Daorson was the capital of the Hellenized Illyrian tribe of Daors who lived from 300 to 50 BC in the valley of the Neretva River. The remains of this once strongest city in the wider area are located in Ošanjići, near Stolac in Herzegovina. It consisted of three units, the central one of which was the fortress – the acropolis, which was surrounded by “cyclopean” walls made of huge stone blocks (similar to those in Mycenae in Greece). All important administrative, public and religious buildings were located in it. The defensive wall, which stretches from the southwest to the northeast, was 65 m long, 4.2 m wide, and between 4.5 and 7.5 m high, with gates and towers at both ends. The Daorsi adopted the Greek language and alphabet, and were in constant trade relations with the Greeks. Remains of numerous wine amphorae and pieces of fine ceramics were found, but the most valuable find is a bronze helmet decorated with a series of Greek characters: Aphrodite, Nike, Helios, Dionysus, Muses, Pegasus and others, and the inscription on it is similar to the inscription on the helmet found in Macedonia. Today, more than three and a half thousand years later, Daorson bears witness to the weight of the years with its megalithic walls. Centuries of powerful and glorious history have not been translated into a tourist attraction today.

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