Dardania (Roman province)

During the late Imperial period the Dardanian territory was the homeland of many Roman emperors, notably Constantine the Great and Justinian I.

[7] Dardanian slaves or freedmen at the time of the Roman conquest were clearly of Paleo-Balkan origin, according to their personal names,[8] noted as being mostly of the "Central-Dalmatian type".

[20] The main centres of Roman Dardania were Scupi (Skopje), Naissus (Niš) and Ulpiana (Lipjan).

[8] At the time of Moesia Superior, the towns in Dardania included Scupi, Naissus, Ulpiana, Therranda, Vicianum, Vindenis, Velanis, Dardapara, Quemedava, Diocletiana, Sintia, Meria and Damastion.

The Romans occupied Naissos (Latin: Naissus) in the period of the "Dardanian War" (75–73 BC), and set up a legionary camp.

[21] The city (called refugia and vici in pre-Roman relation), because of its strategic position (Thracians were based to the south[21]) developed as an important garrison and market town of Moesia Superior.

[26] According to Florin Curta, a small number of Slavs (Sclaveni and Antes) migrated to the Balkans in the 6th century.

[..] The meaning of this state of affairs has been variously interpreted, ranging from notions of Thracianization' (in part) of an existing Illyrian population to the precise opposite.