Šidak Jaroslav: Ljetopis popa Dukljanina

Chronicle of Pope Dukljanin

editor Dr. Jaroslav Šidak

• Latin text with Croatian translation and "Croatian Chronicle"
• edited, introduction and commentary by Vladimir Mošin
• Croatian translation by Latin editor Stjepan Nencinger, Vjekoslav Štefanić
• signature of the previous owner on the front page

Pop Dukljanin, as in our country, according to Lucius's example from the XVII. century, used to call an unknown writer of chronicles, who was created in the area of ​​medieval Duklja (now Montenegro) in the middle of the 12th century. century and which represents the oldest preserved historical document in both Croatian and Serbian history, today it has already become, at least by name, the property of every literate person of ours. But since the Chronicle of Pope Dukljanin has been preserved in its entirety only in Latin (and Italian), and the Serbian translation by J. Subotić from 1853 has long been forgotten, few people know its contents.

Opinions about its value for learning about the history of the South Slavs in the early Middle Ages are, admittedly, not unanimous in science. The whole chapters, in which the oldest period in the development of our countries are shown, have only a few pieces of information that can be useful to science, and the connection of the ancient South Slavic history 1 with the history of the Goths, historically completely inaccurate, embarrassed some uncritical readers and was used by some for shameful political goals. although the strong influence of folk tradition and poetry is often felt in this representation as well. The legend of St. Vladimir and Kosara is rightfully considered the oldest surviving work of South Slavic literature. The description of the events of the last hundred years, no matter how much it lacks a solid chronological framework, finally turns into a true history of old Duklja or Zeta, which in many respects complements or illuminates the news of contemporary Byzantine writers.

But the Annals of Pope Dukljanin has a special significance for our science today in that it enables it to better understand the development, organization and forms of social and political life in the era, in the example of medieval Duklja who was just building a feudal state in the South Slavs. If we add to all this the fact - which, however, should be deeply regretted - that the knowledge of the Latin language is becoming scarcer and rarer even in wider circles of experts, we believe that there are sufficient justified reasons for the republishing of Dukljanin's writings.  (Jaroslav Šidak)