Ruud Streefkerk

From the interior of Croatia we reach the city of Senj on the Adriatic coast, a place that has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Greek documents from the 4th century BC already mention a settlement of the Illyrian tribe the Lapydes on this spot. And 200 years later, Senia was a thriving Roman city in the Dalmatia-province, used by the Romans as a stronghold against the Illyrians. After the fall of the Roman Empire, in the 7th century AD, the Avares and the Croatians settled here. From 1470 the city was besieged by invading Ottoman and Venetian troops. The wars with the Ottomans lasted well into the 17th century. During this time the Uskoks lived in Senj. They had small units of soldiers navigating with fast rowing boats, which turned out to be very effective. But after a conflict with Venice, the Uskoks were expelled from the area in 1617.