However, the Slavic forms, which show a common plural (mac. Скопје, srb. Скопље, bulg. Скопие) curiously present a plural form. The last part of the word, -je, is a suffix that conveys the meaning of indefinite plural, which states that there are many of the object considered, but does not state exact number (which perhaps can be conveyed with the phrase 'bunch of'). It may mean that it was a military settlement, which was formed of, or consisted of many observing posts.

Scupi became the capital of Dardania, which extended from Naissus to Bylazora, in the second century BC. The Dardanians had remained independent after the Roman conquest of Macedonia, because they had supported the Romans, hoping to enlarge their territory in this way. It is not clear when the Romans finally annexed Dardania and it seems most likely that the Dardani actually lost independence in 28 BC. Scupi grew up as colony of legionnaires, mainly veterans of the Legio IIV Claudia in the time of Domitian (AD 81-96), even though several legions of Crassus' army of 29-28 BC, may already have been stationed there, before the official imperial command in this area was instituted. Scupi was included in Moesia Superior after the province was formed in AD 6. From 272 AD, it was a colony inside the Roman province of Dardania after Dardania was established. Scupi was ravaged several times by barbarians, in AD 269 by the Goths, in 5th century by the Huns and finally in the year 518 was completely destroyed by an earthquake. Life in Scupi stopped after the earthquake and it is assumed that the people from Scupi moved to live on Kale, a hill in the center of Skopje.