When a public building collapses, we often speak of losses. In Sisak, in Croatia, the opposite happened. Following the 2020 earthquake, renovation work in the town hall brought to light a perfectly preserved Roman theater, buried for almost two millennia. This unexpected vestige redraws the map of the old Siscia, revealing its scope, its complexity and the strategic place that this ancient city held. The Odéon, a typical structure intended for shows and debates, has been integrated into the modern building, visible today under a glass slab.
A discovery due to randomness of an earthquake in Croatia
On December 29, 2020, at 12:17 p.m., a magnitude 6.4 shock shaken the Petrinja region, in the center of Croatia. The epicenter, located just a few kilometers from Sisak, causes significant material damage. The town hall of Sisak, a centenary administrative building located on the aptly named Rimska Ulta – Roman street – is severely affected. Weakened, the structure requires complete restoration, largely funded by European and national funds mobilized in emergency.
It was during this reconstruction that the site takes an unexpected turn. During strengthening work in the basements, the workers update an unusual stone block arrangement. Alerted, archaeologists from the Ministry of Culture and the Media intervene quickly. The first observations confirm the presence of an ancient structure: a Roman performance hall, or Odéon, buried under the modern building.
© © Croatia's Ministry of Culture and Media
The former Roman Odéon discovered under the town hall. © Croatia's Ministry of Culture and Media
The most distinctive element uncovered is the theater orchestra, a semi-circular area characteristic of Odéons. The stones are well preserved, and their arrangement leaves no doubt about their function. The shock of the earthquake therefore acted as a catalyst, revealing what has been sleeping for centuries under the municipal foundations.
Siscia, a strategic and unknown Roman city of Croatia
Long relegated to a secondary role in the collective memory of Roman antiquity, Siscia nevertheless occupies a strategic place in the history of Pannonia, a key province of the Roman Empire. Founded around 35 BCE, on the remains of an old Celto-Illyrian habitat, the city very early became a military support point for Rome. Its geographical location – at the confluence of the Kupa, Sava and Odra rivers – in fact a natural crossroads between the Balkans, Italy and the Danube. Zones of high importance for the control of central Europe.
Under the reign of Augustus, Siscia goes from the status of advanced post to that of Municipium. This is a privileged rank granted to cities integrated into the Roman administration. It then becomes a prosperous urban center, with complex civil structures: forum, thermal baths, basilica and cultural buildings. From the 3rd century, the city still gained importance. During the tetrarchy established by Diocletian, Siscia was even temporarily raised to the rank of regional imperial capital. A row shared with sirmium, nicomedia and truce.
SISCIA's economic activity is just as notable. She has an imperial monetary workshop, one of the most active in her time. It strikes parts intended to circulate throughout the Empire. This detail, rarely attributed to intermediate cities, illustrates its major commercial role.
The discovery of the Odéon in the modern center confirms the real extent of ancient town planning. As the Croatian Ministry of Culture indicates: ” This vestige is specifying the urban topography and attests to the political and cultural centrality of Siscia in late antiquity ».
A typically Roman structure preserved on site
The monument uncovered under the town hall of Sisak is therefore identified as an Odéon. In other words, it is a small covered theater used in Roman times for public concerts, readings or debates. Its structure presents a characteristic apsidal shape: a semicircle composed of three parallel rows of limestone blocks. The interior diameter reaches twenty meters. According to the authorities, this arrangement corresponds to the orchestra, the central part of the theater where speakers and musicians took place.
Archaeologists have specified that the remains are exceptionally well preserved, in particular thanks to the stability of the soil and the absence of deep constructions on the site since the 19th century. In order to guarantee the development of this heritage, they have chosen to keep it in situ, inside the subsoil of the renovated town hall. A glass slab allows the public to see the foundations without damaging them.
© © Croatia's Ministry of Culture and Media
Glass floor presenting the remains of a Roman Odéon in Croatia. © Croatia's Ministry of Culture and Media
Another notable point: a second monumental structure, dated from a later era, would be above the Odéon. With massive buttresses, it intrigues specialists. Additional excavations are provided in the town hall courtyard to specify the dating and the function. These elements suggest a complex superposition of architectural phases over the centuries.
A catering funded in Croatia by European solidarity
The complete restoration of the town hall of Sisak, made necessary by the damage of the 2020 earthquake, turned into a major heritage project. Funded up to 9.09 million euros, this site mobilized a plurality of sources: 1.3 million from the European Union solidarity fund, 2.03 million in the Croatian state budget, and nearly 2 million euros from the national recovery and resilience plan. This financial mobilization demonstrates a strong political desire to repair, but also to reinterpret public spaces.
Beyond structural reinforcements, catering has integrated a cultural and educational component. The authorities devoted 6,000 euros to the development of the site with an educational course.
This rediscovery also raises a wider question: how many vestiges still sleep under European cities? The example of Sisak, just like the other vestiges uncovered during works of urban developments across Europe, shows that the architectural memory of the past can coexist with contemporary needs, if political and budgetary choices go in this direction. The Odéon, preserved under glass and integrated into the daily life of the inhabitants, symbolizes a living archeology, directly linked to the current civic space – an inspiring model for other cities.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
