Constantine called it Home

Nis, Serbia

Aug 25, 2025

In 272 CE, in the city of Naissus was born Constantine, the son of one Flavius Constantius. Constantine went on to become the sole ruler of the Roman empire from 306 to 337 CE. Named Constantine the Great, he was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity and is credited with advocating tolerance of Christianity throughout his realm. It was he who built a new imperial residence in the city of Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople.

Constantinople is none other than Istanbul and Naissus is none other than Nis. In remembrance of his birthplace, Constantine built a grand palace in the typical lavish roman style in Nis. The ruins of this palace called Mediana, lie some distance from the city, on a large plain with gentle hills as a backdrop.

The huge scaffolding covers what has been partially excavated. But vast as it is, this is just the residential building, only a fraction of what was a vast sprawling complex. The staked-out areas nearby and the huge fenced-in areas are yet to be excavated.

The residential building is a huge rectangle and all along the sides are mosaics. While they pale in comparison with mosaics seen in many other parts of the world – Jordan, Turkey, Cyprus and Italy come to mind – they are relatively newly discovered in Serbia and worth a visit. Most of them are geometric and floral motifs, intricately laid. But in the area labeled Reception Hall is part of a recognizable figure. It is Flavius the river god.

On either side of the Reception Hall are Banquet Rooms. The one on the right now has a protective building over it. The central mosaic is hexagonal with aprons extending from each side of the hexagon. The aprons are not the same either in shape or in the motifs. Even more interesting is what lies under the mosaicked floor. It seems to have another floor underneath and I can see the openings of some pipes. Was this a mini Roman bath? And the pipes used for water?

Only the central section of the second banquet hall is clearly visible. Of the aprons, I see just two and neither are very distinct. But here, through a gap, I see the heating system seen in all roman baths. So were these really banquet halls or baths? Or perhaps both in an excess of decadence?

A few marble statuettes are placed on shelves in the first banquet hall. The head of Venus and the bust of a Satyr are recognizable. Less so are the other fragmented ones. The signage says most date from 2^nd and 3^rd centuries CE.

In the Nis Fort, I saw an area with a couple of dozen stone tablets, ostensibly dating from the same period. Strangely, instead of being housed in a museum, they are left out in the open at the mercy of the weather and graffiti artists.

I wonder why every second sign in Mediana takes pains to extol the glorious ancient history of Serbia but these tablets are left to decay? Who knows what the rationale is!