History Starigrad - Historical and Cultural Information About Starigrad
Emblems (tumuli) speak of the prehistoric life of Starigrad, but the town itself is well known in history under the name of Argyruntum - Roman settlement in the Antique period. There is plenty of archaeological data from the Antique period (glass and ceramic utensils, jewelry, bronze plastic) that gives us the insight of the life of people that were leading during that period in history. Judging by the collected evidence it seems that people suddenly moved away from the area of Argyruntum because of the attacks of the barbarian tribes thus leaving one powerful Roman state in ruins.
The great migration of people marked the early Middle Age and this migration led, among others, the Croats into the area of today's Starigrad. The church of St. Peter from the 10th century as well as the church of St.Jurij that dates from 9th or 10th century stand as a confirmation of the life of Croats in Starigrad area.
Arduous warfare with the Turks lasted for two whole centuries, and after the Turks managed to take the area of Lika and the hinterland of Dalmatia thus leaving the area of Starigrad desolate. Starigrad was desolate for more then 150 years but Turkish power finally gave out and when Venatian Republic started to govern around 1671 , Starigrad was a lively little town once again. After the rule of the Venetian Republic and after the two World Wars, the town of Starigrad became the part of the Republic of Croatia.
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